General District Wide Matters

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about?

Waitaki’s lakes and rivers are enjoyed by many communities and visitors to the district. They also support the breeding of nationally and internationally recognised birds and support salmon and trout spawning. Some recreational and commercial activities can affect our lakes and rivers, such as structures and swing moorings that reduce public access to the water, the availability of river/lake space and changes to the natural character of lakes, rivers and their margins. The use of powered craft can also have noise effects that are sometimes unsuitable for the surrounding environment.

Important values to mana whenua are held in the lakes and rivers of our district. Many waterbodies hold taonga species, of special significance to local iwi as well as represent historic gathering places to exercise kaitiaki (guardianship) and mahika kai (customary food gathering).

Consideration also needs to be given to the Waitaki Power Scheme that operates within and alongside the Waitaki lakes and river.

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan? 

The draft chapter tries to balance the need to protect the ecological, cultural, recreational and natural character of the district’s lakes and rivers and allowing for appropriate activities to occur in these areas.

The objective of the chapter is to support the use of the districts’ lakes and rivers for a range of activities whilst managing the impact on the natural environment, mana whenua values, public health and safety and the Waitaki Power Scheme.

The draft plan approach provides for the use of powered and non-powered vessels for recreation purposes on lakes and rivers with some exclusion areas for powered vessels to protect spawning grounds and bird breeding habitats. You can see the exclusion areas for motorised and powered vessels here.

Vessels can also be used for accommodation, but a resource consent would be required if it is not for a recreational activity or there is insufficient effluent containment on board.

The use of vessels for the Waitaki Power Scheme, and statutory responsibilities are also provided for.

Key changes from the current rules

• The recommended provisions are more restrictive than the current Plan for the use of powered vessels.
• Commercial activities that take place on waterbodies would require a resource consent.
• Controls to protect fish spawning and bird breeding values are being suggested.
• Structures and swing moorings that pass across/through the water would also require a consent
  
  

What does it mean for me?

• Any lawfully established existing businesses or activities would have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and could continue to operate unchanged.
  
  
• You can still go out and enjoy the lakes and rivers, both on and off the water, but there are protections being suggested for some waterbodies which limit the use of powered vessels in those areas.
• A resource consent would be required for any commercial activities, structures and swing moorings on lakes and rivers.

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about?

There are increasing subdivision and development pressures along the Waitaki coastline. Increased development along the coast reduces the natural character of the coastal landscape and can be at risk from coastal hazards such as erosion and inundation.

Exotic tree planting, and forestry pressures can adversely affect the natural character of the coast. The protection of the coastal environment is a matter of national importance under the Resource Management Act 1991.

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan?

The coastal environment has been mapped as an overlay and identifies within it, coastal areas of degraded natural character and coastal protection areas.

Coastal hazard areas have also been mapped to identify coastal inundation, coastal erosion and tsunami hazard areas. You can view the draft overlays for the coastal environment and coastal hazards on our Web map page.

Certain activities in the coastal environment would be able to be undertaken without the need for a resource consent. They include planting indigenous vegetation, amenity planting, replanting pasture, clearance of non-indigenous vegetation, and some relocation, removal, additions and alterations of buildings.

Other activities in the coastal environment including new buildings and structures, planting non-indigenous vegetation, indigenous vegetation clearance, earthworks, and subdivision would require a resource consent.

A key objective of the chapter is to preserve and improve the natural character of the coastal environment and ensure that subdivision, use and development does not increase the risk from natural hazards. Mana whenua’s relationship with the coastal environment is also recognised and provided for throughout the chapter.

Key changes from the current rules

The Coastal Environment would replace the Significant Coastal Landscape area that is defined in the current District Plan. The Coastal Environment now covers a larger area – this is required by the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.

New buildings outside of urban centres require a resource consent for earthworks under the current District Plan. The Draft District Plan would still require a resource consent for new buildings in the Coastal Environment but would give additional consideration to the location and design of buildings.

Coastal hazards are now considered. The current District Plan does not have any rules relating to coastal inundation or erosion.

