Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC), at the Ordinary Meeting held on 28th January 2025, resolved to place on public exhibition the Draft Bush Fire Mapping and Draft Bush Fire Mapping Policy.
The policy applies to all land within the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) Local Government Area (LGA), outlines Council’s role and responsibilities in the ongoing review and identification for bush fire prone land. The policy meets Council’s obligations under Section 10.3 Bush Fire Prone Land of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, by establishing an on-going process for review of Council’s bush fire pone land manual and minimises risks to life and property associated with bush fire hazards.
The draft policy and maps are now on public exhibition with submissions invited until 28 February 2025.
The CGRC area includes extensive bush fire prone lands, such as National Parks, State forests, bushland reserves, and farmlands. Certain development on bush fire prone land must incorporate measures that protect human life, property, and valuable environmental assets from bush fire threats, while avoiding unacceptable environmental impacts.
The application of these requirements is largely determined by whether a development site is identified as
being at risk on the Bush Fire Prone Land Map as well as the requirements of broader planning legislation and regulations including the NSW Rural Fire Service Document Planning for Bushfire Protection – A guide for councils, planners, fire authorities and developers. Bush fire prone land (BFPL) is land that has been identified as being able to support a bush fire or is likely to be subject to bush fire attack. Bush fire prone land maps are prepared by local councils in conjunction with the NSW Rural Fire Service and certified by the Commissioner of the NSW RFS.
As the local government authority, Council is legally obligated to establish, regularly review, and update the Bush Fire Prone Land Map.
To view the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Draft Bush Fire Mapping and Draft Bush Fire Mapping Policy visit the CGRC website at www.cgrc.nsw.gov.au/connect-with-us/have-your-say/documents-on-public-exhibition/
All residents and landowners are encouraged to review the above material make a submission to Council. Address your submission to the Interim General Manager at Council by 5pm Friday 28 February 2025.
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