Farmers: flood rules unfair

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Farmers: flood rules unfair

RIGID rules will cost farmers money for no benefit, South Gippsland Shire Council heard last Wednesday.

Council adopted its Land Subject to Inundation Overlay policy that requires new homes to be built 3.4m above sea level to avoid flooding due to predictions sea levels will rise by 80cm by the year 2100.

Pound Creek farmer Neil Smith will be affected by the new rule but said council should exempt him and up to seven other landholders bordering Anderson Inlet, as their farms are protected by a series of levee banks constructed 50 years ago by farmer as part of the Pound Creek Drainage Scheme.

He said the levees from Mahers Landing to the Tarwin River have never been breached, not even during the recent king tide that flooded the Inverloch boat ramp carpark.

“The event has been tested and it’s not as disastrous as they said it would be,” Mr Smith told council.

Mr Smith said a new subdivision at nearby Inverloch was lower than his farm and was not protected by a levee bank, and yet not subject to the same height ruling.

“I will have to get a civil engineer if I apply for a planning permit so there will be a lot more costs for me in the future,” he said.

Council’s planning manager Paul Stampton said towns usually have levee banks already built around them but rural areas do not, with the exception of some Anderson Inlet properties.

Mr Stampton said the policy took a long term view that levee banks are likely to fail in 100 years’ time, but Mr Smith said the levee banks were well maintained by landholders.

“What is council going to do to protect its own land? Is council going to budget for some sort of land guard?” Mr Smith asked.

“What height is the Long Jetty going to be rebuilt at, at Port Welshpool? Is it going to be 3.4m higher?”

Mr Smith was concerned property values had already been devalued by council merely proposing the policy, saying a neighbour had been unable to see his land since council mooted the policy.

“Farming is difficult enough with the drought and low commodity prices, and we just do not need extra bureaucracy thrown at us when we’re trying to run viable businesses,” he said.

Mr Smith called for council to give special consideration to land already protected by levee banks.

Cr Jim Fawcett apologised for the impact of the policy.

“It’s some of the crappy things we have to do at times,” he said, adding government departments would relocate their water pipes, roads and other assets in the event of rising sea levels.

“We’ve got an obligation to say to the community that these areas are going to be affected.”

Mayor Cr Bob Newton was the only councillor to not support the policy, saying it should consider the unlikely risk of inundation in areas such as Pound Creek that are protected by levees.

 Flexibility needed: Pound Creek farmers Neil Smith and Anita Harris believe South Gippsland Shire Council’s Land Subject to Inundation Overlay policy should not apply to properties protected from rising seas by levee banks, such as theirs.

Flexibility needed: Pound Creek farmers Neil Smith and Anita Harris believe South Gippsland Shire Council’s Land Subject to Inundation Overlay policy should not apply to properties protected from rising seas by levee banks, such as theirs.

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Posted by on May 31 2016. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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