What does it mean for me?

• Any lawfully established existing businesses or activities have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and could continue to operate unchanged.
  
  
• There would be rules in place to protect the natural character of the coastal environment and a resource consent would be needed for new buildings to make sure they are located and designed appropriately.
• There would be additional controls in place for any new buildings being proposed within one of the coastal hazard overlays to make sure there were no risks from inundation or erosion.
• Resource consents would be required for plantation forestry, mining or quarrying within the coastal environment.

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about?

The District Plan currently has no controls over earthworks in the residential, rural residential, township or commercial zones.  Earthworks in all zones have the potential to create adverse effects if they are not managed to control sediment run-off and can damage natural landforms, biodiversity, and areas that are important to the community, including mana whenua. Earthworks can also result in large stockpiles of removed material that can affect visual amenity and cause dust problems. 

Currently, any earthworks over 50m2 in area require a resource consent in the rural zones. This low threshold often means that otherwise permitted activities need a resource consent solely for earthworks. This creates additional time and cost for an activity that may have low environmental effects. 

Mining, quarrying and gravel extraction activities can often generate effects that are experienced beyond their site boundaries, such as noise, dust, vibration, damage to roads and traffic safety. 

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan? 

Earthworks would be permitted activities if they complied with certain standards and did not take place within sensitive environments.  Area thresholds are recommended for all zones – anything above these thresholds would need a resource consent.  Earthworks in sensitive environments, or didn’t meet the standards for area, depth, slope or were close to waterways, would need a resource consent. 

Small scale gravel extraction and other aggregate operations would generally be permitted where these are on-site farm pits and did not transport the aggregate off-site - there are standards that would need to be met. Large scale extraction would need a resource consent. 

Most mining activities would need a resource consent. 

The Macraes Mine area is addressed in a separate chapter - Special Purpose Zone – Macraes Mine. 

You can view the full draft chapter here(PDF, 445KB)

Key changes from the current rules

Earthworks provisions are to be combined into one chapter to enable ease of understanding. 

Earthwork controls would apply to all zones and not just the Rural Zones. 

On-site farm pits would be permitted to allow farming activities to extract aggregate subject to various standards including a requirement for rehabilitation. 

What does it mean for me?

Any lawfully established existing businesses or activities would have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and could continue to operate unchanged. 

Maximum threshold allowances for earthworks are being recommended for each zone. These vary between zones, for example within the General Rural Zone there is an upper limit of 500m2 of earthworks that can take place without needing a resource consent (as long as other standards and conditions are met). For the Residential Zones the recommended upper limit is 300m2.  In general, as long as earthworks are not taking place in a sensitive environment and the relevant thresholds, standards and conditions are complied with, no resource consents would be needed.  

A resource consent would be needed for any earthworks in sensitive environments such as Coastal Protection Areas, Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes, Significant Natural Areas, Wāhi Tūpuna etc unless these were for repair and maintenance purposes or undertaken for conservation related activities. Please note that the overlay chapters also contain specific provisions for earthworks. 

For quarrying activities, on farm borrow-pits would not need a resource consent as long as they comply with standards including volume of extraction, location, setbacks, hours of operation etc. 

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about? 

Artificial outdoor light has the potential to adversely affect health, wellbeing and public safety. Council has the ability through the District Plan to manage these effects to protect amenity and safety values.

Artificial sky glow adversely affects views of the night sky. Views of the night sky are valued by the community and visitors.

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan?

In all parts of the district, standards would apply to outdoor artificial light to regulate brightness, light spill and glare. Lighting that did not meet the standards would require a resource consent. The standards would not apply to helicopters, traffic signals, navigation aids or vehicles.

Streetlights would also be subject to the provisions of this chapter. However, it should be noted that existing use rights would apply to the existing streetlight network. In addition to ‘existing use rights’, both State Highways and local roads are designated. A designation has the effect of ‘trumping’ or superseding the provisions of the District Plan.

A number of ‘Light Sensitive Environments’ have been identified where additional controls would protect these areas from artificial sky glow.

