When it comes to planning a successful, sustainable and safe future for our community – ignorance is not bliss.
Robust information is critical to good decision making because the more we know, the more effective our choices will be.
Logan City council’s new approach to flood-risk mapping – developed in line with the Queensland Government’s planning framework – has been designed to give us more information than ever before about this unavoidable natural hazard.
While we can’t predict every eventuality in any flood event, we can prepare to live more safely with our waterways.
The new mapping has been produced using the latest available data and technology.
Specifically, the new mapping identifies four key areas of flood risk for our communities: high, moderate, low and very low.
As well as depicting the likelihood of flooding in any given area, these categories indicate the impact any floodwaters could have.
The mapping also outlines areas that won’t flood but could become isolated when floodwaters rise.
The new information is an instrumental part of council’s next planning scheme – Logan Plan 2025 – which will guide the growth and development of our city in years to come.
With a deeper understanding of flood risk, council can ensure future development is planned, and approved, in suitable and well-serviced areas.
Importantly, the new mapping will not impact existing land uses or stop anyone from buying or selling a property.
Last week, council endorsed the first full draft of Logan Plan 2025, which will now be sent to the Queensland Government for its first mandatory state interest review.
We are also keen to ensure our community is prepared for flooding even before the new scheme comes into effect.
With the Queensland Government’s approval, council will introduce a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) to our current Logan Planning Scheme 2015, allowing our community make use of the new and improved flood-risk information sooner.
We look forward to sharing the new maps with the community when that approval is received, and to hearing everyone’s feedback during next year’s scheduled consultation period on Logan Plan 2025.
Flooding has been part of the City of Logan’s story for generations.
While we hope to never again see floods on the scale of those our community has experienced in recent years, we have to be prepared for the possibility.
