Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee

Transcription

1 The Chairman and Councillors Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee NOTICE IS GIVEN that the next meeting of the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee will be held in Council Meeting Room One, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 5 Quay Street, Whakatāne on: EMBARGOED Until 2 working days before meeting on: Tuesday, 23 October 2012 commencing at 9.30 a.m. Mary-Anne Macleod Chief Executive 16 October 2012

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3 Strategy Policy and Planning Committee Terms of Reference The Strategy Policy and Planning Committee has a core function of policy formulation. 1 Delegated Function To set the strategic direction for the Region by formulating policy that clearly identifies Council s role and direction on issues. This will be achieved through the development and approval of Council strategy and policy. 2 Membership Eleven Councillors including the Chairman as Ex-Officio. 3 Term of the Committee For the period of the 2010/2013 Triennium unless discharged earlier by the Regional Council. 4 Specific Responsibilities and Delegated Authority The Strategy Policy and Planning Committee is delegated the power of authority to: 1 Approve and review all statutory policy, strategy and plans (as identified in Council s Ten Year Plan and Annual Plan). Under related statute including the Resource Management Act 1991, Local Government Act 2002, Biosecurity Act 1993, Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, all bylaws and regulations. 2 Approve and review non-statutory Council policy, strategy and plans (as identified in Council s Ten Year Plan and Annual Plan). This includes: Floodplain management, Regional economic development, Regional parks, Community relations, Regional Passenger Transport. 3 Identify and assess significant strategic regional issues and initiatives. 4 Monitor and review Council s facilitation role in regional economic development. 5 Monitor and review the achievement of outcomes for the Bay of Plenty Community. 6 Approve Council submissions on legislation, policy, regulations, standards, plans and other instruments prepared by Central Government, Local Government and other organisations. 7 Approve the allocation of budgeted Council contributions to regional and economic development initiatives. 8 Establish subcommittees and hearing panels and delegate to them any authorities that have been delegated by Council to the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee and to appoint members (not limited to members of the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee). 9 Approve its Subcommittee s recommendations for matters outside the Subcommittee delegated authority. 10 Resolve any appeals related to strategy, policy and plans. 11 Carry out hearings under any statute, for areas within its terms of reference. 12 Approve, within its terms of reference, the transfer of budget levels between activities or to exceed the budget level for an activity with no commensurate savings elsewhere, up to $100,000 and to recommend to Council amounts exceeding $100,000. Page 3 of 77

4 Note: The Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee reports directly to the Regional Council. The Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee is not delegated the power of authority to: Approve the Regional Policy Statement. Develop, approve or review the Ten Year Plan or Annual Plan. Develop, approve or review operational policies, plans and strategies. Develop, approve or review Asset Management Plans. Approve Council submissions in relation to Consent applications. Approve Council submissions on Maori related matters except where submissions may have a wide impact on Council s activities. Develop, approve or review non statutory policy for the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes. Develop a joint action plan to address the issue of air quality within Rotorua district. Page 4 of 77

5 The policy cycle The policy cycle broadly describes the policy formulation process. A distinction can generally be made between the different phases of policy making (see diagram). The elements of a good policy can be summarised as: Beneficial - makes a positive difference. Policy change should benefit individuals, organisations and services Necessary - A clear rationale for a policy is an essential first step Clear on the problem to be fixed and has an end in mind Well informed, concise and rigorous - policy uses evidence and information as the basis for analysis Transparent - the processes used to develop policy need to be clearly communicated and widely understood Intelligible written in plain English with clear messages Open to change and improvement On time - aligns with councils milestones and targets, and responds rapidly to emerging challenges and changes of direction Able to be enacted - foresees the challenges of implementation and adapts to the shifting realities of our operational environments Page 5 of 77

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7 Public Forum 1. A period of up to 15 minutes shall be set aside near the beginning of the meeting to enable members of the public to make statements about any matter on the agenda of that meeting which is open to the public, but excluding any matter on which comment could prejudice any specified statutory process the council is required to follow. 2. The time allowed for each speaker will normally be up to 5 minutes but will be up to the discretion of the chair. A maximum of 3 public participants will be allowed per meeting. 3. No statements by public participants to the Council shall be allowed unless a written, electronic or oral application has been received by the Chief Executive (Governance Team) by noon of the working day prior to the meeting and the Chair s approval has subsequently been obtained. The application shall include the following: name of participant; organisation represented (if any); meeting at which they wish to participate; and matter on the agenda to be addressed. 4. Members of the meeting may put questions to any public participants, relevant to the matter being raised through the chair. Any questions must be asked and answered within the time period given to a public participant. The chair shall determine the number of questions. Page 7 of 77

