AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement - Auckland …

1 1. AUCKLAND . Regional Policy Statement July 1999. ISBN 0-908938-489. 2 Maori Proverb Toitu te marae o Tane Toitu te marae o Tangaroa Toitu te Iwi If the domain of Tane is sustained And the domain of Tangaroa sustained So too will the people be sustained ARC Seal 3. The Resource Management Act 1991. Approval of the AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement This Regional Policy Statement has been prepared in the fulfilment of the requirement of the Resource Management Act 1991. The AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement is presented in two volumes; a Policy Volume and a Map Volume. The AUCKLAND Regional Council approved the AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement on 16. August 1999 by affixing its seal to the Policy Statement . The AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement became operative on 31 August 1999. 4 Where the RPS Policy Statements and Plans in the AUCKLAND Region The Resource Management Act provides for a relationship between Policy Statement and plans.

2 Each of the Policy Statement and plans must not be inconsistent with any of those at a higher level. Foreword 5. The AUCKLAND Region is New Zealand's largest and fastest The development of the AUCKLAND Regional Policy Statement growing region. Every five years, we are accommodating has required a tremendous effort by both councillors and the equivalent of a new Dunedin or Hamilton within our staff. It was first publicly notified in May 1994. A total of 2523. boundaries. The region's rich and distinctive natural and submissions were received on the draft version and all of these physical resources have attracted successive waves of human had to be individually analysed and deliberated upon. It has migration for over 1000 years and now it is home to nearly one involved the resolution of several complex issues which are in three New Zealanders - and still growing fast.

3 Unique to the AUCKLAND Region, one of the most inpotant of which has been the definition of the AUCKLAND Metropolitan All this growth places pressure upon our region's environment. Urban Limits. It has also been responsible for spawning other Aucklanders value their open spaces, beach and beautiful important initiatives such as the AUCKLAND Regional Gowth landscapes. However, the sheer weight of our numbers and and Hauraki Gulf Forums. demands on these resources, threatens to destroy the evry things we cherish. TheRegional Policy Statement seeks to maintain a quality environment for the AUCKLAND Region and at the same time, In 1991, the government recognised that we need to take a Maintain and enhance opportunities for the region's future co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to managing our growth. This is a challenge which Regional Policy Statement envirnment if we are to care for it sustainably.

4 The Resource places before us - it is now up to everyone within the region Management Act was created to provide an operational to realise this goal. We commend this document to you as a framework to allow for integrated and sustainable resource sustainable pathway for present and future Aucklanders. management. The development of Regional Policy Statement was seen as cornerstone to achieving this goal. The Regional Policy Statement set out the board resource ma nagement issues, object ives a nd policies for t he AucklandRegion to Achieve the integrated management of its natural and physical resouces. It is a statutory requirment Philip Warren, CHAIRMAN. under the Resource Management Act for every region to have a Regional Policy Statement . Under the planning framework set out in the Resource Management Act, Regional Plan and District Plans cannot be inconsistent with a Regional Policy Statement .

5 Therefore, it functions as an umbrella Policy document for environment planning anf Policy development within our region. Jo Brosnahan, CHIEF EXECUTIVE. 6 The AUCKLAND Region The AUCKLAND Region 7. Table of contents 7. Chapters 1. Introduction 1-7. 2. Regional Overview and Strategic Direction 1 - 52. 3. Matters of Significance to Iwi 1-7. 4. Transport 1 - 11. 5. Energy 1-7. 6. Heritage 1 - 34. 7. Coastal Environment 1 - 18. 8. Water Quality 1 - 18. 9. Water Conservation and Allocation 1 - 10. 10. Air Quality 1 - 12. 11. Natural Hazards 1-8. 12. Soil Conservation 1-5. 13. Minerals 1-4. 14. Pests 1-4. 15. Waste 1-6. 16. Hazardous Substances 1-6. 17. Contaminated Sites 1-4. 18. Esplanade Reserves and Strips 1-6. Appendix A. Planning Processes 1 -9. B. Significant Natural Heritage Areas and Values 1 - 24. C. Legislation Dealing with Resource Management 1-4. D. Definitions and Abbreviations 1 - 15.

