CAMDEN Haven residents will have an opportunity to have a say on flood mitigation measures as a part of the ongoing development of management strategies being prepared by council.
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Since early 2017, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has been working with specialist consultants, Jacobs Group Australia (Jacob's) to undertake the North Brother Local Catchments Flood Study, the Floodplain Risk Management Study and the Floodplain Risk Management Plan project.
Objectives of this project aim to have systems in place to estimate the impact of flooding conditions including a climate change scenario; identify flood problem priority areas and assess structural and non-structural mitigation measures; review existing planning and emergency management plans; understand the behaviour of local catchment flash flooding from North Brother Mountain and the flood risk that it poses to the community; and identify and develop measures to manage the impact of flooding and guide strategic planning for future development of the area.
The study covers the villages of Laurieton, West Haven, Lakewood, Kew and Deauville at the base of the North Brother mountain.
Following the adoption of the North Brother Local Catchments Flood Study in 2019, council entered phase two of this ongoing project to complete the Floodplain Risk Management Study (FRMS) and the Floodplain Risk Management Plan (FRMP).
The North Brother Local Catchments draft Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan (FRMSP) ultimately aims to adopt a plan of management for flood risks in the catchment based on rigorous options assessment and prioritisation.
It defines and assesses a range of both structural and non-structural flood risk management measures.
Non-structural measures include property modification measures such as voluntary house purchases and voluntary house raising in addition to council redevelopment of high hazard properties. Flood proofing and flood compatible design of properties is also being be promoted.
A new overland flood policy is recommended with a focus on all known stormwater 'hotspot' areas.
Response measures include flood depth signage on roads, updates to emergency management and planning and flood education and awareness.
A report to the April council meeting said a proposal to make amendments to planning instruments and controls and the provision of food planning level mapping has the most widespread potential community impact of all proposed options on the basis that this proposal will result in restrictions on development in floodway areas.
"It is crucial that landowners be made aware of this proposed mapping and be provided with opportunity to provide comment during the proposed exhibition process," the report said.
Council staff intend to place the North Brother Local Catchments Flood Study - Draft Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan on public exhibition for the community to have its say. A detailed community consultation strategy is being developed in consultation with the Jacobs Group.
Given the current community recovery from the recent March flood event, any engagement on the draft plans will be postponed until September 2021.
"People are still very raw in relation to what has happened (after the floods). We don't want to further traumatise people," mayor Peta Pinson said.
"We are going to place it on public exhibition and it will be a timely discussion. In fact it will probably be an easier discussion to have since the floods have occurred."