City of Swan Sustainable Environment Strategy · The City of Swan is a large peri-urban...

o n e c i t y d i v e r s e p l a c e s

City of SwanSustainable Environment

Strategy

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Sustainable Environment StrategyThis strategy details the environmental pressures that drive the need for environmental improvement in the City of Swan and scopes the role that the City’s functions can play in achieving this objective.

Furthermore this document details the strategies, policy positions and actions that the City of Swan will undertake to pursue environmental improvement across the City of Swan in coming years.

Table of contents

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S STATEMENT 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5

PART I – BACKGROUND 6

1 Introduction 6

2 Scope of Sustainable Environment Strategy 7

3 City of Swan Strategic Plan – 2008–2012 8

3.1 Principles 8

3.2 High Level Strategies 8

4 Sustainable Environment Policy 9

5 Our Environmental Targets 9

6 Environmental Management System 10

6.1 Current Development Progress 10

6.2 Complementary Documents 11

6.3 Subsidiary Policy 11

7 Environmental Management Structure 12

7.1 Environmental Management Team 12

7.2 Responsible Business Units 12

8 Environmental Risk Register 12

9 Our Partners 13

10 Achievements and Current Actions 14

PART II – IMPLEMENTATION 16

1 Introduction 16

1.1 Focus Areas 16

1.2 Action Hierarchy 16

2 Focus Area 1 – Biodiversity Retention 17

2.1 Background 17

2.2 Aspects and Impacts 17

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2.3 Legislative and Policy Infl uences 18

2.4 Policy Linkage 18

2.5 New Initiatives and Tactics 19

3 Focus Area 2 – Water Quality 20

3.1 Background 20


3.3 Legislative Context 20

3.4 Sustainable Environment Policy linkage 20


4 Focus Area 3 – Water Effi ciency 22

4.1 Background 22





5 Focus Area 4 – Waste Minimisation 24

5.1 Background 24





6 Focus Area 5 – Carbon Reduction 27

6.1 Background 27





7 Focus Area 6 – Adaptation for the Future 30

7.1 Background 30





8 Focus Area 7 – Corporate Capacity Building 33

8.1 Background 33




9 Acronyms 36

10 Relevant Legislation 36

11 References 36

12 Appendix – Sustainable Environment Policy 37

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LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Page Description

Table 1 6 Sustainable Environment Policy links

Table 2 9 Environmental Targets

Action Table 3 19 Focus Area 1 – Biodiversity Retention

Action Table 4 21 Focus Area 2 – Water Quality

Action Table 5 23 Focus Area 3 – Water Effi ciency

Action Table 6 25 Focus Area 4 – Waste Minimisation

Action Table 7 29 Focus Area 5 – Carbon Reduction

Action Table 8 32 Focus Area 6 – Adaptation for the Future

Action Table 9 34 Focus Area 7 – Corporate Capacity Building

LIST OF FIGURES AND DIAGRAMS

Figure No. Page Description

Figure 1 10 Environmental Management System – A conceptual diagram

Figure 2 10 Environmental Management System – Conceptual progress

Figure 3 16 Action Priority

Figure 4 31 Vampire Map

The City of Swan is a large outer metropolitan council in the eastern region of the Perth metropolitan area. More than 116,000 people currently reside within our boundary and future projections suggest that the City will continue to grow in coming years. This growth will bring the City many opportunities and challenges and careful planning is required to ensure that we manage our challenges and gain full benefi t from our opportunities.

Our environment is one example where population growth will present a growing challenge in coming years and a cohesive organisational approach is required to manage this impact.

Within our boundaries, we have many natural assets that are worthy of management and protection. The Swan River provides one example and is a central part of the Swan community holding immense cultural signifi cance to our residents. It provides natural drainage, air-conditioning, transportation and numerous recreational opportunities. However the Swan River also provides a visible expression of an ecosystem under stress. This stress is expressed as declining water quality, erosion and biodiversity loss within the river system. In other parts of the City, diminishing water supply and biodiversity loss provides a visible expression of ecosystem stress.

Within this organisation, staff undertake a variety of activities to conserve and protect our natural resources and assets on a daily basis. From this work, an understanding of ecosystem limits and the subsequent need to minimise our contribution to ecosystem pressure is emerging. Similarly we understand the

Michael J FoleyChief Executive Offi cerCity of Swan

Chief Executive Offi cer’s Statement

As a growth council, our environmental objectives must be tempered by our projected growth. For this reason, this strategy sets realistic targets that represent a balance between projected growth and our environmental performance ambitions.

It is also important that we focus on current and future community need and this strategy presents an important framework to enable this to occur. It responds to current community needs while ensuring progress is made towards resilient and sustainable communities for the future. For this reason, I am pleased to commit myself and my staff to completing the actions and achieving the targets set out in this strategy and I look forward to sharing our progress in the journey with you regularly.

current pressure caused by rising utility costs within our community and we are committed to assisting our community to reduce this pressure.

To achieve this, the City must work with our community and partners to become more effi cient in our use of resources and to minimise the impact that we make on the environment that supports us. While the City acknowledges that we cannot single-handedly fi x the global issues that have impacted our environment, we are committed to reducing our local impacts and to assisting our communities to understand the changes that they can make as well. This strategy represents our fi rst steps in that direction.

Improvement in our environmental performance represents a ‘journey’ for the City of Swan and this Sustainable Environment Strategy is our ‘map’ for this journey. It builds on our environmental objectives as defi ned in the City’s Sustainable Environment Policy and contains the strategies and actions (directions) we will undertake to reach our targets (destinations) and the measurement tools (KPIs) we will use to track our progress and review our direction.

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Executive Summary

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The City of Swan has been active in the fi eld of environment management for many years. Our staff have and continue to, work diligently on projects that reduce our impact on the environment and which conserve the beautiful natural assets that are present within our communities. While the value of this work is recognised, a recent review of our environmental approach suggested that the profi le and coordination of our environmental activity within the organisation, amongst peers and in the wider community, could be improved.

To address this issue, the City resolved to develop an Environmental Management System as a tool to coordinate the wide range of environmental activity within the City into a cohesive approach that achieves our environmental objectives. These objectives are derived from the environmental objectives and high-level strategies of the City of Swan Strategic Plan (2008–2012) and are further defi ned in the City’s Sustainable Environment Policy.

This System will enable effi cient management of activities and allow the City to demonstrate clarity about our environmental approach to our community. This is an essential component for the City to demonstrate the ‘Shared Values’ of Leadership, Excellence and Accountability as detailed in the City of Swan’s Strategic Plan (2008–2012).

As an integral part of the City of Swan Environmental Management System and fl owing directly from the City of Swan’s Strategic Plan (2008–2012) and Sustainable Environment Policy, the Sustainable Environment Strategy details the actions that the City commits to undertake to improve our environmental performance. These actions are designed to support the achievement of the City’s environmental key performance indicators as defi ned in the Strategic Plan.

The Strategy assigns responsibility and identifi es the partners who can participate in or contribute to our approach. In this way, the Strategy identifi es opportunities for knowledge/resource sharing and engagement with staff, our communities and other stakeholders to catalyse actions consistent with this Strategy.

This Strategy is divided into two parts. The fi rst part situates the Sustainable Environment Strategy within its legislative context, the City’s Strategic Plan (2008–2012) and the developing Environmental Management System.

The second part details the proposed environmental actions that the City will undertake and is divided into seven core strategy areas. This is done for the purpose of readability and is not meant to indicate that the contents of these sections are discrete, mutually exclusive or of higher comparative importance. In fact, it is hoped that this document will achieve the opposite by improving our understanding and achievement of sustainable outcomes throughout every component of our business functions and responsibilities. In this way, the Strategy focuses primarily on the environmental component of sustainability but recognises the intrinsic connection between environmental, social and economic components and seeks to communicate this interrelationship to the audience.

This Strategy provides a clear, concise and integrated ‘blueprint’ for the City and our communities that will inform, guide and inspire all parties towards improved environmental performance.

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Part I – Background

1 Introduction

The City of Swan is a large peri-urban municipality on the north-eastern corner of the Perth metropolitan area. The City comprises 1,043 km2 of diverse landforms and land-uses transected by the beautiful Swan River and its tributaries.

