Tauranga City Council is currently in the process of reviewing its district plan. The Proposed City Plan was notified on 17 October 2009.
Councils are required by law to review any provision in their district plans that has not been reviewed in the previous ten years. This presents a great opportunity for residents and businesses in Tauranga to submit on the Proposed Plan in respect of a number of issues including zoning, heritage, landscape and amenity areas and hazard areas. The City Plan creates a number of new zones within the city aimed at intensifying development and in the City Centre there are new Rules with an urban design focus. Submissions on the Proposed Plan close on 15 December 2009.
The following is a summary of some of the main areas of interest arising under the Proposed City Plan:
City Living Residential Zone and City Living Mixed Use Zone
The Plan creates two new City Living Zones, the City Living Residential Zone (CLRZ) and the City Living Mixed Use Zone (CLMUZ). The CLRZ promotes the intensification of residential development in the Avenues, the eastern side of Edgecumbe Road and residential areas surrounding the CBD by increasing the height of buildings in this area to 13 metres. The density is also increased to a medium density with 1 dwelling unit per 200m2. New residential developments in this zone will be restricted discretionary activities and urban design principles (such as ensuring the development is balanced with the “urban landscape character” and the availability of ventilation, sunshine and privacy) will be applied when determining such applications. The CLMUZ allows for comprehensive development which combines ground floor offices or health centres with residential accommodation above to a height of 19 metres. Health centres and offices that are not part of a comprehensive development (which also include residential accommodation) are non-complying activities in both City Living zones.
Commercial Zones
In the City Centre Zone urban design principles have been applied in developing the Rules. The new requirements for buildings identified as pedestrian environment streets are to provide continuous and permanent cover over public footpaths and to provide active street frontages by ensuring there is a visual connection between activities in the building and the street. There are also new height restrictions in this zone.
In Greerton some properties containing business activities have been rezoned as commercial business. The Proposed Te Reti Commercial zone located at the junction of Waihi Road and Beaumaris Boulevard changes the zoning from residential to commercial business to allow a service station and small commercial centre to be developed.
Heritage, Archaeological Sites and Sites of Significance to Maori
The Proposed Plan identifies approximately 50 sites around Tauranga as either heritage or archaeological sites or sites of significance to Maori. Each site identified in the Plan has been given a classification according to its heritage value. Category A relates to sites of national value; Category B relates to sites of regional value and Category C to sites of local value.
If your property is identified as a Category A site of significance to Maori then any activity involving earthworks over 10m3 in any year will require a resource consent. For a Category B site of significance to Maori any activity involving earthworks over 50m3 in any year will require a resource consent. Properties with archaeological sites identified on them will require a resource consent for any earthworks to be undertaken.
While many of the rules in the Proposed Plan do not come into effect until the Council has received all submissions, held hearings and notified its decision the rules relating to heritage or archaeological sites or sites of significance to Maori have immediate effect.
Hazards
Finally the new Planning Maps in the Proposed City Plan show variations to the Flood Hazard Area in areas along the Harbour and the Coastal Hazard Erosion Plan Area from Mauao to Te Tumu.
Conclusion
The Proposed City Plan aims to address the issue of dealing with projected population growth within the City and sub-region while retaining and providing for the natural environment, natural landscapes, culture and heritage. The result is that the Proposed Plan enables the intensification of development across most zones in the City which could impact on the amenity of your neighbourhood. If you would to make a submission on the Proposed Plan or discuss with us how the Proposed Plan affects your property please contact us.