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Item 10.4 - Attachment 1 |
Supplementary State of
the Environment Report |
30 October 2010
STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2009/10
The Local Government Act 1993 requires councils, councillors and
council employees ‘to have regard to
the principles of ecologically sustainable development in carrying out their
responsibilities’. In response, Parramatta City Council prepares a State
of the Environment (SoE) report each financial year in accordance with the Act.
The SoE reports on the major
environmental pressures that face the Parramatta local government area (LGA)
and provides an explanation of the state of the eight environmental sectors
including Land, Water, Biodiversity, Noise, Waste, Air Quality and Global
Warming, and Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Heritage. Within the SoE, Council
explains in detail how the organisation responded to identified pressures
facing the City, including the preparation of environmental plans, targeted
strategies and the monitoring of performance trends.
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NSW legislation states that
SoE reports must comply with the Pressure-State-Response model of
environmental reporting as described below: Pressure: Identifies and describes the pressure that human
activities put on their immediate environment and their natural surroundings. State: Identifies and describes the current and projected state of the environment.
Response: Identifies and describes the response of councils,
government agencies, industry and communities to the pressures on, and state
of, the environment. |
The supplementary
2009/10 SoE report is available as a separate document on Council’s website <www.parracity.nsw.gov.au>.
LAND
Pressure and State
Urban
development and revitalisation continued to place pressure on Parramatta’s
finite land resources and open space. The demand for housing has intensified
urban consolidation, resulting in smaller building blocks and an increase in
high rise buildings.
Projections
show that by 2026 the LGA will house an additional 40,000 people. The challenge
is to plan for sustainable development through addressing population
distribution, accessibility, environmental quality, travel patterns, transport
choices, residential quality and the character of residential areas throughout
the LGA.
Other
pressures on
Council’s
Tree Management Officers continue to investigate cases of illegally pruned or
removed trees that breach the Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
Responses
· Publicly exhibited a draft revised Local Environment Plan (LEP) and
Development Control Plan (DCP). The draft LEP is based on strategies outlined in the Residential Development Strategy (RDS) and represents a
sustainable and staged approach to managing population growth and meeting NSW
State Government’s objectives and dwelling yield targets
· continued to manage land contamination through the planning and
development consent process under the Environmental
Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and various planning instruments
including the Parramatta Local
Environmental Plan, State
Environmental Planning Policy No. 55 – Remediation of Land and the Managing
Land Contamination – Planning Guidelines
· planted more than 700 trees under Council’s City of Trees Program in our
streetscapes and parks
· continued to deal with matters of poor soil and sediment control on
building sites, with regular inspections by Council’s Environmental Health
Officers, Development Control Officers and Rangers, and issue of notices for
breaches.
WATER
Pressure and State
Parramatta’s
65 km of waterways continue to be affected by litter, nutrients, sediment,
toxicants and bacteria resulting from stormwater discharges, sewerage leakages
and overflows.
While
the ongoing expansion of hard surfaces through construction activity
accelerates run off and soil loss, trends show a decrease in suspended solids
washed into Parramatta River’s upper catchment. High levels of suspended solids
are present within our waterways after wet weather, reducing light levels and
smothering bottom dwelling species.
Introduced
plant and animal species compound the pressures on the waterways, affecting recreation
activities such as swimming and fishing. While Council continues to implement significant
flood mitigation works in the upper catchments, these measures cannot comprehensively
flood-proof the City, given the extent of urban development within the
floodplain.
Although
data indicates that most streams in
Council
also maintains 438 km of stormwater discharge drainage pipes and puts in place
stormwater drainage and flood mitigation measures to minimise impacts of
flooding, maintain safe access and protect life and property during heavy rain.
Reponses
· continued to implement the various Waterway Rehabilitation and Maintenance
Masterplans, the Parramatta
River Foreshore Plan 2009-16 and the Environmental (Waterways) Improvement Program 2009-13
· completed the draft Parramatta River Estuary Processes Study, a precursor to the
Estuary Management Plan
· completed an aquatic biological survey of 20
sites across Parramatta’s waterways using indicators of health such as water
quality, macroinvertebrates, diatoms, fish and macroscopic plants/algae.