With an estimated population of 116,000 (2012) residents living in dispersed and diverse communities and with signifi cant growth predicted in the future, the City faces unique challenges in managing the impacts of human settlement on our environment. Our communities range from industrialised Malaga to the north-west to rural Gidgegannup to the east. Communities such as Ellenbrook, Midland, Bullsbrook and Ballajura provide further evidence of the diversity of the communities within our boundary. Each of these communities has a different set of impacts on the ecosystem and servicing the needs of these communities in an environmentally sensitive way presents an ongoing challenge for the City.

The City is also blessed to contain many natural assets worthy of protection. These include many high value natural lands, wetlands and waterways. The natural systems and resources that surround us in our daily lives such as air, water and biodiversity are also worthy of conservation and protection.

On a national and global scale, issues such as water scarcity, global warming and biodiversity loss have risen to the agenda in recent years and it is generally accepted that local solutions are critical to meet these challenges. There is a growing precedent and a community expectation for local government to play a role in developing solutions to address these challenges.

To meet these challenges, the City acknowledges that it cannot single-handedly fi x the global issues that have impacted our environment. The City is however, committed to make the changes that it is responsible for and to assist communities to be more aware of the small changes they can make.

Within any local authority, this is a complex journey towards achieving a suitable balance between human settlement and environmental protection. Achieving this balance is the essence of the sustainability agenda and the key to our sustainable future. The City understands the importance and complexity of this task and that we do not undertake this journey alone. This journey is, and must be, shared with many stakeholders from within our communities and beyond.

Against this background, the purpose of the City of Swan’s Sustainable Environment Strategy is to provide a framework to progress the City and our residents towards a more sustainable future. To achieve this it concentrates on seven focus areas. These focus areas and their relationship to the Sustainable Environment Policy is shown in the table below:

Table 1: Sustainable Environment Policy links

Focus Area Sustainable Environment Policy Reference

Biodiversity Retention 2.1, 2.5

Water Quality 2.3, 2.5

Water Effi ciency 2.6

Waste Minimisation 2.2

Carbon Reduction 2.6, 2.7, 2.4

Adaptation for the future 2.8

Corporate Capacity Building All

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To achieve the objectives detailed in the strategy, the City will engage with our communities and other stakeholders to catalyse actions consistent with this plan.

The City is committed to the principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability and to improving our understanding of and achievement of sustainable outcomes throughout every component of our business functions and responsibilities. While this Sustainable Environment Strategy focuses primarily on the environmental component of sustainability, it seeks to communicate the intrinsic connection between environmental, social and economic sustainability by a presenting a broad range of interconnected actions (and responsibilities) to the audience.

It is intended that this Strategy will provide a blueprint for the City and our community that guides, inspires and motivates all parties towards improved environmental performance.

2 Scope of Sustainable Environment Strategy

It is implicit in the development of this strategy, and the actions that fl ow from it, that the City of Swan holds a fundamental belief that environmental improvement is a shared responsibility held to varying degrees, by each and every staff member, business operator and resident within the City boundary.

For this reason, this Strategy details a broad scope of integrated actions to improve our environmental performance that relate to every staff member, business unit, business operator and resident of the City. While this relationship involves varying degrees of responsibility and involvement, there is no staff member, resident or business operator without a role to play in the achievement of our environmental objectives.

This broad scope of actions reinforces the City’s fundamental beliefs and encourages responsible, collective and integrated action across the City in pursuit of our environmental objectives.

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3 City of Swan Strategic Plan – 2008–2012

The City of Swan Strategic Plan is the guiding strategic planning document for City business and contains the aim:

3.1 PrinciplesThe Strategic Plan also contains the following guiding principles to guide our decision-making within the City. These describe the way we prefer to do business.

Partnerships. Sustainability. Intergenerational Equity. Innovation. One Team.

3.2 High Level Strategies The City of Swan Strategic Plan details four ‘High Level Strategies’ that relate to Environmental Management. These strategies are:

Protect and maintain our natural environment. Create and promote community awareness to encourage

responsible environmental behaviour. Effectively manage resource consumption, including water

and energy, in order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas production and improve air quality.

Build partnerships with organisations which will advance the City’s environmental objectives.

“to build sustainable local communities to improve quality of life within our City.”

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4 Sustainable Environment Policy A critical component of any Environmental Management System is a corporate ‘Statement of Intent’ which details an environmental commitment from the highest governance level of the organisation.

At the City of Swan, this ‘Statement of Intent’ comes in the form of the City’s Sustainable Environment Policy (POL-C-084) which was adopted by the City of Swan on 24 February 2010. This Policy details the objectives, policy directions and broad responsibilities for environmental management in the City. It is included as Appendix 1 of this document and can be downloaded at http://www.swan.wa.gov.au/fi les/12a82de4-d973-4bc7-b843-9d7200fcc106/POL-C-084_-_Sustainable_Environment.pdf

5 Our Environmental TargetsAs a growth council, our environmental objectives must be tempered by our projected growth. For this reason, this strategy sets realistic targets that represent a balance between projected growth and our environmental performance ambitions.

In ‘Focus Areas’ where the City has effective management control over environmental performance, realistic and measurable performance targets have been set in the table below.

It is important to note that in some ‘Focus Areas’ performance targets have not been included below. It does not reduce the relative importance of these focus areas but represents the fact the City contributes to but does not control environmental performance within this area.

Table 2: Environmental Targets

Subject Focus area Targets KPI

Corporate Water Effi ciency

Ensure that licensed abstraction (Ab) remains within allocation license (Al) limits.

Improve corporate water effi ciency by 10% from 2009 levels by 30 June 2016.

Ab/Al x 100 < 100%

Kl/FTE

Community Waste Annually reduce total waste generated per capita. Annually increase recycling / total waste ratio.

Kg/Capita

Corporate Biodiversity Complete condition reports and management plans for natural

areas under City management control by 30 June 2016% complete

Corporate Carbon intensity

Develop capacity to measure corporate “carbon footprint” internally by 31 August 2012.

Reduce corporate carbon intensity by 10% from 2011 levels by 31 August 2016.

KgCO2e/FTE

Corporate Adaptation

Adopt an agreed warming scenario for City of Swan by December 2012.

Review all council processes with relevance to the agreed warming scenario by December 2016.

Council resolution

% complete

Community Adaptation Engage all Swan geographic communities in an adaptation planning process by December 2016.

% complete

6 Environmental Management System

EnvironmentalManagement Team

Review

STRATEGIC PLAN

Sustainable EnvironmentPolicy

Sustainable EnvironmentStrategy

Plan

DoAct

EnvironmentalManagement Team

Review

STRATEGIC PLAN

Sustainable EnvironmentPolicy

Sustainable EnvironmentStrategy

Plan

DoAct

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The City of Swan aspires to develop an Environmental Management System to integrate, monitor and manage the range of current and potential actions that contribute to the achievement of the environmental objectives contained within the City of Swan Strategic Plan.

The key components of this system and the continual improvement approach that will be used to enable it, are detailed in the conceptual diagram below.

Figure 1: Environmental Management System – A conceptual diagram

6.1 Current Development ProgressIn keeping with ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems, the City of Swan has completed the required ‘Risk and Review’ stages and has completed the following development stages.

Figure 2: Environmental Management System – Conceptual progress

The Sustainable Environment Strategy forms an integral part of our Environmental Management System and details the objectives, strategies, actions, targets and indicators that will be used to develop a systemic approach to environmental management (commonly referred to as an EMS).

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6.2 Complementary DocumentsThe following plans, policies and strategies are relevant and complementary to the Sustainable Environment Strategy and are referred to throughout the document:

Local Planning Strategy The Local Planning Strategy and resulting Scheme is expected to be the delivery mechanism for achievement of the City’s Environmental actions in regards to Land Use Planning.

Procurement Policy The Procurement Policy provides an ideal delivery mechanism for the achievement of the City’s environmental objectives through procurement.

