Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has been successful in advocating to the state government for improved planning controls and exemptions for vegetation removal on the Peninsula.
On Wednesday 5 August 2020, changes to the current bushfire protection exemptions came into effect through Amendment VC176. This state-wide change aligns the 10/30 and fence line vegetation exemptions with the Bushfire Prone Area map across all Victorian Councils.
This means landowners in areas at risk of bushfire will still be able to remove vegetation without needing to apply for a planning permit.
Landowners outside the Bushfire Prone Area and where there is a permit trigger for vegetation removal (for example, areas covered by the Vegetation Protection Overlay, Environmental Significance Overlay, Significant Landscape Overlay) will now need to apply for a planning permit to remove vegetation.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Councillor Sam Hearn said Council has been advocating for such changes for over five years.
"These changes allow landowners of properties at risk of bushfire to remove vegetation needed to protect their lives and property without the hassle and costs of getting a planning permit.
"We are pleased to see this sensible clarification of planning controls and realignment of exemptions to support landowners in protecting their lives and properties from bushfires.
"These changes also help us conserve vegetation, habitat and biodiversity values outside of bushfire risk areas on the Peninsula by restricting unnecessary clearing".
What is a 10/30 rule or fence line vegetation exemption?
Often you need a planning permit if you want to remove vegetation from your property. The 10/30 rule or fence line exemptions allow you to clear vegetation to help protect your property from bushfires without a planning permit if your property is located within a Bushfire Prone Area.
How do you find out if your property is in a Bushfire Prone Area?
Bushfire Prone Areas are determined by the state government. You can determine if your property is within a Bushfire Prone Area or is affected by the Bushfire Management Overlay by visiting the VicPlan website.
On this website you can access bushfire and other planning information by typing your address into the Search bar. You can zoom in and out of the map and use the layers tab to filter the layers you want displayed (e.g. Bushfire). You can also download a Planning Property Report.
Alternatively, you can check if your property is within a Bushfire Prone Area by applying for a Property Information Certificate.
