4.2 Coastal settlements and communities Context Preserving the special features or characteristics of a settlement, which are the very reason people choose to move to a settlement, while maintaining a reasonable level of services and infrastructure is challenging for many coastal local governments. These challenges are greatest where existing planning and management frameworks are not designed to manage sudden or large scale growth, and where local councils are small and poorly resourced. The pressure on coastal communities at a time of rapid change has been the subject of research undertaken by the National Sea Change Taskforce in the report, Meeting the sea change challenge: best practice models of local and regional planning for sea change communities (2006). This report documents the range of governance, environmental, community, economic and infrastructure challenges affecting 'sea change' councils in Australia and internationally, and identifies best practice in addressing these issues. Within this context, this section of the strategy includes a number of policies and actions to ensure that coastal settlements and growth are appropriately planned and managed to protect the natural environment and preserve the special features or characteristics of a settlement - also a challenge for the urban coast - while maintaining a reasonable level of service delivery and an appropriate level of infrastructure. It is important that the community is engaged with these planning and management processes and are involved in developing a long-term vision for their community through settlement planning, and landscape and character studies.   Nippers – Fairhaven I Walton Apollo Bay township I Walton Sustainable coastal communities A sustainable coastal community is one which encourages: Social and cultural wellbeing · a sense of community and valued lifestyle even in communities where many residents are not permanent · a well-informed, engaged community which participates in decisions and actions that affect them · use and maintenance of heritage places and protection and celebration of significant cultural heritage sites · high quality coastal public infrastructure which is well-designed, maintained and used as a community asset throughout the year · the promotion of walking and cycling within and between settlements through well planned integrated pathways including quality connections along foreshores and to public spaces. Economic activity · a healthy, diverse economy supporting the requirements of local, regional and visitor populations · a variety of holiday and tourist accommodation which is used throughout the year · innovative tourism, business and rural activities that demonstrate sustainability practices and do not compromise the integrity and diversity of natural assets · public or community transport designed to meet local and regional needs and to support links between coastal towns, regional centres and key tourism sites · a strong relationship with the rural and regional economy. Appropriate development · consolidated urban development within settlements that have capacity for growth and the protection of non-urban landscapes between settlements · building design and development that minimises the impact on natural ecosystems, landscapes and native flora and fauna · building design and development that is sensitive and responsive to the coastal character of the settlement and significant landscapes, features and values · development that is set back from the coast and low-lying areas to accommodate coastal features, vegetation and climate change risks and impacts · environmentally sensitive design in residential development and subdivision that seeks to minimise the development impact and footprint · water-sensitive design to avoid discharge of waste and storm water into the coastal reserves, ground water and other waters · diversity of housing choice to support more affordable entry points into home ownership and enabling older residents to downsize their housing needs and remain within their community. Environment protection and conservation · the protection and conservation of significant natural and cultural features and values · the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity to deliver healthier waterways and coastal, estuarine and marine environments · the contribution of non-urban landscapes as significant agricultural, cultural and landscape value and resources · the use of local provenance indigenous species in landscaping and revegetation to enhance urban environments, provide habitat and support the resilience of the coast · the need to avoid, negate, or offset the impact of the development on greenhouse gas emissions. Policy 1. Identify a clear settlement boundary around coastal settlements to ensure that growth in coastal areas is planned and coastal values protected. Where no settlement boundary is identified, the extent of a settlement is defined by the extent of existing urban zoned land and any land identified on a plan in the planning scheme for future urban settlement. 2. Ensure coastal settlements and growth are appropriately planned and managed by: · supporting a network of diverse settlements as outlined within the Coastal Settlement Framework to provide for a broad range of opportunities and diversity · implementing and reviewing coastal settlement boundaries as part of the settlement planning process, consistent with the Coastal Settlement Boundaries Planning Practice Note, and having regard to the best available information on sea-level rise and climate change risks and impacts · implementing the Coastal Spaces Landscape Assessment Study, State Overview Report, 2006 into relevant planning schemes. · directing residential, other urban development and infrastructure within defined settlement boundaries of existing settlements that are capable of accommodating growth · encouraging urban renewal and redevelopment opportunities within existing settlements to reduce the demand for urban sprawl. 3. Maintain existing non-urban breaks between all coastal settlements to support community identity, sense of place and limit urban sprawl. 4. Avoid linear development along the coastal edge and major transport routes and within rural landscapes to preserve areas between settlements for non-urban use. 5. Retain non-urban uses between settlements and protect visually significant landscapes, views and vistas. 6. Ensure development is sensitively sited and designed and respects the character of coastal settlements. 7. Ensure a sustainable water supply and storm water and sewerage treatment for all development. 8. Promote the incorporation of ecological sustainable design techniques in developments, such as energy and materials efficiency and water sensitive urban design. 9. Target priorities for infrastructure and innovative solutions in environmental hotspots where the provisions for potable water and reticulated sewerage services are not present or limited. 10. Promote on-going regional coordination and communication mechanisms to maximise knowledge transfer and practice around coastal change management and planning. ACTIONS a. Incorporate settlement boundaries into planning schemes by 2010 (LG, DPCD). b. Investigate options to reduce economic, environmental and social impacts of old and inappropriate subdivisions along the coast which are environmentally vulnerable and pose fire and health risks (DSE & DPCD, LG). c. Identify mechanisms and strategies to strengthen community resilience and social cohesion and to preserve a sense of place, particularly within communities experiencing rapid change due to the sea change phenomenon (DSE, DPCD, LG). d. Encourage economic development research targeted to the specific needs of small- to medium-sized communities situated within highly sensitive environmental contexts (LG, DIIRD). e. Develop a planning research program to investigate and provide information to planners and managers on the following issues (DPCD, DSE, LG): impacts and implications of population growth and seasonally fluctuating population levels on: 1. short and longer term planning and management strategies 2. the carrying capacity of coastal Crown land and the broader coastal environmental the impacts of sea change communities, ageing coastal populations and the implication for service delivery and infrastructure as part of a review and refinement of the coastal settlement framework land tenure and changes in property ownership and development patterns to determine and better understand the trends in coastal settlement growth dynamics residential land availability and demand, particularly in settlements with high spatial growth capacity within 1.5 hours of Melbourne The predicted impacts of climate change on built coastal environments, including economic and social implications. f. Review the siting and design guidelines for structures on the Victorian coast (VCC, 1998) to provide a product that promotes environmentally sensitive design, sympathetic to coastal locations, which address the following (VCC, DPCD, DSE, OVGA): incorporating energy and materials efficiency and water-sensitive urban design techniques, including solar access, natural light and ventilation, use of local materials and services, rainwater capture and water recycling coastal character and the appropriateness of new built form for the existing sense of place protecting significant views of waterways and from waterways the coastal environment and coastal landscapes as a dominant setting the spaces around buildings and maintaining the coastal landscape between towns along the coast, avoiding 'ribbon' development continuity of the built and natural public realms effects of extreme coastal weather on the built environment and outdoor spaces effects of different use-patterns and seasonal occupation   The Apollo Bay YHA by Perkins Architects incorporates numerous ESD principles and indigenous landscaping Perkins Architects   The Cape Schanck House by Paul Morgan Architects has been sensitively sited and designed to respond to the surrounding coastal tea tree. PaulMmorgan Architects

10 December 2008