Community Engagement FrameworkThe Community Engagement Framework and the Place Planning and Management model provides guidance and an ideal delivery mechanism for the achievement of the City’s environmental objectives in our community.

6.3 Subsidiary PolicyThe following plans and strategies relevant to environmental management are subsidiary to the Sustainable Environment Strategy and are referred to throughout the document: Water Action Plan (under development)

Local Biodiversity Strategy.

Over time, it is expected that this Strategy will give rise to the development of other subsidiary environmental policies and plans.

7 Environmental Management Structure

7.1 Environmental Management TeamThe Environmental Management Team (EMT) is a key mechanism to integrate environmental management into the core business of the City of Swan and serves as the direct reporting link to Executive Management and Council. The broad purpose of the team is to manage and improve the implementation of the current and future actions and strategies contained within this strategy.

The team comprises offi cers with responsibility for implementing the key components of the City’s Environmental System. The EMT is chaired by the Executive Manager – Operations.

7.2 Responsible Business UnitsThe Strategic Planning business unit has overall responsibility for the development and coordination of the City’s Environmental Management System, including the Sustainable Environment Policy, Strategy, core system and policy integration, associated projects and some stakeholder relationships.

The Environmental Management Team has primary responsibility for coordinated implementation of the Environmental Management System across the City. The implementation of the City’s ‘on ground’ environmental management and education functions are dispersed to a number of business units including:

Asset Management

Building Facilities Management

Strategic Planning

Fleet and Waste Services

Statutory Planning

Construction and Maintenance

Project Management

Community Development

Environmental Health

Community Safety

Contracts and Procurement.

This situation is consistent with the City’s position that integrated environmental management is a shared responsibility.

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8 Environmental Risk RegisterStrategic Risk # 2.3 – Environment Response has identifi ed the City’s exposure to risks relating to environmental changes including Climate Change.

To fully understand the scope and nature of this strategic risk, it has been identifi ed that the City needs to develop a corporate and a community register of operational environmental risks that: Identifi es environmental aspects (activities that can result in an

environmental impact) and environmental impacts; Document controls that prevent or reduce adverse environmental

impacts; Assesses the consequence and likelihood of occurrence to determine

an overall risk rating; Identifi es future controls to be implemented to manage the ‘extreme’

and ‘high’ risks identifi ed.

Appropriate actions to develop this risk register are included in Focus Area 7 – Corporate Capacity of this Strategy.

Work completed to date includes:

Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) Climate Change Risk AssessmentThe City has participated in a regional climate change risk assessment process which considered the potential impacts of climate change on business activities and our community. This assessment also considered and prioritised the potential adaptations required to treat these identifi ed impacts and resulting actions are included in Focus Area 6 – Adaptation for the Future of this Strategy.

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9 Our PartnersConsistent with the City’s core belief of shared responsibility, the development of partnerships with external stakeholders is critical if the City is to be successful in the area of environmental management.

Involvement in collaborative projects facilitates knowledge sharing, clarity of understanding, motivation and a potential for cost and resource sharing. With consideration to the ongoing need for new and dynamic partnerships, our current stakeholders are:

Our resident communities

Our business communities

Swan Chamber of Commerce

Department of Environment and Conservation

Department of Planning

WA Planning Commission

Department of Transport

Swan River Trust

Water Corporation

Main Roads WA

Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC)

Perth Region NRM

Neighbouring Local Governments

Integrated Catchment Groups

Environmental and ‘friends of’ groups

Local Indigenous communities

The Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA)

Perth Biodiversity Project Team

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)

Registered environmental volunteers and general community members.

The above list represents a ‘snapshot’ of current stakeholders. The list is dynamic and future changes in the City’s needs and priorities may result in changes.

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10 Achievements and Current ActionsThis section details a selection of environment achievements and current actions that are under way in the City of Swan.

Perth Solar CityAs a member of the EMRC and the Perth Solar City consortium, the City has been an active participant in this project. This has resulted in:

The installation of an ‘Iconic’ photovoltaic system on the roof of the Midland Atelier building in the Midland Redevelopment Area.

The installation of a 10 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of Altone Park Recreation Centre and associated effi ciency measures.

The installation of a 2 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of Ellenbrook Library.

The installation of a 1 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of Midland Library.

The implementation of the Living Smart program in the eastern region including ‘Eco-coaching’, home audits, Living Smart workshops and supplier discounts.

Swan Regional Riverside ParkThe City of Swan has implemented signifi cant landscaping and riverbank restoration work at this location and it is the City’s intention to return the wetland to a freshwater system. It will also function as major regional parkland.

Eastern Hills Catchment Management ProgramThe City of Swan, in partnership with the Shires of Kalamunda and Mundaring, the EMRC, Perth Region NRM and Swan River Trust, supports the Eastern Hills Catchment Management Program (EHCMP). This program supports local communities to protect and enhance the quality of their natural environment through conservation and water quality activities on public and private property.

Building Energy Effi ciency In recent years, the City has conducted many initiatives to improve the energy effi ciency of our building facilities. This includes implementation of a Building Management System, staff professional development and the installation of energy saving devices such as motion sensors etc.

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Water CampaignIn collaboration with the EMRC, the City participates in the ICLEI Water campaign and has completed Milestone 1 of this program. This involves developing an inventory of over 300 water delivery assets under our management including our groundwater bores. The City has also developed a Water Conservation Plan to guide effi ciency in our groundwater irrigation practices. This Strategy represents some of the actions that the City will pursue to achieve the remaining milestones of the Water Campaign over the next fi ve years.

Waste ManagementThe City has taken an active role in waste education and alternative waste treatment options. The City has been involved in developing regional reuse options for timber products such as pallet waste. The City supports the EMRC’s Hazelmere Recycling Facility by annual timber collections from industrial areas where a need is indicated.

TravelSmart The City works with staff and our community to encourage the use of alternative transport to the motor car. This includes public transport, car pooling, cycling and walking.

Swan Valley Bike PathThe City has worked with our partners to construct more than 14 km of separated path to support cycle tourism in the Swan Valley. This path currently runs on West Swan Road from Henley Street to Guildford.

Bushland Management Crew The City has introduced a bushland management crew to conduct restoration and management works in the natural areas under City management.

Fleet Effi ciencyThe City has actively and successfully sought to improve the fuel effi ciency of its small fl eet in recent years. Our involvement in the ‘electric car’ trial in 2010 also makes a contribution towards improving the effi ciency of our car fl eet.

Climate AdaptationIn 2009, the City participated in the EMRC-led Future Proofi ng Risk assessment project. The outcomes of this project are a key driver for the adaptation component of this strategy.

Community GardensThe City has supported the development of community gardens in several suburbs of the City and these are proving to be excellent opportunities for knowledge transfer and community development.

RestoreRehabilitate

AbateMinimise Avoid EnhanceOffset

LowestPriority

HighestPriority

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Part II – Implementation

1 IntroductionPart II of the Sustainable Environment Strategy is divided into seven focus areas. This is done for the sole purpose of readability and does not indicate that the contents of these sections are discrete, mutually exclusive or of higher comparative importance.

In fact, it is hoped that this document will assist in developing the opposite; a clear statement of a comprehensive, integrated approach to measure and achieve environmental improvement in a local government setting.

Part II of the Sustainable Environment Strategy presents adopted actions within the seven tables that follow.

1.1 Focus Areas Biodiversity Retention.

Water Quality.

Water Effi ciency.

Waste Minimisation.

Carbon Reduction.

Adaptation for the Future.

Corporate Capacity Building.

1.2 Action HierarchyThe Sustainable Environment Strategy presents the variety of proposed actions in the seven tables following. The focus of each action (Community or Corporate) is detailed within the table and each action is colour-coded against the action preference below. This is done to demonstrate the City’s resolve to pursue higher order approaches as a fi rst preference and to use lower order approaches only when alternatives are not practical.

It is important to note that the titles in the diagram below are general in nature and will not apply exactly or accurately to every action detailed in this Strategy. In this circumstance some interpretation has been applied.

