NOOSA Council is asking businesses operating from the Noosa River foreshore to play by the rules, or face a fine.
The council’s Planning and Environment manager Kerri Coyle said the council audited the foreshore before Christmas and wrote to operators whose businesses had expanded on to public land.
“The State Government provides strict areas for these businesses to operate from but over time some operators have taken over nearby council-controlled public land,” she said.
Ms Coyle said council staff had visited business owners and asked them to remove unapproved outdoor dining areas, a proliferation of advertising signs, coffee shop operations, surf craft, bike hire stalls and other equipment from public land.
“As well as prevent river-goers from using this land it’s not fair on other nearby businesses which are paying commercial rates and can’t expand in the same way,” she said.
“We wrote to the foreshore business owners late last year and we will send further letters this week reminding them that they must stay within their lease areas.
“We don’t want to have to confiscate private property from public land but if businesses refuse to stick to the rules we will have no choice.”
Ms Coyle said the council has the power to impound items such as tables, chairs and signs, or issue fines for non-compliance.
