Draft Coffs Harbour Public Realm Strategy
SUMMARY - March 2023
The City of Coffs Harbour has developed this Public Realm Strategy to “Create a Connected Network of Public Open Space –that is clean, green and safe”. The ultimate aim of this Strategy is that everyone in our community will have access to clean green and safe open space within a five-minute walk from their home.
The public realm is where people gather, build meaningful connections and form community. The public realm is key to our everyday lives, it is where we meet our friends and family to explore, play, learn and relax. It is not just for people, but also our native flora and fauna, as it provides links to habitats and strengthens biodiversity.
The public realm begins the moment you leave your front door. It includes the streets we walk or cycle in, the town squares we socialise in, and parks, playgrounds and sport fields where we relax or play.
Trends
As our lifestyles have changed, so has the way we use public space. The recent COVID-19 pandemic is clear proof of how important our public spaces are and how much we need them to appreciate and connect to nature:
▶ We are increasingly time poor and we seek shorter, more intense forms of physical activity to cope with our busy lifestyles.
▶ We exercise to get fit, socialise and connect with people.
▶ The times in which we exercise are shifting, with a preference for early mornings or late evenings.
▶ Our focus is more directed to mental health and wellbeing, and the need to seek out and connect with nature.
Emerging activities
inactivity is causing chronic health problems
Community Aspirations
The draft strategy reflects our community’s ambition for where it wants Coffs Harbour to be in ten years. Feedback received from our community during the development of this draft strategy validated the following aspirations:
▶ ‘Walking and Jogging’ - the most popular activity undertaken by the community within the public realm;
▶ ‘Connecting to Nature’ - the second most popular activity undertaken by the community within the public realm;
▶ ‘Footpaths and Bike Paths’ – the need for more connected footpaths and bike paths;
▶ ‘Trees’ - the need for more trees within our public realm;
▶ ‘Jetty Foreshores’ – the community’s love for the Jetty Foreshores;
▶ ‘Coffs Creek Cycleway’ – the community’s love for the Coffs Creek Bike Path;
▶ ‘Moonee Beach Reserve’ - the community’s love for Moonee Beach Reserve; and
▶ ‘Dog Off Leash Areas’ – the need for an additional off -leash dog park.
Our Vision
Our vision for the Public Realm of Coffs Harbour is to: Create a Connected Network of Public Open Space – that is clean, green and safe!
Our aim is that everyone in our community will have access to clean green and safe open space within a five-minute walk from their home. This will be reliant on the provision of good connections and the use of different types of open space due to the size of our Local Government Area. Some of our community may have access to either a Local Park, District Park or even a Linear Park.
To assist the City of Coffs Harbour in achieving this vision, a set of guiding principles have been developed for use by the City when managing, maintaining and developing our public realm. The use of the guiding principles is essential, so that our public open space network is protected and enhanced, and not negatively impacted by other City of Coffs Harbour projects or works.
Guiding Principles
The management, maintenance and development of public land for our community is at the heart of everything the City of Coffs Harbour does. Our guiding principles will be used by the City to ensure that all public realm projects and works achieve the vision of this Strategy to create a connected network of public open space, that is clean, green and safe. The guiding principles are as follows:
▶ Connected Communities - expanding connections within our public open space network.
▶ People Orientated Design - when undertaking any works or projects within the public realm, the pedestrian experience is prioritised.
▶ Going Green - we must focus on the environment and design with natural processes to incorporate nature into our urban lives.
▶ Compact Growth Footprint - reclaiming our public spaces for the community’s use (eg streets) and investing in the quality of the public realm.
Our Green Grid
The City of Coffs Harbour has mapped a ‘Green Grid’ for the City of Coffs Harbour. This Green Grid is a map of our network of public open space that connects our residential areas, business centres, urban areas and destinations.
By mapping our Green Grid, the City is able to align projects, works and future development so that our high quality green spaces are protected for future generations and to ensure that our whole community has access to suitable open space.
Types of Public Realm
The City of Coffs Harbour has also developed a system that describes our different types of open space, so we know what we’ve got and where we’ve got it. The types include:
▶ Local Park (including Small Local Parks);
▶ District Park;
▶ Regional Park;
▶ Coffs Coast Regional Park;
▶ Linear Park;
▶ Natural Area;
▶ Street;
▶ Sports Facility; and
▶ Community Garden.
Best practice open space planning and management has moved away from traditional benchmark standards towards a more performance based approach. This draft strategyoutlines a performance based approach to prioritising levels of service.
Big Moves
5 big moves are proposed in the draft Strategy to allow us to achieve our vision:
1. Establish a Green Grid Framework.
2. Establish a Public Realm Tree Delivery Program.
3. Support the Preparation & Implementation of an Active Transport Plan.
4. Support City of Coffs Harbour’s Placemaking Framework.
5. Promote Responsible Pet Ownership in the Public Realm.
Tangible Built Outcomes to 2024
▶ Moonee Beach Cycleway $1,503,000;
▶ Melaleuca Foot Bridge Renewal $1,035,589;
▶ Brelsford Park Stage One $5,167,067;
▶ Lowanna Multi-Use/Tennis Court Renewal $186,045;
▶ Mullawarra Reserve Upgrade $350,000;
▶ Emerald Beach Amenities $300,000; and
▶ Nana Glen Cricket Oval Amenities $600,000.
The city needs to start prioritising the delivery of new trees. This strategy seeks to identify innovative funding opportunities for new street trees throughout the city. As an example, $50,000 per annum would enable the city to deliver 35 trees, which equates to approximately 65 cents per resident.