Figure 3: Action Priority

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2 Focus Area 1 – Biodiversity Retention2.1 Background

The retention of biodiversity is important to the City of Swan for many reasons. It provides many services which we often take for granted such as drinkable water, clean air and fertile soils. Plant ecosystems extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce the oxygen we breathe. Plants also purify our water, control water tables, stabilise soils, extract excess nutrients and provide habitats for pollinators, seed dispersers and the predators and parasites that control pests and maintain ecosystem stability. A loss of biodiversity—populations, species, or groups of species—from an ecosystem can upset its normal function and disrupt these ecological services.

As a local authority, the City of Swan must contribute to the fulfi lment of Australia’s international obligations to protect biodiversity. These obligations arise through various treaties and conventions listed in section 2.3.

Furthermore, a moral obligation to conserve biodiversity is apparent and is captured in The World Charter for Nature (1982) which states:

“Every form of life is unique, warranting respect regardless of its worth to man, and, to accord other organisms such recognition, man must be guided by a moral code of action.”

With this in mind, it is important that we fulfi l our obligations and view biodiversity loss as not just a risk to the natural aesthetics of our communities but as a threat to the intrinsic balance of the ecosystem we live

and enjoy in the City of Swan. On this basis, a rationale for improvement in this area is apparent.

2.2 Aspects and Impacts There are many aspects of human settlement within the City of Swan that impact on biodiversity. The land development process is one example but there are many other examples affecting both terrestrial and aquatic environments. These impacts include issues such eutrophication, dieback, weed invasion, feral animals and inappropriate waste disposal practices. For a local government expecting signifi cant population growth in coming years, the objective of this focus area is to minimise these impacts on biodiversity. In the longer term, a warming climate is also expected to result in further biodiversity impacts in the City of Swan and these also require appropriate management.

In regard to our corporate activity, the City is directly responsible for the monitoring and management of a large area of natural estate. We also support landholders to conserve and protect biodiversity assets in private ownership through programs such as Eastern Hills Catchment Management program. Further information regarding these assets can be found in the City’s Biodiversity Strategy.

The aspects of our operations that impact on biodiversity include activities such as fertiliser use and land clearing for our infrastructure needs and indirectly through our development planning role for our community.

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As a result the City does have an ability to reduce biodiversity impacts at both community and a corporate level. This Strategy provides direction to this task.

2.3 Legislative and Policy Infl uencesThe following legislation and policy is relevant to biodiversity retention in the City of Swan:

International International Convention on Biological Diversity (1992). Ramsar Convention (1971).

Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity

Conservation Act (1999). Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030. Natural Resources Management (Financial

Assistance) Act (1992).

State WA Environmental Protection Act (1986). Waterways Conservation Act (1976). Conservation and Land Management Act (1984). Wildlife Conservation Act (1950). Swan and Canning Rivers Management Act (2006).

Local City of Swan Biodiversity Strategy.

2.4 Policy Linkage The actions and strategies contained within this Focus Area relate to the following high level strategy within the City of Swan Strategic Plan:

Protect and maintain our natural environment. Create and promote community awareness to

encourage responsible environmental behaviour. Build partnerships with organisations which will

advance the City’s environmental objectives.

The actions and strategies contained within this Focus Area (Biodiversity Retention) fl ow directly from the following objectives of the City of Swan’s Sustainable Environmental Policy:

The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:1.1 Preserve and protect the ecology and

biodiversity of our natural ecosystems.3.5 Prevent and/or manage contamination of

developed land and other inappropriate land management practices.

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2.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 3: Focus Area 1 – Biodiversity Retention

Focus Type Action Responsibility Partners

Corporate

Develop Foreshore Management Plans for land under management identifying future capital improvement and maintenance works along the Swan River and tributaries.

Asset Management SRTWAPC

Community

Review and adopt a City of Swan Local Biodiversity Strategy.

Strategic Planning Asset Management

Community

Contribute to the review of the City Local Planning Strategy to ensure Strategy and resulting Planning scheme adequately provides for the conservation of Biodiversity.

Strategic Planning PBP

Corporate Multiple

Work with partners to develop and adopt an Integrated Catchment Management Plan to clarify roles and key tasks in Swan/Helena Catchment.

Strategic Planning(Sustainable Environment)

PRNRMLGAsEHCMP

Community Multiple

Assist and support Natural Resource Management groups to provide community education services to community and private landholders regarding water quality, salinity and re-vegetation programs.

Assets EHCMPand other Catchment and ‘Friends of’ Groups

Corporate Multiple

Develop and adopt Biodiversity Action Plans for all natural areas under City management.

Assets EHCMPPBP

Corporate

Review City Landscaping/street planting guidelines to ensure native fauna-attracting plant species are used in all City developments.

Construction and Maintenance

Asset Management

Community

Develop and adopt a landscaping Local Planning Policy to require native tree plantings in public spaces for residential subdivisions and industrial developments.

Strategic Planning Statutory PlanningAsset Management

Corporate

Develop Fire response plans for City land outlining environmental principles and rehabilitation plans for fi re-affected areas.

Asset Management Community Safety

Corporate

Develop a restoration and management plan for priority biodiversity corridors.

Asset Management EHCMPPBP

Community

Develop opportunities to offer education and/or economic incentive for landholders to preserve and manage private natural vegetation, especially threatened ecological communities including Land management agreements.

Strategic Planning EHCMPAsset ManagementStatutory Planning

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3 Focus Area 2 – Water Quality3.1 Background

Given our proximity to the Swan River, its tributaries and the Gnangara Mound, our contribution to the ‘stewardship’ of these water systems is obvious. However, management for water quality is complex and many agencies contribute. As a result, the overarching challenge of this focus area is to understand our role and ensure it is aligned to common water quality objectives.

For this reason, this Strategy seeks to defi ne a specifi c role for the City of Swan in water quality management and to clearly identify the partners who support and guide this role.

3.2 Aspects and ImpactsAs a major land and infrastructure manager, the City of Swan has a large scope of infl uence in water quality management. Many of our activities (and those of our community) currently have impacts on water quality within the City of Swan boundary. In our community, these range from pollution impacts arising from drainage systems through to impacts arising from excessive fertiliser use by residents.

At a corporate level, the City is aware of the aspects of our operations that impact on water quality and has been active in managing these impacts wherever practical. This Strategy seeks to defi ne the areas where this improvement can be made.

For this purpose, the key policy considerations are to:1. Improve the quality of water discharge to drains

and waterways. 2. Improve the quality of water for aquifer recharge.3. Investigate opportunity to divert stormwater lost

to waterways to aquifer recharge (if environmental fl ows are suffi cient).

3.3 Legislative ContextThe following legislation and policy is relevant to water quality protection in the City of Swan: Environment Protection and Biodiversity

Conservation Act (1999). Metropolitan Water Supply Sewerage and Drainage

Act, 1909. Environmental Protection Act (1986). Environmental Protection (Unauthorised Discharges)

Regulations 2004. Land Use Compatibility in Public Drinking Water

Source Areas [Policy]. Protecting Public Drinking Water Source Areas in

Western Australia, September 2005 [Policy] Statewide Policy No. 2: Pesticide use in public

drinking water source areas. Statewide Policy No. 5: Environmental Water

Provisions Policy (2000). Draft River Protection Strategy. Livable Neighbourhoods. WSUD Guidelines. Health (Treatment of Sewage and Disposal of Effl uent

and Liquid Waste) Regulations 1974.

3.4 Sustainable Environment Policy linkage The actions and strategies contained within this Focus Area relate to the following high level strategy within the City of Swan Strategic Plan:


encourage responsible environmental behaviour. Build partnerships with organisations which will

advance the City’s environmental objectives.

The actions and strategies contained within this Focus Area fl ow directly from the following objectives of the City of Swan’s Sustainable Environmental Policy:

The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:

3.1 Preserve and protect the ecology and biodiversity of our natural ecosystems.

3.3 Implement ‘best practice’ in the management of ground and surface water quality and quantity.

3.5 Prevent and / or manage contamination of developed land and other inappropriate land management practices.

21

3.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 4: Focus Area 2 – Water Quality


Corporate

Implement Swan Regional Riverside Park Master Plan to restore wetland to freshwater system and remediate surrounds.

