[AMA] I'm a Brisbane Town Planner, Offering Free Basic Advice and Development Assessments

LQLDTownPlanner on 22/08/2019 - 15:06
Last edited 23/08/2019 - 23:41 by 1 other user

Hi,

Ask me anything related to development assessment, the planning of a city or transport planning.

  • I have a few years years of experience working in the Public, Private and Academic sectors of Town planning, Development Assessment, Liquor Licensing and Transport Planning

What I am offering for free

I'm currently looking for a job back in Town Planning after some time off, and given that I have free time, I am willing to offer free basic advice for development assessments (response to your comment) and if you like to take it further I will take on 2 simple development assessment projects (SEQ) at a time for free such as:

  • Newly built houses/apartments
  • Subdivisions (splitting a block of land into two)
  • Extensions/Renovations to Dwelling House
  • Car ports
  • Development Assessments triggered by overlays

Note: Preferably Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast
Applications are online and not require printing

In return for helping you out I am looking for your reviews on Linkedin.

You may ask me anything related to town planning.

—

I will do my best to respond your questions given my experience.

If it is for a development proposal, please provide as much detail as you can. Please post what overlays/codes are triggered and if you are unsure what will be triggered, you may PM your address so I can search it up on the system to find what your proposed development will trigger. I will keep your address, details and proposal confidential.

If you're looking to do some development/renovations, it may trigger the need of a development assessment report to be lodged to Council.

Stages of Development Assessment

  1. Pre-lodgement meeting (with town planners to discuss what will get through)
  2. Lodgement to Council (completed town planning report and relevant documents such as architectural site plans are lodged to Council)
  3. Assessment (Council has a time period to assess the development for approval)
  4. Decision (Council decides to approve or deny a development proposal)
    *Note: Complex applications (such as Impact Assessable) follow additional steps in the process**

Salary

My salary in Council as a graduate was $67k per year, next stage up is 74k-82k (2-3 years) and 82k-89k (3 years+), then for the experienced $90k+ (usually 5-6 years+), team leaders or managers are negotiated but roughly $90k-150k

My views on the industry

  • Development Assessment is paper work, box ticking and writing reports and bulk of the industry. Public sector is easy and bureaucratic while the Private is more on the project management side of working with the developer to push through developments.
  • Strategic Planning is aligning with the strategic goals of the city.
  • Various other pathways include calculating Infrastructure charges, neighbourhood planning (consulting with the community), transport planning (maintaining an efficient network for future needs), Development Compliance (issue fines our court notices for in-compliance) and academic (teaching students, writing journals and providing one sentence responses to media as someone from authority)

Developers, Surveyors, Architects and Builders

If you are any of the above and would like to contribute or work with me please feel free to comment or send me a PM.

Mod: Selling/soliciting removed.

Introduce Yourself

closed Comments

  • nocure on 22/08/2019 - 15:30

    Why is all the protected trees being cleared at the corner of Dakar & Delathin rd in Algester QLD without a DA in place?

    • QLDTownPlanner on 22/08/2019 - 16:44
      +1

      Hey nocure,

      I had a look at 15 Dakar Road / 135 Delathin Road (Corner of Dakar Road and Delathin Road) and there is definitely no DA.

      Can be these options here:

      1. They may have a permit under the Nature Conservation Act or are exempt from needing a permit as it complies with an accepted development vegetation clearing code for managing weeds or managing encroachment; is for fire management and is to manage serious risks to people or buildings/infrastructure.

      2. Illegal clearing, please contact Brisbane City Council at 3403 8888 to alert them of what's happening and they can follow it up. Developers like to clear land first and deal with repercussions later.

      I believe they could be exempt, but I will follow this up for you and have contacted Brisbane City Council awaiting a response.

  • activ8newbs on 22/08/2019 - 18:08

    Unsure if this is the right Avenue for discussing, but would love to hear your thoughts on what's involved with renovations in an apartment complex.

    I live on the top floor of a strata apartment. Considering entertaining the idea of removing a wall to make the living area bigger.

    Not looking for personal detailed advice, just curious as a first step, what there is to consider when deciding to take on a task like this?

    Thanks for the AMA!

    • QLDTownPlanner on 22/08/2019 - 20:25

      Hey,

      This is based experience of owning a rental unit where I looked into removing a wall to create an open plan kitchen (but didn't go ahead).

      1. You need to discuss with Body Corporate / Strata Management Team (will have conditions regarding renovations within the Community Titles Scheme for removing the wall - as some walls are structurally required)
      2. The conditions will most likely require an engineer or builder to approve the design and ensure it is structurally sound
      3. You may need to get votes approval from the committee / Strata Management Team that overlooks that apartment (usually other unit owners within the building) with conditions regarding your renovation

      Best to speak to Body Corporate first as they'll know how to handle this.

  • dylanando on 22/08/2019 - 19:32

    Go any jobs going?