Results of health were correlated with the amount of imperviousness (and
resulting stormwater runoff) within the respective catchments
· installed stormwater pollutant traps at Pendle
Hill (off Wentworth Avenue), Harris Park (Wigram Street) and South Granville
(Dixmude Street)
· supervised contractors cleaning and maintaining
over 140 stormwater pollution assets, removing over 460 tonnes of litter,
sediment and organic matter that would otherwise choke our waterways
· targeted aquatic weed infestations in Lake
Parramatta Reserve, Parramatta and Duck rivers, Darling Mills, Toongabbie,
Vineyard, Pendle, Coopers and Ponds/Subiaco creeks
· stabilised drainage lines on using sandstone
armouring and planting on Quarry Branch Creek at Model Farms Reserve, Winston
Hills; on Parramatta River foreshore Hilder Road Reserve, Ermington and
Baludarri wetland, Parramatta; at Third Settlement Reserve Winston Hills; and
Ray Marshall Reserve (Duck River), South Granville
· implemented actions identified within the Toongabbie Creek Platypus Recovery Plan including
targeted fox den fumigation at Bellbird Bend and Milson Park, tree planting at
Tartoola Reserve and Robin Hood Park, and weed removal in specific creek bank
locations
· continued work on three major urban sustainability
grant projects funded by the NSW Environmental Trust, namely: Sustaining the Parramatta River ($1.943
million), Camellia – Silverwater, a
model for Industrial Sustainability in the Duck River Catchment ($1.32
million) and Sustainable Water
Management in the Duck River Catchment ($1.829 million)
· updated Council’s draft Development Control
Plan (DCP) to include revised water quality targets, stormwater drainage and
water sensitive urban design requirements for new development
· updated Council’s Urban Design Guidelines to
include standard drawings for water sensitive urban design applications in
public streetscapes
· completed mapping of drainage infrastructure
locations and condition for inclusion in Council’s Strategic Asset Plan
· maintained Council’s extensive drainage
system which covers over 438 kilometres of pipe network and over 21,000
drainage pits.
BIODIVERSITY
Pressure and State
Protection
and enhancement of native vegetation corridors on public and private land
remain critical for the protection of the LGA’s remaining biodiversity.
Terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity continue to be severely impacted by
stormwater volume and quality (including sewerage, fertilisers and industrial
pollution). Human impacts on the LGA’s biodiversity range from mountain bike-related
erosion to over use of limited natural bushland resources.
Our core areas of bushland
vary from good condition (Duck River Bushland) to fair (Galaringi). The
bushland corridors along our creeks vary in quality from fair to poor. The
majority of Parramatta’s smaller isolated bushland remnants and minor corridors
are in poor condition because Council’s management resources focus by necessity
on larger reserves.
Responses
· managed over $2
million of bushland regeneration, waterways rehabilitation, and creek
maintenance projects across 67 reserves containing natural areas
· continued to deliver actions
within the Natural Areas Plan of
Management, Open Space Plan,
Waterways Maintenance and
Rehabilitation Master Plans, Biodiversity
Plan and
local area plans of management (POMs)
· produced and
installed signage along Settlers’ Walk Track along Toongabbie Creek, from Oakes
Road to Old Windsor Road, Toongabbie
· undertook
planting days and environmental activities with four schools in Granville,
through a grant received from local business Merck Sharp and Dohme
· constructed and
realigned two stormwater outlets in Moxhams Park Winston Hills, funded by a
Landcare Grant, to control overland surface water flow and the removal of woody
weeds
· removed noxious
weeds and continued bushland regeneration along the Parramatta and Duck rivers;
and Ponds/Subiaco, Vineyard, Toongabbie, Terrys, Finlaysons, Milsons, Coopers,
Quarry Branch creeks and Lake Parramatta to protect the long term
sustainability of Endangered Ecological
Communities
· undertook feral
animal control in several bushland reserves across the LGA, targeting rabbits,
foxes, introduced honeybees and European wasps
· undertook large
scale remediation of asbestos contamination on A’Becketts Creek Rosehill, Lake Parramatta Reserve and
Molly’s Track within Vineyard Creek by way of crushed sandstone capping
· upgraded and/or constructed new walking tracks in
Dundas Valley as well as Duck River, Lower Ponds Creek and Vineyard Creek
· enlisted over 50 staff
members to take part in World Environment Day activities as part of 2010 being
the Year of Biodiversity
· co-ordinated 125
participants who planted more than 4,500 native tube stock at Fred Spurway
Reserve Eastwood as part of National Tree Day 2009
· continued supervising
and resourcing Parramatta’s 200 Bushcare volunteers who work year ‘round to
provide new habitat for local wildlife
· handed out over
1300 seedlings under the annual free tree give away program to encourage local
residents to help green our City
· continued
restoring grasslands and bushland remnants at Waddangalli Woodland, Guildford.
NOISE
Pressure
and State
The
intensification of land use continues to increase noise levels across the LGA. As
dictated by Sydney’s Metropolitan
Strategy, the increased residential density will be mostly satisfied by
locating high rise developments along busy road and rail transport corridors,
exposing occupants to elevated noise levels. A variety of legislation, policies
and Australian Standards are applied by Council officers during early planning
stages and in regulating noise from existing sources to ensure that it does not
exceed guidelines.
