Site planning

Best practice guidance for site planning

Decision framework

File name

SC Waste Strategy 2015 - 2025

File type

text/html

SC Waste Strategy 2015 - 2025

There are a range of Australian Standards/best practice guidelines, relating to this category. Key documents are referenced throughout and in the LIM Bins - Standards.

Wheelie bins

Bins must adhere to AS 4123 (Parts 1,6,7) - Mobile waste containers.

Outdoor ashtrays

The location of outdoor ashtrays must adhere to the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 and regulations, which restricts smoking at outdoor places.

Bin servicing

Waste services

Waste bins must be located as close to access point as possible. Waste bins must not be located further than 80 m from the truck collection point.
Waste collection is provided by Councils waste collections contractor.

Recycling services

Recycle bins must be paired with a waste bin.
Recycle bins must not be located further than 80 m from the truck servicing collection point.
Recycle collection is provided by Councils waste collections contractor.
Careful planning is undertaken to determine whether a location is suitable for recycle services:
- Recycling collection is generally limited to servicing 1-3 times per week. Risk of overflow due to limitations for public place recycling services (i.e. during peak times waste bins in high use high profile areas are serviced twice daily, where the maximum service frequency for recycle bins is three times per week).
- Cost versus benefit analysis – some locations are too remote and the cost for running a service vehicle to the location for a minimum weekly service is not viable.

Site decisions

All decisions, including the location of the embellishment and related infrastructure, must be made in conjunction with council (determined by site location), including officers from such areas as:

Council (Parks and Gardens)

Council (Environmental Operations)

Council (Waste and Resource Management)

Bins (waste, recycle, enclosures and outdoor ashtrays) – also determined in consultation with Council Waste and Resource Management (contact Customer Service 07 5475 7272).
Dog bag dispensers – also determined in consultation with officers from Council (Waste and Resource Management), and Council (Customer Response).

Table 1: Bin types/planning/construction/asset management breakdown

Embellishment	Planning	Construction	Asset management
Wheelie bin(s) attached to security sand (post)	Contact Council (Customer Service) to ensure bin type, site suitability and availability of recycling service	Council supplies wheelie bins (contact Council (Customer Service) to arrange delivery) Council does NOT supply security stands (posts)	Contact Council (Customer Service) to ensure all embellishments are: included in the existing service schedule included in the asset database.
Bin enclosures (with wheelie bins inside)	Consult Council (Customer Service) to ensure bin type, site suitability and availability of recycling service.	Council supplies wheelie bins (contact Council (Customer Service) to arrange delivery) Council does NOT supply wheelie bin enclosures	Contact Council (Customer Service) to ensure all embellishments are: included in the existing service schedule included in the asset database.
Outdoor ashtray (attachment)	Consult Council (Customer Service) to ensure bin type and site suitability. To be attached to waste bins only, not to be installed on recycle bins. These are on a case-by-case basis.	Council does NOT supply outdoor ashtrays	Contact Council (Customer Service) to ensure all embellishments are: included in the existing service schedule included in the asset database.
Dog bag dispenser (attachment)	Consult Council (Customer Service) to ensure bin type and site suitability. New dog bag dispensers are to be located at dog parks and off-leash areas only. To be attached to waste bins only, not to be installed on recycle bins	Council do NOT supply dog bag dispensers	Contact Council (Customer Service) to ensure all embellishments are: included in the existing service schedule included in the asset database.

Users

Consult with council stakeholders, neighbouring properties and identified park users in the planning stage of a project.

Site conditions

Consider the physical characteristics of a site and requirements of the activities to be conducted:

level surface (moved text to the top)
proximity to residents homes, potential to cause nuisance to residents.
prevailing winds (to prevent odour issues and rain infiltration)
orientation to minimise sun impact
location of utilities
well drained site
level surface
flood immunity requirements.

Co-location of facilities

Facilities, including parking and pathways, are often already established and need to be considered in determining the location of bins.
Bins should be considered near facilities, such as play spaces, barbecues, picnic areas, walking and cycling paths and skate parks.
- Locate as close as possible, to the entry and exit points, but with consideration of public convenience.

Safety

Safety clearances must be met.
Adopt principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Guidelines for Queensland. Locate bins to allow users to feel safe, and to provide an opportunity for casual surveillance.

Potential site conflicts

Locate bins away from:

Residential homes to avoid potential to cause nuisance to residents.
Shade sails, shelters or any structure that may present a climbing risk.
Avoid interfering with other open space uses. Bins installed too close to the edge of pathways will interrupt the free flow of pedestrian/cyclist traffic.
Embellishments to minimise the potential risk associated with the spread of fire.
High use bikeways, busy roads and steep slopes, to avoid accidents.
Hazards such as waterways, fire and flood prone areas, sewers and stormwater drains, underground.

Smart infrastructure must be installed only where appropriate and only when approved by asset custodian. See LIM Smart technologies for further guidance, including key considerations for installation.

Planning for sustainability

Refer Design principles – Sustainability for guidance.

Planning for future works

Co-locate embellishments requiring similar services e.g. water, to reduce infrastructure, where possible.
Where underground utilities are installed, set brass markers to concrete slab edges to indicate the location.
Consider installation of additional conduits under concrete slabs for future provision, where utilities (e.g. electrical, water) and irrigation systems are planned. Ensure additional conduit is capped to prevent ingress of water and debris.
Consider climate change impacts on the embellishment location and construction ¹.
- In coastal areas, or near waterways, design should consider rise in sea level predictions, storm tide, salt inundation and severe storm events.
- Positioning should also consider flooding, seasonal/ephemeral water bodies and water table changes.
- Near bushland areas, design should consider the occurrence of bushfires.

^{Source 1: Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability Strategy 2017.}

Disclaimer

Information contained in this document may change without notice and you should use the current material available from Council’s website and not rely on material previously printed or stored by you.

All figures and diagrams are intended to be used as an aid to design and include Council’s preferred elements but they are not intended to be prescriptive and may need to be varied as dictated by site specific factors. While Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document, it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. The Council will not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense that you may incur as a result of the use of or reliance upon any material contained in this document.

This document is produced to convey general information and is not intended to constitute advice whether professional or legal. Any reference to legislation in this document is not an interpretation of the law. It is to be used as a guide only. Consult relevant authority websites for current documents, revisions and amendments.

Where a particular product or supplier is profiled in this document, Council is NOT nominating this product or supplier as the selected choice. Product/supplier information has been provided to allow users to source products which contain the correct elements required for Council embellishments. Each product profiled states ‘or equivalent’ which means that different products may be supplied provided they satisfy the identified performance criteria, recommended standards, equal access guidance and product specifications.

Product design, manufacture and installation requires appropriately qualified people to provide site specific solutions to ensure the embellishment is appropriately adapted to local conditions and data.

This document does not override requirements stipulated in a development approval. Project specific variations may be appropriate as a result of site, environmental or other constraints. Any variations to these standards must be approved in writing by council prior to commencement of variation works. Components of this document may be used within a contract document but users should undertake their own investigations to confirm the information is suitable for this purpose.

Drawings contained in this document are NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Details in this document are deemed to be the minimum standard and the user may wish to apply a higher standard subject to approval by council.