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9 Committee Membership Chairman: R Bennett Deputy Chairman: P Sherry Councillors: Ex Officio: Secretary: T Eru, T Marr, J Nees, I Noble, N Oppatt, P Thompson, L Thurston, M Whitaker Chairman J Cronin S Kameta Recommendations in reports are not to be construed as Council policy until adopted by Council. Agenda 1 Apologies 2 General Business and Tabled Items Items not on the agenda for the meeting require a resolution under section 46A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 stating the reasons why the item was not on the agenda and why it cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting. 3 Reports 3.1 Adoption of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management Implementation Programme 13 APPENDIX - NPS Implementation Timeline 3.2 SmartGrowth Strategy Update - Cultural Heritage Actions and Business Land 19 APPENDIX 1 - Recognising Cultural Heritage and Change Actions - SmartGrowth Strategy Update, October 2012 APPENDIX 2 - Business Stream Report - SmartGrowth Strategy Update, October 2012 APPENDIX 3 - SmartGrowth Implementation Committee Terms of Reference Page 9 of 77

10 3.3 Utilising the voluntary sector to deliver Council Outcomes 33 APPENDIX 1 - Council's Current Framework - Activities that contribute to the achievement of Council Outcomes. APPENDIX 2 - Overview of Local Government Approaches to support the Voluntary Sector - Regionally, Nationally and Internationally 3.4 Submission on the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill- Public Transport Components 43 APPENDIX - LTMA Bill Public Transport Operating Model 3.5 Proposed Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) to the On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan - Summary of Community Feedback 49 APPENDIX - List of commenters to Plan Change 3.6 Review of the Policy on Regional Parks Horizons One Plan Environment Court Decisions 73 4 Consideration of General Business Page 10 of 77

11 Reports Page 11 of 77

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13 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Low Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: Stephen Lamb, Natural Resources Policy Manager Adoption of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management Implementation Programme Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to present the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee with the progressive implementation programme for freshwater management that will enable Bay of Plenty Regional Council to meet the requirements of the National Policy Statement Freshwater Management 2011 in the Bay of Plenty. The NPS requires that a programme of time-limited stages be formally adopted by Council and publically notified by 12 November The intent of the NPS Implementation Programme is described in two main documents: The time-stepped staged timeline which outlines the main stages of implementation and the time frames required The Summary document which will outline the high-level intent of the NPS Implementation Programme and will be available to the public. Adoption of the implementation programme described here does not preclude amendment to the programme at a later date, and indeed further programme details will be developed as the specific methodologies and framework for the programme are developed over time. Adoption of the programme is subject to any directions and changes made at the workshop proceeding adoption. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Adoption of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management Implementation Programme. 2 Adopts the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Implementation Programme for the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. 3 Confirms that the decision is within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council s strategic planning framework (Council s Ten Year Plan, and planning documents and processes under the Resource Management Act 1991, Page 13 of 77

14 Biosecurity Act 1993, Land Transport Management Act 2003, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, and Local Government Act 1974 and 2002). 2 Background The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS) requires regional councils to establish freshwater objectives and to set water quality and quantity limits for all bodies of freshwater. Once set, the Council needs to undertake a programme to improve water quality and quantity for freshwater bodies not meeting objectives. Regional councils must implement the NPS by If this is not practicable, councils must adopt and notify an implementation programme by Nov 2012 with time-limited stages that will implement the NPS by This time-stepped, staged implementation programme signals the intent to fulfil the objectives of the NPS as promptly as is reasonable under the circumstances 1 by councils. 3 Adoption of the NPS Implementation Programme As discussed at the SP&P meeting of 11 September and the Workshop 23 October, implementation of the NPS will build on work already being carried out by Council. It will consolidate the management of freshwater in the region and solidify a long-term strategy across a number of council programmes. Staff propose the high-level programme in Appendix 1 be adopted as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council NPS Implementation Programme Staff have: Outlined a programme that will begin in which will become an ongoing stream of work until 31 December 2030 (Appendix 1) Developed a public-friendly document that summarises the intent of the implementation programme. This document will be made available to the public when the programme is notified (this document will be discussed in the workshop and tabled for adoption in the SP&P committee meeting following the workshop). Considered a high-level approach for engaging with tangata whenua throughout the life of the programme Considered collaboration options based on direction given by LAWF Report 2 (conditional on Cabinet agreement to LAWF recommendations in late 2012). The programme suggested covers the high-level tasks associated with understanding the water and land management outlined in the NPS. It does not cover all tasks needed to undertake the programme but indicates a direction of decision-making. We could choose to consolidate all the water policy work, including the NPS framework into a One Plan in the future or keep the status quo of a hierarchy of policy documents that drive water management. The NPS programme is made up of operational tasks and policy direction, including a proposed framework. The freshwater management framework for Bay of Plenty Regional Council will, at present, include a hierarchy of documents that increasingly focus on the detail of freshwater management. This framework will cover: 1 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management Objective E, Policy E1(b) Page 14 of 77