6 E. The Treaty of Waitangi 1-2. F. AUCKLAND Regional Landscape Assessment 1-2. G. Local Government ( AUCKLAND ) Amendment Act 2004 1. H. Minimum Household and Employment Densities Required in 1-2. High Density Centres and Intensive Corridors to Support the Public Transport System I Map and Description of Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area 1-2. J. Integrated Transport Assessments 1. K. Map of Strategic Network and Regional Arterial Network 1. L. Volcanic Cone Viewshafts Surveyed Coordinates 1-13. Schedules 1. High Density Centres and Intensive Corridors 1A & 1-4. Future Growth Areas 1B. 8 Figures and Table Figures Integration of Statutory Resource Management Instruments, Ch 1, p 4. Regional Policy Statements and Plans Indigenous Vegetation Cover of the Ecological Districts in Ch 6, p 6. the AUCKLAND Region (Percentage of Total Land Area). Tables Percentage of Indigenous Vegetation Cover by Ecological Ch 6, p 5.

7 District in the AUCKLAND Region Both Current and Pre- European Water Bodies or Coastal Waters Susceptible to Water Quality Ch 8, p 18. and/or with Special Values Water Bodies or Coastal Waters with Significantly Degraded Ch 8, p 18- Water Quality Hazardous Substances Roles of Agencies Ch 16, p 5- Introduction: 1 1. Introduction In preparing Regional Policy statements, Regional councils are required to comply with sections 59 through This document is the Regional Policy Statement (RPS) for 62, and Schedule 1 of the RM Act. the AUCKLAND Region. It is a Statement about managing the use, development and protection of the natural and physical resources of the Region. It sets in place the Local Government ( AUCKLAND ). Policy for promoting the sustainable management of Amendment Act 2004. these resources. It also clarifies the respective roles of The Local Government ( AUCKLAND ) Amendment Act the agencies with responsibilities under the Resource 2004 section 39 (1) required that: Management Act (RM Act) in this Region.

8 Its aim Each AUCKLAND local authority must, by 31 March is to achieve integrated, consistent and co-ordinated 2005, prepare and publicly notify proposed land use management of the Region's resources. Its aim is also to changes to its AUCKLAND planning documents.. provide greater certainty over the ways that natural and physical resources are to be managed and hence create The purpose of the Change is to integrate the land an awareness of the constraints and opportunities in transport and land use provisions and make those this Region. consistent with the AUCKLAND Regional Growth Strategy (section 3). The AUCKLAND Regional Council (ARC) has prepared the RPS in accordance with the provisions of the RM Section 40 describes such changes as: Act. Section 59 of the Act states that the purpose of the A land transport and landuse change is a change Regional Policy Statement is: or variation to an AUCKLAND planning document by.

9 To achieve the purpose of the Act by providing an including issues, objectives, policies, and descriptions overview of the resource management issues of the of methods for the purpose of- region and policies and methods to achieve integrated a) giving effect, in an integrated manner, to the management of the natural and physical resources growth concept in the AUCKLAND Regional of the whole region. Growth Strategy prepared under section 37SE. The RM Act defines natural and physical resources as: of the Local Government Act 1974; and Land, water, air, soil, minerals, and energy, all b) contributing, in an integrated manner, to the forms of plants and animals (whether native to New matters specified in Schedule 5.. Zealand or introduced), and all structures. (see Appendix G). The purpose of the Act is defined in Section 5: Structure of the (1) The purpose of this Act is to promote the sustainable Regional Policy Statement management of natural and physical resources.

10 The Policy content of this RPS is in four parts: (2) In this Act sustainable management' means managing the use, development, and protection of Regional Overview and Strategic Direction: natural and physical resources in a way, or at a rate, Chapter 2. which enables people and communities to provide for This chapter integrates the whole RPS into a consistent their social, economic, and cultural wellbeing and for framework for resource management in the AUCKLAND their health and safety while: Region. (a) sustaining the potential of the natural and physical resources (excluding minerals) to Resource Management Matters of Significance to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future Iwi: Chapter 3. generations; and This identifies significant matters of concern to Tangata (b) safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, Whenua and policies for dealing with those issues water, soil, and ecosystems; and which are consistent with the RM Act.