Project Management

SRTAsset Management

Corporate Multiple

Develop Foreshore Management Plans for all areas under management in the Swan and tributary river systems.

Asset Management SRT

Corporate

Utilise a proportion of drainage levy to fund appropriate natural drainage opportunities.Develop a bio-fi ltration demonstration project at a suitable location.

Asset Management SRT

Corporate

Identify and re-vegetate land under City management for the purpose of naturally treating the quality of storm water discharge into the river system.

Asset Management Construction and Maintenance

Community Multiple

Develop an agreement (and communication channel) with the Swan River Trust and Department of Water to develop management plans for rivers, tributaries and communities to tackle water quality issues.


SRTDOWAsset Management

Community

Implement planting programs in riparian areas (streams and waterways) in partnership with various catchment volunteer groups.

Community Funding

EHCMPCatchment Groups

Community

Seek funding and partners to develop a point source water quality testing regime in relevant communities. Conduct light industrial audits of small to medium size enterprises (SMEs).

EnvironmentalHealth

SRTPerth Region NRM

Community

Seek funding and partners to develop a water quality education program in relevant communities


DOWWater CorporationEHCMP

Community

Amend the Environmental Planning Policy to ensure it supports and delivers appropriate landscaping and Water Sensitive Urban Design outcomes for the subdivision planning process in the City of Swan.

Strategic Land Use Planning

Strategic PlanningWAPC

22

4 Focus Area 3 – Water Effi ciency4.1 Background

In terms of water availability, the City of Swan operates within a constrained environment and indications are that this constraint will increase over time. Our Public Open Space (POS) provision is dependent on licensed groundwater abstraction and there are many indications that suggest a higher level of management is to be expected to regain water balance in these groundwater systems. Given current growth in the metropolitan area, increasing demand for potable water is also being experienced within the integrated water supply. Declining rainfall due to climate change in the future is expected to bring additional pressure to this integrated water system providing a rationale to improve the effi ciency of our water use.

In this situation, the City has two options. The City can continue to provide irrigated space utilising a reducing ‘consumptive water pool’. However as a ‘growth’ council, the scope of what we are able to deliver to our community from our groundwater allocation must inevitably decline. This represents a reputational risk to the City in a service area that is an intrinsic part of our corporate image.

The alternative is to strive for a higher standard of water effi ciency and aquifer recharge within our facilities and within our communities. There is a large scope for innovation and improvement in this area and we have an opportunity to show leadership by undertaking improvement ourselves and by supporting improvement within our community

4.2 Aspects and ImpactsAs a major irrigator with licensed allocations of over 2.5 gigalitres per annum and more than 300 active meters and bores, water plays an intrinsic role in service delivery to the City of Swan community. It plays a major part in the aesthetic quality of our public areas and allows us to provide high quality active playing fi elds, local parks, streetscaping and aquatic facilities. However it is also true that the system from which we draw this asset is under pressure and that the City will face increasing constraints.

This requires the City to rationalise our water use and investigate innovative approaches to providing water to uses of high importance to our community. As a major irrigator, the City has a leadership responsibility to demonstrate best practice to our community in this focus area. As a local authority we are fortunate to have innovative opportunities in this regard —for example, the use of synthetic turf and recycled water for irrigation is an opportunity for some regions of the City.

4.3 Legislative Context National Water Initiative.

Rights in Water Act (1914).

Land Use Compatibility in Public Drinking Water Source Areas [Policy].

Protecting Public Drinking Water Source Areas in Western Australia, September 2005 [Policy].

Draft Gnangara Sustainability Strategy.

Liveable Neighbourhoods.

Urban Water Management.

WSUD Guidelines.

Health (Treatment of Sewage and Disposal of Effl uent and Liquid Waste) Regulations 1974.


Create and promote community awareness to encourage responsible environmental behaviour.

Effectively manage resource consumption, including water and energy, in order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas production and improve air quality.


The actions and strategies contained within this focus area fl ow directly from the following objectives of the City of Swan’s Sustainable Environmental Policy:

The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:3.6 Monitor and improve effi ciency in the use

(direct and indirect) of natural resources such as ground and potable water and non-renewable energy sources and materials.

3.7 Support and implement the development of sustainable alternatives for the supply of water and energy.

23

4.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 5: Focus Area 3 – Water Effi ciency


Both Multiple

Develop and adopt a ‘water use’ Local Planning Policy for groundwater to guide the land development process and is applicable to any future site/s that will be vested in City management which: defi nes a priority for water uses requires the achievement of prescribed water effi ciency performance targets in water use

suggests the use of Recycled water Hydrozoning, Ecozoning, Synthetics and subsurface irrigation as appropriate.

Strategic Land UsePlanning

Statutory PlanningConstruction and Maintenance

Corporate

Investigate and develop a water budget based on the ‘priority’ policy above to be agreed and adopted by Council on an annual basis.

Asset Management Construction and Maintenance

Corporate

Investigate and develop an irrigation replacement schedule that considers the use of Hydrozoning, Ecozoning and subsurface irrigation as appropriate.

Asset Management Construction and MaintenanceProject Management

Corporate

Continue progression through Water Campaign milestones as per below:Milestone 2 – Action Planning.Milestone 3 – Target Setting.Milestone 4 – Implementation.Milestone 5 – Re-inventory.

Strategic Planning EMRC

Corporate

Seek Waterwise Council status when appropriate. Strategic Planning Construction and MaintenanceProject Management

Corporate

Investigate the use of synthetic turf at demonstration sites with the City of Swan.

Strategic Planning Project ManagementConstruction and Maintenance

Corporate

Investigate the development of a water recycling demonstration site within the City of Swan.

Strategic Planning Project ManagementConstruction and Maintenance

Corporate

Develop a schedule to install water conservation devices and treatments (e.g. low fl ow showerheads, ‘smart taps’, waterless urinals) in identifi ed ‘high consuming’ buildings.


Community

Develop community awareness campaign with partners to increase knowledge and understanding of the reality of water availability amongst ratepayers and council and encourage improved behaviours in water use.

Corporate Communications

DOW

24

5 Focus Area 4 – Waste Minimisation 5.1 Background

A typical contemporary household or business generates a large amount of waste and this waste must be properly managed to meet public health standards. Local Government plays a primary role in this task. Historically the preferred destination for waste in WA has been to landfi ll but this has changed in recent years. Considerations of airspace, water quality, biodiversity loss, methane production and community amenity has necessitated the development of many waste diversion and education programs. The objective of these programs is to control the quality and reduce the volume of waste to landfi ll.

The introduction of a ‘carbon price’ on 1 July 2012 provides a ‘price signal’ for the diversion of putrescible waste from landfi ll. Local government has a signifi cant role to play in partnering with landfi ll operators to develop innovative programs and pricing structures that allow our community to change waste behaviour in response to the price signal.

There is also substantial development and innovation in the area of ‘waste to energy’ technology. This represents an opportunity for the City and our partners, to investigate the role of waste as a future energy source and to understand our role in this scenario.

As the primary residential waste collector, the City makes substantial investment in both waste collection and waste diversion within the City. As a highly visible core business activity and a future energy source, it forms an intrinsic part of the City’s corporate reputation. For this reason waste management programs are an essential component of any environmental strategy.

5.2 Aspects and ImpactsIn 2008, the City of Swan collected approximately 35,000 tonnes of general waste and 9,500 tonnes of recycling from residents and businesses using the kerbside waste and recycling service. City of Swan manages its own vehicles and staff to perform waste and recycling bin collection services for residents and businesses. Waste is transported to the landfi ll at Red Hill Waste Management Facility. Recyclables are transported directly to the Wangara Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), the Hazelmere Timber Recycling Centre and private construction and demolition recycling companies. Even though City of Swan has the largest area of any Council in the Metropolitan area, it currently has no transfer stations or sorting facilities.

Over the next decade, as landfi ll space diminishes and costs of waste disposal and collection services increase signifi cantly, the City of Swan is aware of the need to optimise the effi ciency and effectiveness of its services. The City of Swan is at the start of a phase of growth in both population and commercial activity, placing an even greater demand upon waste and recycling systems.

