Frequently Asked Questions

At the Northgate Ward Office we have several items available for groups and schools to hire for free, to support their community events. Available for hire is 3x Marquees (3m x 3m), 1 portable PA system, 3 insulated water coolers and 3 trestle tables. If you would like to hire any of these items please email the Northgate Ward Office here. Requests to book will be on a first come first served basis.

If you have any concerns or questions about collection, please call the Ward Office on 3403 2210.

How do I deal with a barking dog?

Under the Council’s Animal Local Law 2003, if a dog barks in excess of the following limitations it is considered a nuisance:

more than six minutes of animal noise in any hour

more than three minutes of animal noise in any half hour

Animal noise is also considered a nuisance if a Council officer finds it to be:

Making a complaint about a barking dog
If your neighbour’s dog is barking excessively, you can take the following steps:

If these methods don’t work, you can phone the Council on 07 3403 8888 to report the problem.

How does the Council handle complaints about barking dogs?
The Council will take the following steps after receiving a complaint about a barking dog:

How can I control my barking dog?
If your dog is barking excessively, consult a vet to determine the cause of the barking.

If the vet is unable to resolve the issue, contact an animal behaviouralist or a dog training organisation. Neighbours may be more patient with your dog’s barking if they are aware of the steps you are taking the fix the problem.

Brisbane City Council has developed Verge Garden Guidelines to help residents who are interested in establishing a verge garden to self-assess their compliance with Council requirements. The guidelines support Council’s vision of a clean, green city that protects and supports our subtropical environment by sustainably managing and caring for our natural environment and resources.

Find more information on guidelines at Council’s website:
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/natural-environment-and-water/plants-trees-and-gardens/verge-gardens

On 1 July 2009, the Queensland State Government introduced new regulations for cat and dog owners. The Brisbane City Council is responsible for administering these State Government laws, including mandatory registration of cats, microchipping of cats and dogs (seller responsibility), microchipping of cats and dogs when given away (responsibility of person giving the animal away), microchipping of cats and dogs before reaching the age of 12 weeks and tattooing of cats and dogs at the time of desexing. For more information, please visit Brisbane City Council’s website.

Brisbane City Council has five Customer Centres (formerly known as regional business centres) across Brisbane. Specially trained staff can provide information and advice on topics including:

• licensing
• permits and applications
• local laws and compliance
• rates enquiries
• account payments (EFTPOS facilities available)
• animal registration.

The closest Customer Centres to Northgate Ward are located at:

Level 1, 375 Hamilton Road, Chermside
(above Chermside Library).
Monday-Friday,  9am-5pm

Library and Customer Centre

Level 1, 266 George Street, Brisbane. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Footpath maintenance request

Council is committed to ensuring a safe and effective footpath network for Brisbane. To do this Council manages your footpath maintenance requests through the following process https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/contact/report-an-issue/footpath-maintenance-request-overview

How do I deal with unwanted noise?

Noise can disrupt sleep and interfere with daily activities. If loud enough, it can also have a detrimental impact on people’s health.

Guide to decibel levels
Some noise regulations include a maximum loudness in decibels. Here are usual decibel levels for everyday situations:

• quiet room in the house – 20 to 30 decibels
• daytime in a quiet residential street – 35 to 45 decibels
• large busy office – 50 to 60 decibels
• lawn mower from 15 metres away – 70 decibels
  
  

Which noise complaints are not handled by Council?
The Council does not deal with these common complaints:

• noise from music, parties, off-road vehicles and burglar alarms – contact the Queensland Police on 07 3364 6464
• noise from premises with a liquor licence – contact the Department of Tourism and Racing’s Liquor Licensing Division on 07 3224 7196
• other types of noise complaints may be dealt with by the Environmental Protection Agency – contact the agency on 07 3224 5520

How can I update my electoral details?

Our office carries AEC enrolment forms that you can complete and send into the AEC. Alternatively, you can update your electoral details by completing an enrolment form from the Australian Electoral Commission website and mailing it to: Australian Electoral Commission, Reply Paid 9867, Brisbane 4000

Current applications under assessment can be viewed online via Brisbane City Council’s development and search tracking tool – Development.i

Learn how to perform an application enquiry search enquiry here www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/applying-and-post-approval/check-the-status-of-a-development-application

What is Development.i?

Development.i provides access to past and current application details and basic property information for the Brisbane City Council Local Government area so it is easy to

• Stay informed about what is happening in your area​
• gather information to help prepare applications​
• make a submission or comment on an application.

To go directly to https://developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

What grants are available through Brisbane City Council? 

Finding Finder is a free service which allows Brisbane community organisations and businesses to search for funding opportunities

Brisbane City Council is proud to provide access to GrantGuru’s national database of grant and funding opportunities for local businesses, community groups and not-for-profits.