The key objective of the chapter is to recognise the benefits of artificial outdoor lighting and to also maintain health and safety, traffic safety and the values and qualities of the night sky.

Key changes from the current rules

• The current District Plan does not have any rules to regulate artificial outdoor lighting.
• Light Sensitive Environments are being identified to provide more protection from artificial sky glow.
  
  

What does it mean for me?

• Any lawfully established existing businesses or activities would have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and could continue to operate unchanged.
  
  
• Most artificial outdoor lighting would be permitted so long as it complied with certain standards to regulate excessive brightness, light spill and glare. If those standards were not met, a resource consent would be required.
• Artificial outdoor lighting adjacent to or within a Light Sensitive Environment would have to meet higher standards and would need a resource consent if the standards could not be met.

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about? 

Almost all land use activities generate some degree of noise, and this can affect the health, safety and amenity of the district’s residents and visitors.

Excessive noise and vibration can detract from the character and amenity values associated with the local environment.

Some existing activities such as the State Highway and rail corridor can generate higher noise levels which can lead to reverse sensitivity when noise sensitive activities (eg residential, healthcare and education) are located in close proximity.

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan?

The adverse effects of noise generating activities are managed in the chapter. The provisions would ensure that noise and vibration levels were compatible with the zone and surrounding environment and would ensure that new noise sensitive activities were designed and located to protect them from excessive noise levels.

Noise limits are recommended for the zones, but some activities would be exempt from these (including farming activities, social activities, moving vehicles, aircraft in flight, trains, and temporary crowd noise at a car park or reserve).

There are also provisions covering acoustic insulation of buildings near noise generating activities.

The key objective of the chapter is to ensure that noise generating activities do not compromise public health, safety, well being and amenity values and that reverse sensitivity is minimised.

Key changes from the current rules

Noise provisions have been brought together into this chapter rather than being listed as provisions under each individual zone.

Noise limits have generally been set at a lower level than those in the Operative District Plan, with new requirements for lower noise levels in evening hours.

There are new provisions to manage noise and vibration from temporary activities such as construction/demolition and large crowd generating events

What does it mean for me?

Any lawfully established existing businesses or activities have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and could continue to operate unchanged.

Activities that do not exceed the set noise limits for the relevant zone would be able to take place without the need for a resource consent. Some activities such as farm machinery, transport, emergency warning devices and temporary crowd noise would be exempt from the noise standards. Other activities that exceed the noise limits would need a resource consent.

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

What are the key issues we need to think about?

There is no Papakāika zone or any other provisions that specifically address and provide for the establishment of papakāika housing or associated activities on Māori or ancestral land in the Operative District Plan.  

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan?

The key objective of the chapter is to specifically provide for Māori needs and activities, including housing, social, cultural, economic, conservation and recreation activities, marae, wāhi tapu and urupā use.

This chapter enables mana whenua to undertake papakāika activities on land held under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 (TTWMA), and land granted as Native Reserve for Māori occupation as a permitted activity (subject to limits on building size in addition to the usual height, setbacks and building coverage requirements for the relevant zone).

Development of papakāika on other land requires a consent and certain requirements to be met.

Note the chapter only includes objectives and policies. The rules for papakāika are found in the General Residential and Medium Residential zone chapters as well as General Rural, Rural Lifestyle and Settlement zone chapters.

There is no mapping associated with the papakāika provisions. 

Key changes from the current rules

• The Operative Plan does not have any provisions to provide a pathway for Māori to be able to develop their land, and in a manner which is culturally consistent with their tikanga. 
• This is a new chapter for the District Plan.
  
  

What does it mean for me?

Mana whenua are able to provide for their unique social, cultural, environmental and economic needs and well-being within the district on Māori land. There is also a pathway provided for the development of papakāika on general freehold land, provided certain conditions are met. 

What are the key issues we need to think about?

Signs contribute to the social, cultural and economic well-being of the Waitaki District by providing useful information, advertising events or businesses, and identifying places. However, signage can have adverse impacts on character and amenity values and traffic safety implications meaning the potential adverse effects of signage need to be managed. 

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan?

The key objective of this chapter are intended to balance the positive contribution signage makes to the social, cultural and economic well-being of the district, with managing the potential adverse effects of signs.

Sign rules apply across the district with additional standards intended to protect sensitive locations.

Standards cover limits on lighting, management of effects on traffic safety, distracting features, size and height limits, and specific restrictions on signs in overlays. Compliance with the standards allows the display of signs as a permitted activity (without the need for a resource consent).

Key changes from the current rules

• Clearer direction around managing the effects of signs, including the cumulative effects of signage.
• Off-site signage would require consent (signs that advertise businesses not on the site where the sign is located).
• Clearer rules for the variety of temporary signs that are common around the district (real estate signs, event promotion, local government elections).
• Removing the need for resource consent for signage in the Ōamaru Historic Area when signage standards are complied with (unless the building is on the Historic Heritage Items schedule). Note the Ōamaru Historic Area signage standards are found in Part B of the Historic Heritage chapter.
• In the Open Space and Sport and Active Recreation zones (parks and reserves etc.) providing more flexibility around sponsorship signs when not visible from outside the site.
• Signs would need to meet the light standards for the zone.
  
  

What does it mean for me?

Any lawfully established existing signs have what is referred to as ‘existing use rights’ and can remain unchanged.

If you want to erect or display a sign in most cases signs can still be displayed without requiring a resource consent so long as they meet the standards for their specific location (a residential area for example). If the standards are not all complied with a resource consent will be required.

If you own a heritage building, signage continues to require a resource consent when attached to the building and the consent requirement for free-standing signs in the setting of the heritage item has been clarified (consent would be needed).

If you’re located in the Ōamaru Historic Area signage would no longer require a resource consent, but there are revised standards to address the cumulative effects of signage and to ensure that signage is appropriate to the character and values of the historic buildings and streetscapes. 

Please read the full chapter before giving us your feedback

WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT?

Temporary activities have a limited duration and do not generate long-term effects. Therefore, there are benefits to enabling temporary activities with set parameters without requiring a resource consent. Typical adverse effects of temporary activities include those generated by people, traffic, car parking, noise and visual change. These can often be managed through the infrequent nature, short duration and limited scale of temporary activities.

The Operative Plan is focused on temporary buildings, and has no controls for temporary events. As such it fails to place any limits on the number of people at outdoor events, the number of events at a site per year, and provides a one-month time limit for events. This is out of step with best practice and would result in unacceptable adverse effects.

What are we suggesting in the Draft District Plan? 

Temporary activities include fairs, festivals, markets, filming, fireworks or lighting displays, buildings ancillary to construction projects, and helicopter take off and landings. These are provided for in this chapter, as are temporary military training activities.

Temporary activities and temporary military training activities can be undertaken as permitted activities so long as they meet restrictions and standards relating to noise and light. Activities that do not meet these restrictions, and including standards need a resource consent

Key changes from the current rules

• Limits on temporary activities (events) are introduced, including event attendee numbers, the duration of the event (including set up and pack down), a cap on how many times per year a site can be used for temporary activities, hours of operation and how soon after the event all structures and equipment must be removed, and the site remediated. Beyond the limits, a resource consent would need to be sought. The limits on length of the event and frequency per year are more permissive in the Town Centre Zone (TCZ), Open Space Zone (OSZ) and Sports and Active Recreation Zone (SARZ).
• The chapter specifically provides for public fireworks displays or public light show displays on New Years Eve, Guy Fawkes and the official day of Matariki.
• Controls are introduced for the frequency of helicopter take-offs and landings (for locations other than the Ōamaru Airport and Ōmārama Airfield).
• Using a site in the Town Centre Zone that is vacant of any buildings would require a resource consent for the temporary outdoor storage or display of good for sale.
  
  

What does it mean for me?

Temporary activities that meet all the relevant conditions and standards can be undertaken as permitted activities, otherwise a resource consent is required.