Most
noise complaints received by Council involved barking dogs, construction works,
domestic noise sources (stereos and electronic equipment, air conditioners,
swimming pool pumps, intruder alarms), noise from roosters and other birds,
industrial sources and backyard business operations. Council Officers regulate
these matters by issuing appropriate
letters and notices requiring rectification of offending noises.
Responses
· Continued
to actively respond to noise complaints throughout the year mainly in relation
to barking dogs and construction works associated with development consent
· Continued
assessing acoustic reports submitted with development applications for
development proposed for major transport corridors (road and rail) and any
other noise generating industries or activities. Appropriate conditions are
placed on development consents issued by Council to ensure that the development
incorporates required design elements to protect residents and the environment
from undue noise
WASTE
Pressure
and State
The amount of waste generated by Parramatta’s expanding
residential population, workforce and business activity continues to increase,
posing a challenge for Council as the availability of local and regional
landfill disposal options decreases. Increasing the amount of waste diverted to
recycling and/or re-use is complicated by the composition of consumer product
packaging and poor separation of materials by consumers.
As the costs of disposal increases, Council has been investigating
alternatives as it strives to achieve environmental sustainability. Educating
the community about waste generation and Council services continued to be
complicated by the continuous turnover of rental properties, and high
percentage of residents from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) settling
in the area. Because of different approaches to collection services between
councils, education of new residents remains vital.
Despite these challenges, recent strategies adopted by Council
have increased the amount of waste diverted from landfill, a pleasing trend
that should continue into the future.
Responses
· awarded a tender to WSN Environmental Solution to build an AWT (Alternate
Waste Treatment) facility and have it operational by 2012/13, diverting an
estimated 80 per cent of Parramatta’s putrescible waste from
landfill
· held a Clean Up Australia Day on Sunday 7 March, with
the 30 sites registered in the Parramatta local government area collecting
approximately 6 tonnes of rubbish
· managed 23 sharps bins across the LGA collecting approximately 500kgs of
used injecting needles, a significant increase of the previous year
· implemented a cigarette butt littering awareness program for the
Parramatta CBD
· conducted 21 waste and recycling workshops across the Parramatta LGA,
with a further 90 workshops held at local schools involving over 3000 students.
· implemented a new in-house waste system for our
major buildings, including the Darcy Street Administration Building, Council
Chambers, Central Library, Morton Street Depot and Parramatta Heritage and
Visitor Information Centre
· implemented the
recommendations of our Cleansing Team Review to reduce double handling of waste
and review work scheduling and commencement times to decrease greenhouse gas
emissions from Council vehicles
· Initiated an
illegal dumping education campaign and hotline 1800 DUMPED targeting illegal
dumping of household goods in high density residential areas
· continued the
residential Street Sweeping Recovery program involving the collection, screening,
testing and reuse of swept material, estimated to save Council over $40,000 in landfill
tipping fees annually
AIR QUALITY AND GLOBAL WARMING
Pressure
and State
Parramatta's air quality continues to be
affected by pollutants generated throughout the Greater Sydney metropolitan
area, with intensified urban development and an inadequate public transport
infrastructure compounding the problem.
The NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water
(DECCW) monitors air quality on a regional basis and reports the result as a
Regional Air Quality Index (RAQI).
Vehicle exhausts, poor soil management on construction
sites, spray drift and chemical use in car detailing and panel beating, and
domestic and industrial fumes contribute a wide range of pollutants to the
City’s air quality. These include greenhouse gases, photochemical smog, fine
particulate pollution, carbon monoxide, sulphur, lead, dust and odours.
The most common complaints received
by
Council relate to odours, smoke from
backyard burning and wood heaters, as well as industrial chemicals and dust.
While global warming is an issue of regional and
international significance, Council is developing local initiatives to help
improve air quality and reduce global warming in Western Sydney. As well as reducing
its own greenhouse gas emissions, Council is working with the community to
tackle climate change issues, while promoting more sustainable modes of
transport and reducing the number of vehicles daily travelling to the City
Centre.
