MBRC Planning Scheme - Overlay maps

Planning schemes use overlay maps to show the location and extent of special features that need to be considered when assessing development, such as where land may be subject to hazards or other characteristics like flooding, coastal hazards, bushfire and environmental areas.

Overlay maps may apply to all of part of your property and your property may be affected by more than one overlay. Having an overlay on your property may only affect you if you intent to develop (e.g. extending or building. changing use, subdividing, clearing native vegetation, filling or excavating).

How do I find out if my property is mapped in this overlay?

If you are planning to develop, check the overlay mapping by using My Property Look Up or view the planning scheme maps.

How does an overlay affect my property?

Overlay maps operate in different ways. Some overlay maps have associated overlay codes and specific tables of assessment to guide development. These include the Coastal Hazard overlay code and the Flood hazard overlay code.

Some overlay maps have associated requirements in the relevant zone codes, local plan codes or development codes, while other overlay maps are simply used to assist in applying or interpreting tables of assessment, assessment benchmarks (requirements) in codes or planning scheme policies.

If an overlay map only applies to part of your property, then the overlay codes or requirements in the zone, local plan or development codes only apply to development within the mapped area.

A list of all overlay maps is provided below. For more details on specific overlays, you can view information sheets or contact Council at (07) 3205 0555 or mbrcplanningscheme@moretonbay.qld.gov.au

Overlay codes

Overlay maps where requirements are found in overlay codes:

Overlay map	Purpose	Overlay code
Flood hazard	To protect people, property and the environment from the potential hazard of flooding.
Coastal hazard - Storm tide inundation	To protect people, property and the Environment from the potential hazard of storm tide.
Coastal hazard - Erosion prone area	To protect people, property and the environment from the potential hazard of erosion

If your property is identified in one of the following features on these overlay maps and you wish to develop, you will need to refer to the associated overlay codes in Part 8 and tables of assessment in Section 5.10 of the planning scheme:

• Overlay map - Coastal hazard
  • Coastal planning area
  • Storm tide inundation risk areas (medium and high)
  • Erosion prone area
  • Coastal investigation area
• Overlay map - Flood hazard
  • Flood planning area
  • Flood risk area (medium and high) 

Under state government regulations, development in the Coastal planning area and the Flood planning area is subject to building and planning controls to help protect property owners and residents living in these areas. To find out more, refer to the overlay codes in the planning scheme listed below or contact Council.

If you are looking to develop and you are in one or more of the other overlay features, the Overlay codes and tables of assessment will apply to your development. The overlay codes contain the planning, building and engineering requirements for development. They are located in the following sections of the planning scheme:

• Part 5, Section 5.10 Categories of development and assessment - Overlays
  • Coastal hazard overlay
  • Flood hazard overlay
• Part 8, Section 8.2 Overlay codes
  • Coastal hazard overlay code
  • Flood hazard overlay code

Other overlay provisions

All other overlay maps in the planning scheme do not have associated overlay codes. Instead, requirements relating to these overlay maps are in the following sections of the planning scheme under the heading "Value and constraints criteria" or referred to in various requirements for accepted development and performance outcomes:

• Part 6 - Zones
• Part 7 - Local plan codes
• Part 9 - Development codes
• Schedule 6 - Planning scheme policies

Overlay maps where requirements are found in Values and constraints criteria of relevant zone, local plan and development codes or Planning:   

Overlay map	Purpose	Overlay code
Acid sulfate soils	To protect people, property and the environment from the potential hazard of acid sulfate soils.
Bushfire hazard	To protect people and property from bushfire.
Environmental areas	To highlight areas of environmental significance and applies to property owners and residents wanting to clear native vegetation in these areas.
Extractive resources	To identify key extractive resource areas, extractive resources transport routes, separation areas and buffers to ensure: transportation of extractive resources occurs unhindered from incompatible sensitive uses resources are extracted and distributed unhindered from incompatible sensitive uses and land is rehabilitated once extraction is complete.
Heritage and landscape character	To protect and preserve the natural, aesthetic, architectural historic and cultural values of significant trees, places, objects and buildings.
Landslide hazard	To protect people, property and environment from the risk of landslide, land instability and visual impact.
Infrastructure buffers	To protect and promote the ongoing operation, maintenance and safety of major infrastructure and establish effective separation buffers associated with major infrastructure to minimise adverse effects on sensitive land uses from noise, dust and other nuisance generating activities.
Overland flow path	To identify land that is affected by an overland flow path and ensure surrounding properties are not impacted by changes in these flow paths as a result of development.
Scenic amenity	To protect visual and landscape character of areas having high scenic amenity values.
Riparian and wetland setbacks	To help to maintain native habitat, fauna connectivity as well as the overall health of local waterways, the overlay highlights development setbacks that apply near waterways and wetland.

Overlay maps referred to in various requirements for accepted development and performance outcomes:

Overlay map	Purpose	Overlay code
Active transport	To protect the function of the regions’ active transport network.
Building heights	To identify and control the maximum height of buildings and structures.
Community activities and neighbourhood hubs	To identify the location of community activities and neighbourhood hubs in the General residential, Rural residential and Industry zones, where some retail, commercial and community uses may be supported and alternative categories of development and assessment and requirements may apply to development.
Environmental offset receiving areas	To identify ecological corridors throughout the region considered suitable for receiving development offset planting.
Road hierarchy	To protect the function of the region's road network.
Rural residential zone lot sizes	To identify and control minimum subdivision sizes and areas of land unable to be further subdivided.
Stormwater catchments	To identify the 14 stormwater catchments in the Moreton Bay Region.
Walking distance (Centre)	To allow for alternative levels of assessment and car parking requirements in locations close to higher order and district centres.
Walking distance (Train station)	To allow for alternative levels of assessment and car parking requirements in locations close to train stations.

Overlay maps for information purposes only: