Vegetation clearing exemption criteria

The following criteria are from Part 5 of the Logan Planning Scheme - Categories of development and assessment for the Biodiversity areas overlay. They identify situations where vegetation clearing is exempt from approval.

This means you can clear vegetation if:

  • the clearing meets the criteria listed in one of the following tables
  • the clearing is not located within the Waterway Corridors and Wetlands Overlay. 

Development outside a specific area in the biodiversity areas overlay

The development meets all of the following circumstances:

  1. There is no development within any of the following areas:
    1. as identified on Biodiversity areas overlay map OM-02.02
      1. an Environmental management and conservation area
      2. a Biodiversity corridor
      3. a Koala corridor
    2. the areas identified on Biodiversity areas overlay map OM-02.03
  2. There is no clearing of native vegetation in the Primary vegetation management area identified on Biodiversity areas overlay map OM-02.01. 
  3. There is no clearing of native trees and native habitat trees in the Secondary vegetation management area identified on Biodiversity areas overlay map OM-02.01. 

Clearing on a lot less than 5,000 square metres outside specified zones / areas

Clearing is limited to the following circumstances: 

  1. Clearing (other than of remnant endangered regional ecosystem mapped under the Vegetation Management Act 1999) is on a lot less than 5,000 square metres in area and is not located in: 
    1. the Environmental management and conservation zone
    2. the Rural zone
    3. the Rural residential zone
    4. the Acreage precinct in the Low density residential zone
    5. the Emerging community zone
    6. a Koala corridor identified on Biodiversity areas overlay map OM-02.02.

Clearing for, or for services or access to, approved development

Clearing falls within one or more of the following circumstances:

  1. Clearing is limited to within an approved development envelope area. 
  2. Clearing is in accordance with an infrastructure agreement. 
  3. Clearing is for construction or maintenance of: 
    1. a service corridor to provide an above or underground utility service to an existing or approved dwelling or approved development envelope area, and the clearing is limited to two metres in width from the centre point of the corridor, or
    2. an accessway to an existing or approved dwelling or approved development envelope area, and the clearing is limited to five metres in width.

Clearing for bushfire protection

Clearing falls within one or more of the following circumstances:

  1. Clearing is for the establishment or maintenance of a fire maintenance trail required by a condition of a development approval and the clearing is limited to width of the trail.
  2. Clearing is for the establishment of fire control lines where:
    1. on a lot between one hectare and five hectares:
      1. within three metres of the lot boundary
      2. for the turning of a vehicle within a 12 metre radius of the corner of the lot 
      3. does not include a native habitat tree
    2. on a lot greater than five hectares:
      1. within five metres of the lot boundary
      2. for the turning of a vehicle within an area that is no greater than 30 square metres in area and adjoins an existing or proposed fire control line located no closer than 200 metres from another vehicle turning area
      3. for the turning of a vehicle within a 12 metre radius of the corner of the lot
      4. does not include a native habitat tree.
  3. Clearing is for fuel reduction around an existing or approved class 1 building (a habitable building such as a house), limited to:
    1. the removal of native vegetation in the inner zone (within 10 metres of the outermost projection of the building)
    2. the removal of native vegetation other than a native tree from the outer zone (within 10 metres of the outer edge of the inner zone)
    3. for a building on a sloping site, removal of native vegetation other than native trees for the following further distance beyond the outer zone:
      1. one metre for every degree of average natural slope, down slope of the building
      2. 0.5 metres for every degree of average natural slope, upslope of the building.
  4. Clearing is for fuel reduction around an existing or approved class 10 building or structure (like a garage or shed) limited to:
    1. the removal of native vegetation in the inner zone (within five metres of the outermost projection of the building or structure)
    2. the removal of native vegetation other than a native tree from the outer zone (within five metres of the outer edge of the inner zone)
    3. for a building or structure on a sloping site, removal of native vegetation other than a native tree for the following further distance beyond the outer zone:
      1. one metre for every degree of slope, down slope of the building or structure
      2. 0.5 metres for every degree of slope, upslope of the building or structure.

Clearing for management of native vegetation or control of problem species

Clearing falls within one or more of the following circumstances:

  1. Clearing is limited to management and maintenance of native vegetation (other than native trees or native habitat trees):
    1. in connection with the maintenance of an existing lawful garden, or
    2. as part of a regular ongoing maintenance program for the mowing and slashing of grass.
  2. Clearing is of the following native species:
    1. Cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana,; or
    2. Umbrella tree (Schefflera actinophylla).