5.3 Legislative Context Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act (2007).

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act (2007).



encourage responsible environmental behaviour. Effectively manage resource consumption, including

water and energy, in order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas production and improve air quality.



The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:3.2 Reduce waste production through the

appropriate reduction, re-use and recycling of waste products.

25

5.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 6: Focus Area 4 – Waste Minimisation


Infrastructure: Strategic directions

Community

Continually review the requirements and options for new infrastructure to provide the community and local business with the ability to: maximise recycling and minimise waste dispose of hazardous materials appropriately provide waste and recycling services for all City communities

recycle e-waste and other bulk materials that become a potential problem for the community.

Fleet and Waste services

EMRCDEC

Community

Maximise the recycling of container glass and continue to source new markets for recycled container glass.


EMRCDEC

Community

Increase the recovery rate of the bulk hard waste collection.


EMRCDEC

Collection systems: Strategic directions

Community

Review current collection systems and logistics to identify ways to provide the best value for money and the highest rate of resource recovery.


EMRCDEC

Community

Develop systems for collecting and recycling bulk hard waste that are safer, more effi cient, encourage high recycling rates that are in line with the Region’s resource recovery systems.


EMRCDEC

Community

Implement a programme to increase the collection of organic waste from households for separate processing.


EMRCDEC

Community

Research and identify locations for implementation of public place recycling.


EMRCDEC

Community

Develop guidance and internal processes for public events to offer effi cient recycling and waste services.


EMRCDEC

continued over…

26


Waste Management Planning: Strategic directions

Community

Waste management infrastructure are considered and approved during the strategic planning process for proposed new urban growth areas.


EMRCDEC

Community

Waste management needs of new commercial and multi-residential buildings are considered by requiring the development of an operational waste management plan during planning/development application process.Site waste management plans are required on construction sites to encourage recycling and effi cient, safe site operation.


EMRCDEC

Internal Processes: Strategic directions

Corporate

Engage and educate staff on waste minimisation and recycling.

Fleet and WasteServices

EMRCDEC

Corporate

Increase the amount of construction and demolition waste reused and recycled from Construction and Maintenance Services activities including footpaths, pavements and roads.


EMRCDEC

Corporate

Increase the use of construction materials with recycled content for footpaths, pavements and roads.


EMRCDEC

Corporate Multiple

Ensure all data collection, monitoring and reporting processes are in line with the Waste Strategy for Western Australia and incorporated in a Waste Services ‘process map’. These processes are continually reviewed and utilised for continuous improvement.


EMRCDEC

Community

Pursue all means to reduce illegal dumping including improved enforcement of regulations.

Fleet and Waste ServicesCommunity Safety

EMRCDEC

Community education and engagement: Strategic directions

Community

Engage and educate the residents and the business community on waste minimisation and recycling and why it is needed and benefi cial to the community.


EMRCDEC

Community

Engage and educate the residents and the business community on how to correctly use the waste and recycling services available.


EMRCDEC

Community

Identify opportunities and develop partnerships for resource recovery in the business community.


EMRCDEC

27

6 Focus Area 5 – Carbon Reduction6.1 Background

The issue of human induced climate change has risen to the public agenda in recent years and local governments across Australia have been among the fi rst to move on mitigation actions. In the past ten years these actions have come through support programs such as ICLEI – Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) and Greenhouse Friendly programs. At the time, these programs provided vital knowledge support in the development of monitoring and mitigation strategies. However for a variety of reasons, the level of industry competence in this area has risen substantially in recent years reducing the need for support programs such as CCP.

It is also fact that energy prices are experiencing a sharp rising trend and this is expected to continue. This leads to increasing utility budget allocations, a cost which can be passed on to ratepayers. This obviously limits the City’s capacity to provide other services and infrastructure. This situation, and the moral obligations associated with climate change, provides a strong rationale for improved management in this focus area.

Against this background, it is a function of any credible carbon reduction strategy to coordinate a broad range of carbon reduction opportunities supported by the use of both internal and external knowledge to reduce utility costs and greenhouse gas production. This is the objective of this focus area.

6.2 Aspects and Impacts The City has many opportunities to effect carbon reduction in our community through our normal and accepted business functions. There is scope to infl uence settlement patterns through our planning functions and to infl uence building development through our development approval functions. For example, the City can infl uence subdivision planning such that settlement patterns are more energy effi cient. The City can also encourage home builders to exceed the requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) through effi cient design and the use of alternative energy. Both these areas can have a signifi cant impact on Greenhouse gas production.

Similarly as a local authority with a large building portfolio, there is a substantial opportunity to pursue both energy effi ciency and alternative energy production within these buildings as demonstrations to our community. This is a critical contributor to the stated aspirational value of leadership as stated in the City’s Strategic Plan.

Similarly, our small vehicle fl eet provides a visual and continual reminder of our corporate environmental ethos. As such this is one area where we can demonstrate our environmental credentials for negligible cost and no loss of service delivery.

There is also scope through partnership, to incorporate community education activities such as TravelSmart and Living Smart into our management approach to this focus area.

28

6.3 Legislative Context Kyoto Protocol (1995).

Copenhagen Accord (2009).

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System (NGERS 2007).

Clean Energy Future (Clean Energy Bill 2011).

Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill (2009).

State Sustainability Strategy.

Directions 2031.



Effectively manage resource consumption, including water and energy, in order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas production and improve air quality.



The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:3.4 Preserve and protect air quality3.6 Monitor and improve effi ciency in the use

(direct and indirect) of natural resources such as ground and potable water and non-renewable energy sources and materials.


29

6.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 7: Focus Area 5 – Carbon Reduction


Corporate Advocate for alternative arrangements for street lighting such that the ‘carbon price signal’ can drive network energy effi ciency.

Strategic Planning Executive ERA

Corporate Multiple

Implement an ongoing audit program to identify energy effi ciency, alternative energy opportunities and staff training program to achieve carbon reduction in high profi le City facilities.


Staff

Corporate

Continually upgrade Building Management System to monitor and control energy management City wide including solar and wind energy. Develop information pathways such that information can be incorporated easily into annual inventory of greenhouse gas production.


Strategic Planning

Corporate

Ensure continual improvement in fuel effi ciency of small vehicle fl eet by replacement (at turnover) with a more effi cient vehicle. Conversion of vehicles to LPG where feasible.

Fleet Services Staff with private and commuting vehicle rights

CommunityIdentify the barriers that prevent the community from using alternative to car transport and seek to reduce or remove these barriers.

Strategic Planning

Community

Review the City’s parking policy and draft new regulations to provide a differential pricing structure to support carpooling and to ensure bicycle parking is formally included. Link in with the review of the location of car parks to encourage reduced car travel.

Strategic Planning (Strategic Projects Team)

Midland Parking Committee

Community Multiple

Review and improve the Environmental Planning Policy such that it provides detail and performance criteria to the principles of Directions 2031, Liveable Neighbourhoods and other guiding documents.

Strategic Planning(Strategic Land Use Planning Team)

Statutory PlanningBuilding ServicesWAPC

Community MultipleInvestigate regulation, policy settings and tool to standardise decision-making in subdivision and housing design to achieve carbon reduction outcomes.

Strategic Planning (Strategic Land Use Planning Team)

Statutory PlanningBuilding ServicesWAPC

Corporate

Watch federal and state carbon pricing policy over next fi ve years in regards to: Reporting thresholds and liabilities. Opportunities for permit purchase (and retirement) as a suitable offset mechanism.

Strategic Planning DCC

CorporateAdopt and implement a TravelSmart Workplace plan to encourage the use of alternative transport options.

Strategic Planning DOT

Corporate

Synthesise and prioritise the actions contained within the following cycle infrastructure plans to develop a complete and prioritised Cycle Infrastructure Plan for the City of Swan: Swan Valley Bike Plan Altone Bike Trails project Swan and Helena Rivers Regional Recreational Path Development Plan.

Strategic Planning Asset ManagementEMRC

30

7 Focus Area 6 – Adaptation for the Future7.1 Background

There is a growing acceptance of the irreversibility of human-induced climate change and therefore the need to adapt our settlements to cope with expected change in sea level, temperature, rainfall, bushfi re and storm events in the longer term. The diffi culty in this scenario is to make a convincing argument when observable change is minute and incremental. However there is a growing body of information from credible organisations providing evidence of change. Some examples of this include:

Long-term temperature records showing an accelerated warming trend.