    • QLDTownPlanner on 22/08/2019 - 20:26

      Currently don't have any jobs on hand. Able to take on 2 projects.

  • elgrande on 22/08/2019 - 21:07
    +2

    I will not take on building a mosque, night clubs / strip clubs etc

    Glad you clarified that, otherwise you would have been flooded with requests I am sure!

    • QLDTownPlanner on 23/08/2019 - 02:41

      I've worked on a mosque proposal before and you won't be surprised by the 300 comments from neighbours during the public notification stage of the development.

      • onetwothreefour on 23/08/2019 - 06:22
        +1

        Do you get more complaints about a mosque or a strip club?

        • QLDTownPlanner on 23/08/2019 - 14:50

          I've only done the liquor licencing of strip club and it only got approx 10 responses against it. Much more for the mosque, especially because it broadcasts on the loud speaker.

  • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 23/08/2019 - 01:39
    -1

    I'd like to build a statue of Donald trump in the CBD. Any help would be great….

    • QLDTownPlanner on 23/08/2019 - 02:39

      Hi,

      Tough question, if you would like to build a statue of Donald Trump, you need to determine if you're going to change the land use from a Principal centre zone. You may build a skyscraper that is compliant with the zone and include a statue of Donald Trump.

      If you're using the land just for a statue it will require notifying the public to gain responses to determine whether it should be built or not.

      Just make sure your neighbours are going to be Donald Trump supporters.

      • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 23/08/2019 - 03:26
        +1

        Not tough at all. I'll just have his family build another great hotel complex. God bless them, leaders of the free world.

  • hawkeye on 23/08/2019 - 01:48

    Not sure if you could answer this one but here goes…. I got a unit in Logan city rates are about $720 every 3 months my mates got a house on runaway bay gold coast council land value probably 2-3 times more than my unit his rates are $850 every 6 months.
    Why the massive difference in rates between councils?

    • QLDTownPlanner on 23/08/2019 - 02:24
      +1

      Hi,

      This is out of my area of experience but I've had a look online for you and this is my understanding.

      The difference in general rates is dependent upon how much revenue the local government requires from that specific category of land. Different Council has different rates for the land and the services and facilities required for it. This is then multiplied by the States valuation.

      An example scenario similar to your situation.
      * Logan City wants to raise $60,000 to provide services and facilities in the community in your area. So this $60,000 will be divided by all rateable land, lets say $100,000 = 0.6 (Your area needs more services and facilities)
      * Whilst Gold Coast City wants to raise $4000 to provide service and facilities in the community. So this $4000 will be divided by all rateable land, lets say $100,000 = 0.04
      (Your friends area doesn't need many service and facilities)

      Then we calculate the general rate to be paid for by each parcel.
      * In Logan City Council, each parcel valued at 10k x 0.6 = $6000 annual rate
      * In Gold Coast City Council, each parcel valued at 30k x 0.04 = $1200 annual rate

      Since your parcel has 3 units it = $6000/3 = $2000 general rate paid by each unit (you are paying more rates than your friend.

      Hence your area either requires higher costs for facilities and services which makes it more costly, OR there is less rateable land to divide by.

      Councils set local general rates
      State Government sets valuations

      Your rates aren't just based on the States valuations but it contributes to them.

      Information based upon https://www.dlgrma.qld.gov.au/resources/guideline/local-gove…

  • kipps on 23/08/2019 - 21:03

    Thanks for your post.

    When will BCC consider making a street one way where:

    • it is in a quiet suburban street
    • cars are parked both sides
    • street is so narrow it is impossible for two cars to pass each other
    • it is becoming harder and harder to pull over to the curb to give way to cars coming from opposite direction? (A lot of recent multi unit development & traffic generally is increasing)
    • QLDTownPlanner on 23/08/2019 - 23:40

      One way streets are generally avoided in BCC unless for improved efficiency in the overall network (i.e. avoiding conflicts from cars queuing up on the right lane to turn right).

      In the above scenario it is highly unlikely they will make it a one way street. There are minor actions that can be used first.

      1. With narrow streets, cars will need to take turns to pass each other OR if too narrow
      2. Yellow painted lines will be used to avoid cars parking on a certain side.
      3. Street widening will be used to achieve most up to date road width standard.
      • kipps on 24/08/2019 - 14:23

        Thanks. Looks like option (2) will be used in the near future around my place. Quite eager to see it TBH.

        • QLDTownPlanner on 24/08/2019 - 19:39

          Call or email through the issue to Council, they will pass it onto the Transport Network Operation boys to have a look.

          If there's a problem they will usually find a solution (most cost effective).

          If it's wide enough for vehicles to pass through then most likely nothing will be done.

  • kson on 29/08/2019 - 15:16

    Hey QLDTownPlanner, can you shoot me a PM (your settings are disabled), I'd love to pick your brain about something!

    • QLDTownPlanner on 30/08/2019 - 14:18

      Hey please check your PM. Have enabled it now.

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