FAQs

The City is developing an Open Coast Coastal Management Program, which will be prepared through a five-stage process as described in the NSW Coastal Management Framework.

Local councils have a responsibility for managing the risk to people, towns and infrastructure from coastal hazards.

This involves reducing or avoiding damages caused by coastal storms such as erosion of beaches, inundation from storm surges and longer term processes such as sea level rise.

Council is working on a Open Coast Coastal Management Program which, when completed, will be a key tool for managing these hazards.

Focus: Beaches and headlands.
This program will help ensure the Coffs Regions coast is managed and developed in a way that protects natural features and supports ongoing growth.

There are 5 stages in the development of a CMP. 

1. Stage 1 - Scoping Study
2. Stage 2 - Determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities
3. Stage 3 - Identify management options and undertake risk assessments
4. Stage 4 - Develop a Coastal Management Plan with clearly defined management actions and assigned responsibilities
5. Stage 5 - Implement, monitor and report

The City of Coffs Harbour is coordinating the CMP development but it will also involve a wide variety of stakeholders including government agencies, Traditional Owners and the broader community. Anyone with an interest in our coastline can be involved.

Stage 1 of the Open Coast CMP, identifies the scope of the CMP moving forward. It outlines the existing management plans and strategies addressing the coastline, the roles and responsibilities for managing the coastal zone, conducts a first pass risk assessment, highlights knowledge gaps to be addressed and existing information to be updated, and establishes a business case and forward plan for the CMP. 

The Stage 1 Scoping Study will also identify any additional studies required to give us the information we need to fully understand our coastal processes and to allow us to make the best management decisions for the future of the coast.

Stage 2 - Determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities

The objective of Stage 2 is to undertake detailed studies to identify, analyse and evaluate the potential risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities within the coastal zone, which includes:

• engaging with the community and stakeholders
• refining understanding of key management issues
• identifying areas exposed to coastal hazards and threats to coastal values
• analysing and evaluating current and future risks (detailed risk assessment)
• establishing the community’s uses and values regarding the coastal zone.
  
  Studies prepared in Stage 2 provide information to support decision-making in later stages of the planning process. This additional information allows the City to analyse and evaluate coastal risks and opportunities and assists communities to better understand coastal management issues.

Stage 3 - Identify and evaluation options

This stage involves the development of a long list of potential management actions, based on the investigation work of the previous stages. It will also involve further community and stakeholder consultation to help refine management options in preparation for developing the final management actions.

The first stage of the CMP will involve an extensive scoping study to source and analyse all available studies and gather information on the assets and values of the open coast and threats to these values. 

The Scoping Study will assist Council to identify and gather all the necessary background information to prepare the Program, identify knowledge and information gaps, and develop a forward program for subsequent steps of the Coastal Management Program. 

The Stage 1 Scoping Study will also identify any additional studies required to give us the information we need to fully understand our coastal processes and to allow us to make the best management decisions for the future of the coast.

Stage 4 - Public Exhibition 

This stage involves the finalisation of a suite of proposed management actions and the preparation of a Draft CMP for public exhibition. Submissions will be invited giving another opportunity for the community and stakeholders to comment on the Draft CMP.

Stage 5 - Implement, monitor, evaluate and report

This stage of the process will see the implementation of the actions proposed in the CMP, with ongoing monitoring and reporting of progress.