The development of Urban Forest Precinct Plans is a key action in Bayside’s Urban Forest Strategy to provide a targeted response to future tree planting and greening in each Bayside suburb.

The Precinct Plans will address specific challenges within each Bayside suburb; identify gaps and opportunities to increase vegetation, such as canopy trees and understorey planting, and better monitor and maintain current and future greening.

The Precinct Plans will respond to localised challenges and identify opportunities for increased planting by prioritising:

• Areas with the lowest percentage canopy tree cover.
  This could include areas experiencing:
  • an increase in density and construction activity
  • declining canopy or aging trees
  • highly trafficked pedestrian routes, and
  • gaps/vacancies in public planting.
• Areas of significant landscape character
• Connections to conservation reserves and areas with high biodiversity value/attributes
• Potential habitat/biodiversity corridors and linkages
• Strategic opportunities for the undergrounding of powerlines
• Opportunities for boulevard plantings and creating improved streetscapes.

The Draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan is the first Precinct Plan to be prepared by Council. Through a community engagement program with interested community groups and residents, we intend to understand preferences and priorities for key actions and outcomes listed in the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan and identify areas for improvement.

Learnings from this engagement program will also be used to inform the development and community engagement of Precinct Plans for all other Bayside suburbs. It is expected that these Precinct Plans will be developed in late 2022 – early 2023, and open for community feedback by mid 2023 (see timeline below).

What is the impact if the Precinct Plans are delivered?

Bayside’s Urban Forest Strategy 2022 was developed in response to the need for urgent, meaningful action on climate change set out in Bayside’s Climate Emergency Action Plan 2020 – 2025.

The implementation of the Precinct Plans will help make Bayside a more resilient city, with appropriate measures in place to prepare and adapt to the changing climate.

The Precinct Plans will address a broad range of environmental issues to help establish a cooler, greener, and more attractive urban environment in which the community can enjoy and connect.

Implementation of the Urban Forest Strategy has already commenced, with 2,000 indigenous street and park trees planted in addition to the 1,400 trees that are typically planted annually.

The combined actions of the Urban Forest Strategy, including the precinct plans, will strengthen ecosystems, ensure natural vegetation is retained and protected, promote biodiversity, and improve habitat connectivity in the suburbs of Bayside.

What is the impact if the Precincts Plans are not delivered?

The health of Bayside’s urban forest will rapidly decline if tree and understorey planting is not prioritised.

In Beaumaris, approximately 11% of Council managed trees will not survive after the next 10 years, and tree loss will continue to increase if dead trees are not replaced after they have reached the end of their useful life expectancy.

A key objective of the Precinct Plans is to identify the opportunities to plant more trees and vegetation while strengthening planning controls to maintain large canopy trees.

Without the Precinct Plans, increasing development and declining canopy cover will continue to threaten the health of Bayside’s urban forest. The removal of vegetation from established gardens, large trees and understorey plantings would contribute to the loss of the distinct vegetation character and have a detrimental impact on biodiversity in Bayside. The loss of trees and vegetation will have a negative impact on the natural and built environment and the health and wellbeing of current and future residents.

We’re seeking community and stakeholder feedback on the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan to ensure that the plan aligns with community expectations and aspirations.

What can the community influence?

• Tree canopy plantings and understorey plantings at locations that are identified in the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan.
• Tree canopy plantings and understorey plantings at locations that aren’t already identified in the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan document.
• Species of trees and type of vegetation that should be planted
• Inclusion of various actions outlined in the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan

What can’t the community influence?

• Bayside Urban Forest Strategy – adopted by Council in February 2022
• The requirement for Urban Forest Strategy Precinct Plans
• Key actions of the Precinct Plan
  • Increasing the tree canopy cover and vegetation as an action of the Precinct Plan
  • Increasing species diversity as an action of the Precinct Plan
  • Monitoring tree canopy cover and vegetation as an action of the Precinct Plan
  • Retaining tree canopy cover and vegetation as an action of the Precinct Plan
  • Service delivery and implementation of the Precinct Plan

This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.

Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter

Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated

Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum

Stakeholder / community	Impact	Interest	Influence
Beaumaris based ‘friends of’ groups Friends of Balcombe Park Friends of Beaumaris Reserve Friends of Donald MacDonald Reserve Friends of Gramatan Avenue Heathland Sanctuary Friends of Long Hollow Heathland Friends of Native Wildlife Friends of Ricketts Point Friends of Ricketts Point Landslide Friends of Table Rock	M	H	Consult
Bayside Environmental Groups Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group Wildlife rescue groups (Birdlife Bayside) Friends of Native Wildlife Bayside Earth Sciences Society Inc. Marine Science Education and Community	M	H	Consult
Beaumaris Environmental Groups Beaumaris Conservation Society Inc. Marine Care Ricketts Point Inc. Mordialloc-Beaumaris Conservation League	M	H	Consult
Beaumaris Residents	H	H	Consult
Bayside Community groups Bayside Alliance for Heritage Environment Bayside Foreshore Recreational Council (lifesaving clubs and yacht clubs) Healthy Ageing Reference Group Bayside Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee	M	H	Inform
Beaumaris Community Groups Beaumaris Modern Beaumaris Traders Association	L	H	Inform
First Nations people/ Traditional landowners	M	M	Consult
Arborists/landscapers/gardeners	H	H	Consult
Elderly residents in Beaumaris	M	M	Consult
Beaumaris Traders	L	L	Inform
General Bayside Community	L	L	Consult

The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.

Key tools for communicating the project

• Email notification to Have Your Say subscribers and key stakeholder groups
• Council website and This Week in Bayside e-newsletter

• Targeted social media posts, including sponsored advertising to increase reach
• Direct email to key stakeholders

• Have Your Say project webpage
• Article for inclusion in various special interest Council newsletters
• Digital screens at local Bayside libraries and Corporate Centre

Key methods for gathering feedback

• Online engagement through Have Your Say, including opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback
• Meetings with relevant community and environmental groups

Project stage	Timing
Community consultation on draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan	28 October – 27 November 2022
Consideration of community feedback and amendments to the draft Plan, as required	December – January 2023
Council to consider report on community feedback and Beaumaris Precinct Plan	February 2023
Draft Precinct Plans developed for all other suburbs	November 2022 –February 2023
Community consultation on draft Precinct Plans	March 2023 – April 2023
Consideration of community feedback and amendments to the draft Precinct Plans, as required	April 2023 – May 2023
Council to consider report on community feedback and adoption of Precinct Plans	June 2023

Community engagement on the draft Beaumaris Precinct Plan will commence from 27 October -27 November 2022.

Council is expected to consider the findings of the community engagement alongside a proposed Beaumaris Precinct Plan at its February 2023 Council meeting.

Community engagement on draft Precinct Plans for all other Bayside suburbs is expected to be undertaken in March – April 2023.

Following this, Council will consider a report on community feedback and the proposed Precinct Plans for adoption at its June 2023 meeting.

Please select the blue “+Subscribe” button at the top of the page to receive updates about this project, including notification of opportunities to participate in community engagement and when it will be considered at Council meetings.