Climate Change

The need to take climate change into consideration would not have been thought of when our current Plan was written so the new proposed Plan must allow for possibilities and probabilities that come from climate change.

Areas of particular concern and relevance to our District include sea level rise and the likelihood of an increase in the number and severity of storm events. A District Plan needs to control land use so that dwellings are as safe as possible for any event that can reasonably be foreseen. For this reason, most of the provisions that are proposed to be changed in the Plan because of climate change, relate to lower-lying areas of the District.

It is intended to concentrate the residential areas to the existing towns of Waihi, Ngatea, and Paeroa, and where land in low lying areas is protected by stop banks. Growth in areas such as Waitakaruru, where protection is limited is discouraged. Growth is allowed for on the western side of Hauraki Road in Turua and areas are to be rezoned for residential and industrial purposes in Kerepehi where the land is higher.

More precise data about the levels of land on the Plains and Paeroa have allowed more precise boundaries to be mapped for flood ponding areas, and residential and industrial zones, which will be particularly important if climate change increases the severity of storm events and floods.

Retaining High Quality Land

A number of factors have contributed to a fresh look at the issue of retention of the high quality land throughout the District for productive purposes. These include the issue of climate change that could have an impact on the lower lying areas of the Hauraki Plains and other factors that have become highlighted over recent years such as peak oil, and population pressures.

While the retention of highly productive land for productive purposes has always been a priority in our current plan, the move is to firm up rules to give our high quality soils more protection and to ensure the best use of this good land.

Main subdivision changes proposed include:

• Increasing the minimum subdivision standard on the Hauraki Plains from 6 to 40 hectares;

• Retaining the minimum subdivision standard in the Waihi Basin at 6 ha;

• Outside Plains & Waihi Basin provide for lifestyle lots – up to 5 lots from one property, otherwise retain the 40 ha minimum.

It is thought that these changes:

• Allow for population growth and lifestyle properties in areas that are not so versatile for productive purposes;

• Retain the Hauraki Plains as predominantly a dairying region;

• Allow the good land in the Waihi Basin to be available for a wide variety of productive uses such as horticulture as well as dairying.

Activities outside those directly associated with rural productivity will be subject to resource consent in these areas.

Resource consents will also be required for earth works and buildings in Significant Landscape Areas in the Rural zone, generally the western and eastern hills. These consents will allow Council to consider visual
effects in these areas.

Landscape Protection

Council is required, through its District Plan to protect outstanding landscapes and features throughout the District. In order to determine which areas of landscape were most important expert consultants were
contracted to do a district-wide landscape assessment.

The most significant areas were seen as the western hills and the Kaimai and Coromandel Ranges. Other areas were also assessed as being of District significance.

In view of these assessments some activities such as large-scale earthworks and building in areas such as the western hills will require assessment through a consent process. This is to stop unsightly buildings and those with highly reflective surfaces from standing out in the landscape.

Protection of the coastal environment from inappropriate subdivision, use and development is considered a “matter of national importance” in the Resource Management Act as well as being significant when it comes to landscape protection. We have redefined the boundaries and the content of the existing Coastal Policy Area so that the boundaries more accurately reflect the landward boundary of the coastal landscape, and propose aspects to the zone over this area.

The Karangahake Gorge has similarly been developed into a specific zone for landscape protection. The consultants classed it as of District importance but in view of it appearing in at least two national and regional lists as a place to see and also with regard to its historic and recreational values the District Plan Committee views it as of much greater significance.

The proposed provisions of the Karangahake Gorge Zone are designed to ensure that the values of the area are protected from inappropriate development. These relate mainly to vegetation clearance, earthworks and the design of buildings.

Waihi

Firstly, the boundaries for the foreseeable future area of Waihi have been defined as coming essentially between the Waitete Stream and the Ohinemuri River.

Probably, the issue that concerns people most when it comes to a District Plan review is that of zoning – whether or not their property is going to be rezoned. As we rezoned quite a lot of land to residential in a plan change only a few years ago, we are not planning major extensions of the residential zoning this time. There are some additional areas of low-density residential land. This is what was formerly called Rural Residential.

The Town Centre zone has been redefined and a wider range of activities allowed and there are some areas where there are proposals for heritage protection where design guidelines may be in place. Consultation is still going on regarding this.

The Industrial zone remains largely unchanged but there is a policy suggestion that future industrial development could be considered outside the Waihi town boundary.

The boundary and provisions for the Martha Mine have been updated to recognise the hazards associated with historic mining activities and to provide for the next stage towards the closure of the mine (including rehabilitation, landscaping etc).

Subdivision rules have changed so that the minimum lot size in a residential area has increased to prevent the subdivision of 1000 square metre properties. While this may seem at odds with a trend towards denser housing throughout the country, councillors considered that the continuing infi ll that has resulted in very small sections with little attention to good urban design was detracting from the traditional character and amenity values of Waihi, which has been for larger lot sizes and good-sized gardens. On the positive side, incentives are proposed for residential subdivision and development that will result in good urban design and residential amenity.

Paeroa

The main changes proposed at Paeroa are an extension to the Residential zone to the north of Waimarei Avenue and extension of the Industrial Zone south of Opukeko Road.

The Town Centre Zone has been redefined and a wider range of activities allowed and there are some areas where design guidelines for heritage protection may be in place. Consultation is still ongoing regarding this.

Proposed changes to the subdivision rules are the same as described for Waihi.

Whiritoa

Here, the State Highway and the natural boundaries that exist have confined the area of future development. It is not proposed that Whiritoa will extend beyond these lines. Again, the subdivision rules have been altered to reduce the ability to subdivide many existing sections further. The provisions for development along the coastal edge have been re-defined in response to predicted coastal hazards resulting from climate change.

Waikino, Karangahake & Mackaytown

The boundaries of these townships are less easy to define in words so it will be necessary for you to see them on a map. Essentially they are low-density housing areas that have different standards that apply than to other urban areas. It is recognised that they are special character areas where kerb and channel, footpaths, streetlights and similar urban amenities will be limited to where they are absolutely necessary for safety’s sake.

Ngatea

Factors that determine where Ngatea should expand in future include land levels, as it is important to ensure that the lower lying areas are not used for residential growth. If we allow housing on low lying areas it may pose problems long term, particularly with possible climate change and sea level rise. The area that is most
suitable for housing is to the west and south of the town where the substrate is good and ground levels are higher.

While there is a tentative proposal to extend the industrial area a little to the west of the existing industrial area, Council has not proposed this, as the types of industrial activity envisaged for Ngatea are those that service the community, such as building supplies and the types of activities at present going on in Ngatea. For heavier industries we would like to encourage the use of Kerepehi. The main reason for this is that Ngatea is seen as primarily a residential area and, usually, where there is large-scale industry and housing in close proximity there are problems.

Kerepehi

As Kerepehi is the one town on the Plains that is not subject to possible inundation with the threat of climate change and sea level rise, it is proposed that several areas in Kerepehi be rezoned residential to allow for more housing development there.

The township zone is to be confi ned to an area around the intersection of Stanley Street and the main road.
The industrial zone is expected to be the main industrial area of the Plains.

Turua

Growth at Turua is expected, as there is bound to be some overflow from the Thames area, especially once the new Kopu Bridge is completed. For this reason we propose rezoning some land residential to the west of the main road. Definition of the township zone has been consolidated on the eastern side of Hauraki Road.

Waitakaruru

As this is not fully protected by stop banks, the chances of difficulties arising with the effects of climate change and sea level rise are high. It is, therefore, suggested that the growth of Waitakaruru be limited.