Responses
· continued to regulate small to medium
sized industry and respond to complaints about air pollutantion
· continued to purchase 100 per cent
accredited GreenPower for all Council assets and 10% GreenPower for street
lighting
· completed the retrofit of T5 energy saver lights in our main administration
building to reduce energy consumption by about one third
· installed solar powered lighting along the pedestrian path between
Gasworks Bridge and Charles Street ferry wharf Parramatta
· completed an energy audit of Council’s four multi-story parking
stations in the CBD
· replaced energy intensive lights at Riverside Theatre, Libraries
and Heritage Centre with low consumption LED alternatives and motion sensors in
less frequented areas
· commenced
a Community Climate Challenge in partnership with the Nature Conservation
Council in which over 400 residents participated to assess where energy and
water savings could be made in the home
· organised Walk to Work and Ride to Work Day events as part of Council’s
Commuter Challenge month held each November
· participated
in Earth Hour for the fourth
year running and continued our commitment to the national CitySwitch program
for office tenants
· continued
our free city bus service ‘The Loop’ to connect tourists, residents and
commuters to the commercial, retail and recreational landmarks of the City
Centre, powered by low fuel consumption, less polluting diesel engines
NON-INDIGENOUS
HERITAGE
Pressure and
State
Pressures
that threaten the integrity and longevity of Parramatta’s extensive non-Indigenous
heritage include urban consolidation resulting in demolition of and damage to
heritage sites as well as encroachments by unsympathetic development and
transport infrastructure. Other threats include natural deterioration and
damage resulting from human activities (recreation and vandalism), and the
general lack of community awareness, appreciation and respect for cultural
heritage.
Parramatta’s
non-Indigenous heritage sites, including an extensive collection of 19th
and early 20th century buildings, continue to face pressure from
office, retail and residential developments, and transport corridor upgrades.
Council continued to promote heritage in the Parramatta LGA, greatly enhanced
by its partnership with the Heritage Advisory Committee and heritage agencies
such as NSW Heritage Office and NSW branch of the National Trust. Council’s
activities have a major beneficial impact on the environment by protecting and
enhancing Parramatta's heritage through heritage grants, heritage awards,
policies and planning controls and importantly, the Parramatta Heritage and
Visitor Information Centre (PHVIC).
Although some 1,000 properties and items are listed as of
national, state or local significance, and 11 conservation areas registered,
many properties suffer from neglect and Council’s cultural assets collection remains
at risk through the lack of resources for storage, conservation and
documentation of non-Indigenous items. The major challenge for Council is to
adequately protect and recognise Parramatta’s rich heritage, given budget and
staffing constraints, development pressures and neglect of many properties.
Parramatta City Council's management of its heritage sites and
items is guided by the Heritage
Strategy 1993, the Local
Environmental Plan 1996 (Heritage and Conservation), the
Responses
· continued to plan and
develop projects under the Parramatta Stories
program to bring the City’s heritage to life
· installed new way-finding
signs that will help pedestrians navigate and explore the City on foot
· administered applications
under the Local Heritage Fund
· digitised early Council
rate and valuation books at the PHVIC, and launched a new public engagement
program within the Local Studies Library: Conversations
in the Library
· launched a commemorative
event to Governor Macquarie – ParraMac
– in May 2010 with six individual events in partnership with Riverside
Theatre including Luminary Art, DigiMacq (digital walking tour of
heritage sites) and a series of forums entitled The Grand Macquarie Feast, Meet the Macquarie’s at Parramatta
exhibition and tours and an award winning play by Alex Buzo, Macquarie.
· continued restoration of
headstones and monuments at the historic St Patrick’s and All Saint’s
Cemeteries
· the listing of eleven Australian Convict Sites (of which
Parramatta Park and Old Government House are included under the joint name
of ‘Old Government House and Domain’) on the UNESCO World Heritage List
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE
Pressure and State
Parramatta’s
Indigenous heritage faces the same threats as non-Indigenous heritage items,
including urban consolidation; encroachment by unsympathetic development;
natural deterioration; recreational pressures, and a lack of community
awareness, appreciation and respect for cultural heritage.
The establishment
of Parramatta and Toongabbie as Australia’s second and third European settlements
put great pressure on the local Indigenous population and their culture. For
this reason, Council is committed to preserving the history and heritage of
indigenous Australians.
Parramatta’s
Indigenous heritage includes physical artefacts, archaeological sites and rock
engravings, as well as contemporary places and communities that maintain and
sustain strong spiritual and cultural links.
Some 44
Indigenous sites have been registered by the
Responses
· adopted Aboriginal names
for two previously unnamed reserves at Broughton Street, Parramatta (Baludarri Wetland), and Barbers Road,
Guildford (Waddangalli Woodland)
· completed restoration works
at the Lake Parramatta Bush Foods Garden and fencing a remnant Aboriginal
campsite at Rydalmere
· Continued to
build relationships with Indigenous communities, relying on the advice of its
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Advisory Committee
· Participated in NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day
Observance Committee) week celebrations.