This site provides a comprehensive list of grant and funding opportunities available to you.

This free service means you will never miss a grant opportunity again. Register to receive emailed alerts for new grants, save your favourites and access tips to help you apply for grants.

Council is proud to partner with GrantGuru to provide you with this service. See our Top tips if you need additional help.

https://brisbanecitycouncil.grantguru.com.au/

Grants, awards and sponsorships

Brisbane City Council provides grants for community groups and non-profit organisations to improve services and facilities.

• Community Grants Program
• Lord Mayor’s Helen Taylor award for history
• Lord Mayor’s Sustainability Grant
• Environmental Grants Program
• Senior Citizens Grants Program
• Community Support Funding Program
• Creative Sparks Grants Program
• Lord Mayor’s Suburban Initiative Fund
• Lord Mayor’s Young and Emerging Artists Fellowship
• Women in Business Grant (Brisbane Economic Development Centre)

Council also gives Australia Day Awards over a number of categories each year. Other awards include Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards, Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Awards, WasteSMART Brisbane Awards, Active School Travel Awards, Artforce Brisbane Awards

Council provides sponsorship for a wide variety of events, initiatives and projects that make Brisbane a great place to live, work and do business.

Find out more, including grant terms and conditions and information about Council sponsorship are available from www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community-and-safety/grants-awards-and-sponsorships or by calling 3403 8888

Enforcement of speed limits is the responsibility of the Queensland Police Service and any instances of speeding or other irresponsible and dangerous driver behaviour should be reported directly to your local Police Station for action.

Written requests tend to receive a higher priority than phone calls. Brisbane’s road network consists of more than 7000km of roads and speeding is a problem right across the city. Other than Police enforcement, there are no quick or easy solutions to the widespread problem of speeding in suburban streets.

Council receives almost one thousand requests for traffic calming each year and it is not possible or practical to implement every request. Only around 10 percent of the requests processed by Council Road Network Officers meet the criteria necessary for work to proceed. While traffic calming may be effective in some situations, there are also instances where it is inappropriate, such as when the road in question is expected to cater for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods through a District or Region.

Traffic calming is unlikely to prevent irresponsible or anti-social driving (commonly known as “hooning”). In some cases, traffic calming has been know to exacerbate these problems by providing “hoons” with the opportunity to test their high performance vehicles under more challenging road conditions.

Traffic calming works are generally planned and implemented on an area-wide basis, called a Local Area Traffic Management (LATM) project, to ensure that traffic problems in one street are not relocated to another nearby street.

In most cases, the aim of an LATM project is to discourage through traffic from using suburban streets (Local Access Roads) instead of major traffic routes.

Given this aim, LATM projects can also cause significant inconvenience to local residents, who have to negotiate the traffic calming on a daily basis. This is a drawback that needs to be weighed up against any potential benefits a traffic calming project may deliver. As a result, community consultation is an important part of an LATM project.

Although Council considers a wide range of criteria when assessing the need for traffic calming, successful projects generally involve the following factors:

1) The roads under consideration are Local Access Roads, which are primarily required to provide access to adjoining properties and do NOT have a significant function for carrying through traffic in the road network.

2) Demonstrated community support for traffic calming measures (i.e. a petition or numerous letters, emails or phone calls from local residents), representing at least two-thirds of the households in the affected area. A similar proportion of those households should also be prepared to have a traffic calming device (road hump, chicane or intersection modification) adjacent to their property.

3) Significant non-local traffic volumes on Local Access Roads in a particular area (i.e. through traffic that is not generated by local residents or their visitors).

4) A significant proportion of vehicles exceeding the maximum lawful speed on Local Access Roads in an area.

If these factors are proven to exist, Council officers will list an area as a candidate for an LATM project in the future. Funding is allocated to these projects in each financial year’s budget based on city-wide priorities.

Once funding is allocated, potential projects commence a two-stage process, which usually happens over the course of two or more financial years. The first stage involves community consultation, consisting of a newsletter/questionnaire delivered to each household, outlining a conceptual scheme and inviting feedback to gauge the level of community support.

If a scheme is supported by at least 60% of respondents to the newsletter, all residents will be advised of the outcome and detailed design work will commence. This process includes further consultation with directly affected residents and property owners, whose properties are adjacent to proposed traffic calming measures.

Subject to satisfactory resolution of any issues arising in the detailed design process, such as property access, residential amenity or budgetary considerations, a submission for funding to construct the scheme is usually submitted for Council approval in the subsequent financial year’s budget.

This second stage of the project may be spread over more than one financial year, depending on the size of the area being treated and the amount of work involved in the scheme.

 Brisbane City Council helps care for Brisbane’s urban forest through its management of the city’s street and park trees. This includes protecting, planting and maintaining street and park trees.