Ice core sampling showing long-term increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Reductions in observable ice coverage by satellite imagery.

This evidence is in the public domain and serves as a ‘call to action’ for our communities.

Another important adaptation requirement for our future arises from the fact that oil is a non-renewable resource (over the timescale of human use). Global consumption is 80 million barrels a day and once peak production is reached, prices will inevitably increase. As the use of oil is intrinsically linked to virtually every component of our lives, this will cause substantial hardship in our community. As a result, it is a complex issue that oil-dependent communities will inevitably need to deal with in coming years.

The map on the page opposite (Figure 4) is known as a ‘Vampire map’ (Dodson and Sipe, 2005) and spatially maps a suburb-level indicator of household ‘Oil Vulnerability’. This indicator is derived by assessing access to public transport and level of mortgage debt. This indicator defi nes vulnerability as a function of access to alternative transport and capacity to pay for increased fuel prices. The map clearly shows that the City has some extremely vulnerable communities in the south-western areas of the City of Swan. This includes areas such as Beechboro, Lockridge, Ballajura and Noranda. It is also important to note that, as peri-urban developments, neither Ellenbrook nor any of the proposed urban growth corridor communities are currently mapped below. If these peri-urban areas were mapped, it is reasonable to assume that given public transport provision and the demographic profi le of these areas, they would display a similar or higher vulnerability index.

While climate change and declining oil availability are two mutually exclusive pressures that may impact on future communities in the City of Swan, there is signifi cant commonality in the suggested adaptation responses to these pressures. As a result, these actions are covered together within this focus area.

7.2 Aspects and ImpactsThe City has the potential to mitigate the effects of climate change through:

Our planning and building functions.

Our land management and infrastructure functions.

Our bushfi re response infrastructure and plans.

Our emergency response functions.

Environmental Health services.

The City has the potential to mitigate the negative effects of ‘Peak Oil’ (rising fuel costs) by planning for:

Intra-suburb access to alternative transport options.

Inter-suburb access to alternative transport options.

Compact / higher density / self-contained settlement patterns.

Allocation of land for local food production.

Dispersed affordable housing options.

In keeping with accepted risk management practice, the identifi cation of these future risks subsequently requires the City to undertake reasonable steps to mitigate the risk and there are many potential actions in this regard. This focus area seeks to suggest reasonable actions to mitigate these risks in coming years.

7.3 Legislative Context Rio Declaration. Copenhagen Accord. National Climate Change Adaptation Framework

(2007). Local Government Act (1995). Planning and Development Act (2005). Bushfi res Act (1954). Emergency Management Act 2005 (in relation to

preparing for extreme weather events as a result of climate change).

31

Figure 4: Vampire Map – Oil Vulnerability

32

7.4 Sustainable Environment Policy linkage This action relates to the following high level strategy with the City of Swan Strategic Plan:




The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to:3.8 Investigate and implement policy and

activities to enable adaptation to the predicted impacts of climatic change.

7.5 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 8: Focus Area 6 – Adaptation for the Future


Corporate

Develop and adopt an agreed climate change scenario (planning horizon – 2031) in regards to expected climatic change based on accepted international and national projections and available modelling data.

Strategic Planning CSIRODCC

Corporate

Integrate agreed climate change scenario (planning horizon – 2031) into relevant planning processes including land use planning asset management and risk management.

Strategic Planning OPD

Assets

Corporate

Investigate the variables used in bushfi re mapping, the effect of 20 year temperature projections on fi re risk contours and resulting risk treatments such as special control areas, zone changes, appropriate conditioning and fi re management practice.


FESACommunity Safety

Corporate

Develop Foreshore Management Plan for areas under management in the Swan and tributary river systems to ensure river environments can sustain increased water level.

Asset Management SRT WAPCEMRC

Community Multiple

Use Place Planning as a mechanism to discuss climate projections, community implications and adaptation strategies in all place areas based on the adopted Council position above.

Place Planning Place Management Strategic Planning

Corporate

Adopt and implement a Cycling Infrastructure Plan for the City of Swan

Strategic Planning DOT

33

8 Focus Area 7 – Corporate Capacity Building8.1 Background

To support the further development of the City’s environmental approach, there are a number of suggested actions that build our corporate capacity in environmental performance.

It is generally accepted that targeted environmental management activities require a corresponding capacity to measure performance. This is a critical element of the ‘Plan, Do, Review, Act’ cycle that underpins our approach and, for this reason, actions focusing on development of this monitoring capacity are included below. It is also an important risk management approach considering current uncertainty around carbon pricing and greenhouse reporting at the federal level.

Other actions include further development of our GIS capability and land-use planning tools to support the assessment process to achieve environmental objectives.

As a major procurer of goods and services, the City has a major opportunity to amend our procurement policy and processes to enable the achievement of our environmental objectives. There is also a requirement to improve the communication of our environmental actions to our community and actions to achieve this outcome are included within the table following.

It is hoped that implementation of these actions will allow the City to operationalise our environmental objectives into our core business. This is the prime objective of an Environmental Management System and a key indicator of high performance organisations.

8.2 Legislative Context Local Government Act (1995).

Planning and Development Act (2005).

8.3 Sustainable Environment Policy linkage This action relates to the following high level strategy with the City of Swan Strategic Plan:


encourage responsible environmental behaviour. Effectively manage resource consumption,

including water and energy, in order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas production and improve air quality.


34

8.4 New Initiatives and TacticsAction Table 9: Focus Area 7 - Corporate Capacity Building

Focus Action Responsibility Partners

Communication

Corporate Develop a communication strategy to communicate our environmental actions and objectives to our community.


Strategic Planning

Corporate Consider a logo variant or suitable logo by-line to specifi cally brand environmental initiatives.


Strategic Planning

Corporate Develop an environmental component to the City website. Web Development Strategic Planning

Sustainable Procurement

Corporate

Amend Sustainable Procurement Policy and subsequent processes and documentation such that all RFQ, RFT and RFPs for which qualitative assessment is proposed, shall contain a 5% weighting based on the supplier’s ability to support the objectives of the City’s Sustainable Environment Policy. Following appropriate review, consideration will be given to annually increasing this percentage in 5% increments until it reaches 20% weighting.

Contracts and Procurement

Strategic PlanningWALGA

Corporate

Amend Sustainable Procurement Policy and subsequent processes and documentation such that the G1-F6 document (for ‘price only’ RFQ, RFT and RFPs) includes appropriate environmental questions to demonstrate the potential of the supplier/contract to support the objectives of the City’s Sustainable Environmental Policy.



Corporate

Develop a ‘Sustainable Procurement Manual’ to assist staff to include appropriate questions in specifi cations to ensure relevant environmental objectives are achieved throughout the contract or service.



CorporateProvide training and information sessions to all City staff on ‘Sustainable procurement’ as a part of awareness training below.



CorporateDevelop a register of environmental risks for both the City and the community.

Organisational Planning and Development

Strategic Planning

CorporateDevelop a register of legislative compliance for the City. Strategic Planning OPD

Staff Awareness Training

Corporate

Develop a training program that raises staff awareness of: Environmental Policy Environmental actions Eco offi ce Actions Environmental Management System Sustainable Procurement.

Human Resources Strategic Planning

Corporate

New constructionDevelop and implement minimum performance standards for predominant asset classes (covering energy, water, waste) to guide the construction and fi t-out of new City buildings and facilities.

Assets Building Facilities ManagementStrategic Planning(Facilities Planning)

35

Focus Action Responsibility Partners

Environmental Management Team (EMT)

CorporateDevelop a terms of reference and membership review process to ensure the EMT is able to perform its coordination task appropriately over the Strategy period.

Strategic Planning Executive

Data Capability

Corporate

Continually improve our data collection and centralisation capability such that: We are able to base our improvement decisions on appropriate and relevant data.

We are able to produce inventories of water and energy use in a reasonable timeframe.

