The on-off maintenance process describes the handing over of assets (eg. roads, footpaths, sewer mains) created by a development to Council for ongoing maintenance.
Assets maintained by Council
Typical assets maintained by Council include:
- Roads, bikeways and footpaths
- Water mains and sewers
- Stormwater drainage and detention systems
- Parks and their landscaping
Councils scope of maintenance can extend to:
- Stormwater quality treatment systems, such as bio-basins in parks and footpaths
- Street lighting on some Council managed roads
- Park furniture
What assets are not usually donated to Council?
- Driveway crossovers
- Roads internal to a unit development complex (on freehold land)
- Roofwater pipework that connects to the roadside gutter (kerb and channel)
- Private inter-allotment drainage systems that connect to Council’s drainage system
- Internal fire fighting mains
- Assets donated to Main Roads
- Assets donated to Ergon
The On-Off Maintenance Process
The process involves:
- Calling for and passing an On Maintenance Inspection.
- The Maintenance Period, usually 12 months.
- Calling for and passing the Off Maintenance Inspection.
The inspections, and what is required to be in place before calling for an inspection, are detailed further in the Operational Works Approval.
Why is the on-off maintenance process important?
The On-Off Maintenance process is about ensuring assets donated to Council withstand use over a period of time prior to Council taking over full responsibility for their management.
It is important that assets donated to Council are in good condition and meet the relevant technical specifications as the community, with public funds, will need to operate and maintain them for the remainder of their asset life. This extends to their renewal or end of life decommissioning.
Council must ensure it only receives assets that are fit for purpose and have a reasonable prospect of achieving their expected service life.
Maintenance period
A Maintenance Period is usually defined in the Operational Works Approval. Often most assets have a 12 month maintenance period.
Stormwater quality treatment devices, such as bio-basins, may specify a 24 month maintenance period in the permit to ensure vegetation is established and filter media is working after significant rainfall.
Can there be cases when there is no on-off maintenance process?
Yes, but only when there are no donated/gifted assets. In these cases a single Compliance Inspection might be all that is needed.
I am only doing a 1 into 2 lots sub division, are there any donated assets?
The answer depends on the type and scale of the development.
For example, if there is only a second driveway crossover, second water meter and second sewer connection point, and no road extension, no public sewer or water main extension, then there would be no donated assets involved.
Roof and allotment drainage must also be considered. Your consulting engineer (RPEQ) will be able to assist with this.
Need further information?
For first hand information, always seek advice from your consulting engineer, who must be a Registered Professional Engineer in Queensland (RPEQ) and may be a member of Consult Australia for independent professional advice.
You are also welcome to contact Council for general development engineering advice.