Urban trees provide benefits that are important to our city’s liveability, identity and prosperity. Shady, attractive streets help give Brisbane’s suburbs character and support our outdoor, subtropical lifestyle.

Council’s website has more information about how we are protecting, planting and maintaining street and park trees, including:

• Protecting Street and Park Trees
• Resident Permits – minor street tree trimming
• Private works affecting street or park trees
• Planting Street and Park Trees
• Maintaining Street and Park Trees
• Trees near powerlines
• Tree trimming and maintenance requests
• Tree removal
• Unlawful tree planting
• Council’s tree planting program
• Community Street tree planting events
• Requesting a street tree planting
• Free Native Plants program

Find more information here https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/clean-and-green/natural-environment-and-water/plants-trees-and-gardens/brisbanes-trees/street-and-park-trees

Neighbour’s trees

Trees are a common cause of disagreement between neighbours. Disputes can be about:

• branches overhanging the fence
• branches or fruit dropping into the yard
• roots causing damage to the property
• branches blocking sunlight from solar panels or TV reception
• trees that are dangerous or hazardous.

Brisbane City Council has no authority to deal with disputes about trees. The Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011 is the law that governs these issues.

This is a Queensland state law and disputes are decided by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT).

It is always best to resolve any issues about trees or fences directly with your neighbour, without involving mediators, lawyers or QCAT. It will be quicker and more beneficial to you and your neighbour if you can resolve the problem yourselves.

For more information about trees or fences, please visit Queensland Government – Avoiding fence, tree and building disputes.

If you can’t resolve issues about trees or fences with your neighbour, the Dispute Resolution Centre may be able to help with mediation.

To contact the Dispute Resolution Centre, please call 07 3239 6007. To contact QCAT, please call 137 468.

At the Northgate Ward Office we have several items available for groups and schools to hire for free, to support their community events. Available for hire is 3x Marquees (3m x 3m), 1 portable PA system, 3 insulated water coolers and 3 trestle tables. If you would like to hire any of these items please email the Northgate Ward Office here. Requests to book will be on a first come first served basis.

If you have any concerns or questions about collection, please call the Ward Office on 3403 2210.

Brisbane City Council issues infringement notices (fines) for various offences such as illegal parking, animal and local law or state legislative breaches. If you believe your fine should be withdrawn, you can request Council to review it.

Council has a three-stage dispute process:

Stage one – local level review

Stage two – Disputes Commissioner review

Stage three – external review.

Before you dispute a fine or infringement notice, these s provide situations where Council may, or may not withdraw a fine or infringement. If your appeal relates to one of these scenarios, read the information prior to making your submission to Council.

Brisbane City Council holds free Talk to a Planner sessions throughout the year to help residents, business owners and community groups learn more about Brisbane City Plan 2014 (City Plan) and how it relates to their building and construction plans.

Talk to a Planner is available all year round, with additional sessions held regularly across the city for your convenience.

During these sessions you can speak face-to-face with a planning specialist, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about how the City Plan relates to your property.

Council also has a team of dedicated officers who can answer simple questions about your development application over the phone during business hours (9am-4pm, Monday-Friday). To speak to an officer please phone Council on 07 3403 8888 and ask to speak with a Planning Information Officer.

For updates on our Talk to a Planner events and other planning and development news, sign up to receive our planning and development emails here www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-guidelines-and-tools/brisbane-city-plan-2014/talk-to-a-planner-sessions

Social Media Guidelines

We want to thank everyone for their interest and enthusiasm for our lifestyle friendly, Northgate Ward and its local community.

Councillor Adam Allan’s social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) are maintained by Councillor Adam Allan.

They are there to be a supportive online community that is built on respect. Everyone is encouraged to participate in an open and constructive conversation about relevant topics.

Cr Adam Allan’s pages support the Meta Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and related policies, and we request visitors to the Councillor’s pages do the same – www.facebook.com/terms.php.

Comment and Post Guidelines

The Councillor’s pages are moderated in a way to enable and encourage productive, two-way communication between Brisbane residents and Cr Adam Allan.

We understand that social media is a 24/7 medium; however, our moderation capabilities are not and comments or posts will be responded to, as required, and when possible.

Comments or posts which do any of the following will be hidden or removed and may result in the person being blocked from either or both pages:

• Comments or posts that harass, abuse or threaten a councillor, council staff or a member of the public; 
• Comments or posts that attack someone based on their age, gender, impairment, political beliefs, race, religion or sexuality;
• Comments or posts that contain obscene or offensive language; 
• Comments or posts that constitute spam or solicit business.
• Comments or posts that constitute trolling.
• Comments or posts from suspected fake profiles.
• Irrelevant or unrelated tagging.

Additionally, comments that are unrelated to the post or may negatively impact the experience of other community members will be hidden or removed.

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