We are able to disclose quantitative data about environmental performance in our annual report.

Compliance risks associated with Federal Greenhouse and State water legislation are mitigated.

IT Strategic Planning

CorporateDevelop a set of reporting standards that detail the scope and collection methods for all components of our environmental performance reporting.

Organisational Planning and Development

BFM Strategic Planning

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) Development

Corporate

Ensure development of GIS capability including: Latest available Biodiversity mapping area / Corridor mapping.

Threatened Ecological communities. Flood risk parameters – 10 year planning horizon. Groundwater Protection Control Area. Other Special Control Areas (as resolved). Swan River Trust – River park development control area.

GIS SRTDCCFESAPBP

Land Use Planning

Corporate

Review and amend environmental planning policy to ensure delivery of agreed environmental outcomes defi ned in this document. Investigate subsidiary tools to support policy implementation.


Corporate

Develop corporate capacity in regards to application of Liveable Neighbourhoods, particularly in regards to the development of environmental performance criteria and supporting assessment tools.


36

9 AcronymsBFM Building Facilities ManagementCSIRO Commonwealth Scientifi c and Industrial Research

OrganisationDCC Department of Climate ChangeEHCMP Eastern Hills Catchment Management Program.EMS Environmental Management SystemEMT Environmental Management TeamFESA Fire and Emergency ServicesGIS Geospatial Information System

10 Relevant Legislation Global Conventions and TreatiesRamsar Convention (1971).Kyoto Protocol (1997).Bali Action Plan (2007).Convention of Biological Diversity (1993).Millennium Development Goals (2000).

Commonwealth LegislationNational Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (1999).Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).The National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity (1996).The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment (1992).Wetlands Policy of the Commonwealth Government of Australia (1997).

State LegislationState Sustainability Strategy (2005).Water Effi ciency and QualityRights in Water and Irrigation Act (1914).Draft Gnangara Sustainability Strategy (2010).Draft River Protection Strategy (2010).Health Act (1911).Environmental Protection (Unauthorised Discharges) Regulations 2004.

Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage, and Drainage Act (1909).Land Drainage Act (1925).Health (Treatment of Sewage and Disposal of Effl uent and Liquid Waste) Regulations 1974.BiodiversityWildlife Conservation Act (1950).Draft Statement of Planning Policy 2.8 – Bush Forever.Waterways Conservation Act (1976).Land Use PlanningDirections 2031.Liveable Neighbourhoods.Waste ManagementWaste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act (2007).Zerowaste 2020.

Council PolicySustainable Environment Policy (2010).Public Open Space Policy (2007).

Operating Policy and StrategyEnvironmental Planning Policy.Biodiversity Strategy.Draft Water Operating Strategy.

11 ReferencesDodson, J, R. Sipe, N, G. (2006); Shocking the Suburbs: Urban Location, Housing Debt and Oil Vulnerability in the Australian City Brisbane: Urban Research Program, Griffi th University Essential Environmental Services (2007); Scheme Provisions for Water Sensitive Urban DesignWestern Australian Planning Commission (2007); Liveable Neighbourhoods V4 – A West Australian Government Sustainable Cities Initiative.Western Australian Planning Commission (March 2010); Local Planning Manual – A guide to the preparation of local planning strategies and local planning schemes in Western Australia Various Authors (2009) New Water Ways Strategy – From Water Sensitive Urban Design to Water Sensitive Cities.

GWPCA Groundwater Protection Control AreaKPI Key Performance IndicatorOPD Organisational Planning and Development (City of Swan)PBP Perth Biodiversity ProjectREC Renewable Energy Certifi cateSCA Special Control AreaSRT Swan River TrustWALGA West Australian Local Government AssociationWAPC West Australian Planning Commission

37

12 Appendix – Sustainable Environment Policy

PolicyPOL-C-084 Sustainable Environment

1 Objective

The City of Swan, through responsible stewardship of natural resources and enhancement of the City’s appearance, will:

• Protect and maintain our natural environment; • Create and promote community awareness to encourage responsible

environmental behaviour; • Effectively manage resource consumption, including water and energy, in

order to reduce waste and greenhouse gas reduction and improve air quality;

• Build partnerships which will advance the City’s environmental objectives; • Continually improve our organisation to strategically position ourselves to

meet future challenges; • Seek to balance the social and economic impact.

2 Policy Statement

The City of Swan will work internally and with partners within our community to;

2.1 Preserve and protect the ecology and biodiversity of our natural ecosystems.

2.2 Reduce waste production through the appropriate reduction, re-use and recycling of waste products.

2.3 Implement "best practice" in the management of ground and surface water quality and quantity.

2.4 Preserve and protect air quality

2.5 Prevent and/or manage contamination of developed land and other inappropriate land management practices.

2.6 Monitor and improve efficiency in the use (direct and indirect) of natural resources such as ground and potable water and non-renewable energy sources and materials.


2.8 Investigate and implement policy and activities to enable adaptation to the predicted impacts of climatic change.

38


3 Responsibilities

3.1 Council is responsible for:

a) Determination of the City's Environmental Management Approach.

3.2 MANEX is responsible for:

a) Facilitating the City's Environmental Policy and Environmental Management System;

b) Providing leadership in the promotion of and organisational adherence to the City's Environmental Management processes and procedures;

c) Authorising the City's processes, procedures and determining the operational roles and responsibilities for Environmental Management;

d) Monitoring organisational strategic and operational Environmental performance;

e) Period reporting to Council against the Environmental Management Approach and performance indicators;

f) Determining treatments for identified corporate, strategic and systemic risks.

3.3 Organisational Planning & Development is responsible for:

a) Developing and periodic review of the City's Organisational Environmental Management Approach;

b) Development and periodic review of the City's Environmental Management processes and procedures that determine the City's operational performance benchmarks for the assessment, reporting, management and monitoring of Environmental Performance;

c) Deployment and monitoring of operational performance within the City's Environmental Management processes and procedures;

d) Analysis of environmental risks to proactively identify corporate, strategic and / or systemic risk and subsequently develop, recommend and implement targeted corporate risk treatments;

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f) Work with Business Unit Managers to identify risk and then determine risk treatment for localised operations risks.

3.4 Business Unit Managers are responsible for:

a) Effective application of the City's Environmental Management processes and procedures to their respective Business Unit activities, processes and procedures;

b) Documented analysis of proposals for the City to enter into new activities or amend or adjust current activities in accordance with the business planning process, to include requirements for consideration to the City’s Environmental Objectives;

c) Work with Organisational Planning & Development to identify environmental risk and then determine treatment/s for localised operations risks.

3.5 Employees are responsible for and encouraged to proactively:

a) Work and comply with the City's Environment Management Approach, System, processes and procedures.

4 Methodology

4.1 To achieve our objectives in these areas, the City of Swan is committed to continually improving our environmental performance and the performance of our community through:

a) Implementation of the principles of ISO 14001 “International Environmental Management Standards” framework;

b) Ongoing monitoring of our environmental performance in order to ensure compliance with relevant environmental legislation, enable continual improvement and allow reporting to stakeholders;

c) To enable the achievement of its environmental policy objectives, the City will develop, implement and continually review its environmental strategies. This will detail the policies, practices, processes, partnerships and organisational capability that the City will develop to achieve our environmental objectives and the targets, indicators and monitoring regimes that will track our progress.

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Governance References

Statutory Compliance Legislative Register to be developed

Industry Compliance ISO 14001 Framework

Organisational Compliance Business Excellence

Decision Maker Council Business Model Links TBC

Process Links To be developed.

Policy Administration

Division Name Officer Title Contact:Operational Services Executive Manager, Operational Services Jim Coten Risk Complexity Classification Medium/High

Review Frequency Biennial Next Due 2010

Version Decision Reference Synopsis

1. OCM 22/09/04 To outline the approach by which the City will achieve its environmental goals and objectives

2. OCM 24/02/10 Revised policy adopted by Council.

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City of Swan 2 Midland Square Midland

PO Box 196 Midland WA 6936 t (08) 9267 9267f (08) 9267 9444

City of Swan Sustainable Environment Strategy · The City of Swan is a large peri-urban...

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