Planning for coastal hazards in a changing climate

Transcription

1 March 2013 Planning for coastal hazards in a changing climate Catherine Knight, Coastal and Estuary Officer Sharyn French, Manager Land and Natural Environment

2 Presentation overview Stormy past Council s approach to planning for climate change Barriers and challenges

3 A stormy past, & future? Period of severe extensive beach erosion 1948 New Jetty damaged and 6 fishing boast lost 1954 Cyclone, extensive erosion to beaches, damage to jetty and all 26 fishing boats lost Period of severe beach erosion Severe beach erosion 1974 February Cyclone Pam, beach erosion and loss of Sheltering Palms Village May/June severe erosion 1984 Esplanade Road, Belongil Beach lost to erosion 1996 Severe erosion from east coast low 1999 Severe erosion from storms and a large swell event 2001 Severe erosion from east coast low 2008 Moderate beach erosion 2009 May storms, severe beach erosion, beach escarpment near Belongil Creek receded 27m Severe beach erosion

4 In an effort to slow the beach recession rate, the local residents placed old car bodies along the toe of the scarp.

5 Sheltering Palms Village Brunswick Heads 19 March 1996 Courtesy: P Watson (OEH) By late 1977 a total of 17 houses had been abandoned and purchased under the Government s Coastal Lands Protection Scheme Courtesy: P Watson (OEH)

6 Sheltering Palms, 9 th July, 1975 The village is already badly damaged by the beach recession during the storms of Sheltering Palms Village Sheltering Palms, 1st June, 1977 Dwellings in the village are abandoned. During storms waves overtop the low dune moving sand into the river behind. Source: Byron Bay Hastings Point Erosion Study (PWD, 1978) Sheltering Palms, 28 th August, 1977 All trace of the village has been removed. An artificial dune constructed by pushing sand from the washovers into a pile along the front of the beach is complete. This is intended to serve as a temporary buffer to prevent breakout of the river to the ocean.

7 2001 erosion at Belongil Beach

8 2009 erosion

9 2013 events Ex-tropical Cyclone Oswald and east coast low South Golden Beach and New Brighton 6/3/13

10 Belongil Beach Manfred Street 21/12/11 Manfred Street 26/02/13

11 Climate change planning Planned Retreat DCP Part J Development controls for 3 precincts: 1. Beach escarpment to immediate impact line 2. Immediate impact line to 50 year erosion line year erosion line to 100 year erosion line no building is to be located within 20m of the erosion escarpment (Precinct 1) development must be designed to be relocated or demolished, or to cease operation, should the erosion escarpment come within 50m (Precincts 2 & 3) LEP zones reflect precincts Predates climate change planning Informed Council s Coastal Zone Management Plan 2010

12 Climate change planning Draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), 2010 Studies prepared to inform CZMP: 2000 Coastline Values Study 2000 Coastline Hazard Definition Study 2004 Coastline Management Study adopted retreat for development and infrastructure for public and private lands 1 st time climate change considered 2006 Feasibility study to access the Cape Byron sand lobe for beach nourishment abandoned sand nourishment option recommits to planned retreat 2009 Updated Coastal Hazard Lines 2010 Council adopts draft CZMP and sends to Minister for certification 2011 Council withdrew draft CZMP from Ministerial certification

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14 Part J lines amended

15 Submission and withdrawal of draft CZMP (2010) Sticking point - Ministerial direction to amend: planning precincts so that they align with hazard lines that have been modelled to include SLR benchmarks (DECCW, 2009) Legislation change Coastal Protection Act 1979

16 Climate change planning Climate Change Strategic Planning Policy, 2009 Climate change parameters to inform decision making Sea level rise 0.4 by 2050 and 0.9 by 2100 Following withdrawal of NSW sea level rise planning benchmarks, Council resolved to maintain 0.4m (2050) and 0.9m (2100) relative to 1990 Current hazard study using these benchmarks

17 Climate change planning Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) - Mark II Draft Emergency Action Sub Plan developed State guidelines require consideration of a range of options Hazard Study being revised to consider climate change parameters Expected delivery June 2014

18 Climate change planning Draft Local Environmental Plan, 2012 Proposed clause to regulate development within the coastal planning precincts Not supported by state government

19 Barriers and Challenges Changing climate: - ENSO and other climate variability - evolving and complex science - governments federal, state & local - legislation & guidelines Willingness and capacity to implement provisions Litigation Leadership & support on climate change issues Community understanding and polarised debate $

20 Changing Climate What worked? - Part J - Draft Emergency Action Sub-plan What didn t? - Planning precincts - Lengthy planning processes (Draft CZMP 2010) What might be done differently? -?

21 Thankyou