15 here to enter text. An over-arching Strategy containing principles, values, objectives and priorities; and a high-level plan for integrated management A consultation plan for collaboration with tangata whenua A collaboration plan for engaging with stakeholders and community members A projected revision of the Water and Land Plan, and possibly the RPS that will include allocation limits and targets for water quality and quantity. A values document which outlines a values hierarchy for varying catchments and waterbodies Catchment Plans with specific targets focusing on particular communities and whole water systems Waterbody plans for specific degraded, outstanding or valued rivers, streams, aquifers, geothermal fields and wetlands. 4 Financial Implications Current Budget The current implementation project to develop the programme is catered for within existing budgets. The NPS implementation programme as a discrete programme of work is not discussed within the current Ten Year Plan (TYP) however, many of the operational tasks that will support the implementation have been already started and are budgeted for in existing operational programmes. Reprioritising within existing budget baselines may have to occur to ensure that the programme s implementation is robustly planned and all implications are well understood. Part of the implementation will be the identification of specific costs. These, along with a consolidation of programme information will need to be discussed in the Annual Plan process. As an indicator of these costs, the Auckland Council has identified $1.7 million of budget to carry out its programme. This figure excludes staff time and science input. The Auckland isthmus is very different in terms of freshwater sources than the Bay of Plenty and as a comparison these costs are likely to be on the low side. Future Implications Council already commits significant budget to freshwater management, co-governance forums and engagement with the community. These existing activities will be taken into account as the specific implementation actions are defined for each catchment under this new programme. As discussed above, funding requirements will also be defined over time and these will then be discussed in Annual Plan/ TYP processes. Programme implementation will be conditional on funding being made available to support the programme through these processes Toni Briggs Policy Analyst for Natural Resources Policy Manager 16 October 2012 Click Page 15 of 77

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17 APPENDIX - N PS Implementation Timeline Coun cil W orkshop 23 Octob er 2012 $NPSImplementationTi m $ APPENDIX NPS Implementation Timeline Page 17 of 77

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19 What we need to do Task Description: Note this is not a complete task list but an indication of tasks needed to fulfil step Method NPS ref Workstream Notes Steps Determine and develop region-wide methodologies and framework Develop internal programme structure, resourcing and budget Corporate Structural review ELT/ Council Develop over all Strategy for NPS implementation New Strategy document Project Team (Implementation) Develop an integrated Management Framework New Strategy document Objective C1 Project Team (Implementation) Development of Principles (regional-level) New Strategy document Project Team (Implementation) Development of Outcomes (regional-level) New Strategy document Project Team (Implementation) Determine methods for managing freshwater, land use and development in an integrated and sustainable way New Strategy document Policy C1 Project Team (Implementation) Determine water quality over-allocation Audit Project Team (Implementation) Develop a Values framework New Strategy document Project Team (Implementation) Determine outstanding waterbodies Change Water & Land Plan Objective A2 Project Team (Implementation) including a Freshwater Implementation Programme Team Attachment: Enfocus Report "Recommended Approach for Identifying Outstanding and Degraded Waterbodies Determine significant values for specific wetlands Change Water & Land Plan Objective A2 Project Team (Implementation) including collaboration Determine Degraded (over-allocated) waterbodies Change Water & Land Plan Objective A2 Project Team (Implementation) Establish methods and rules for over-allocation Change Water & Land Plan Policy A1 Project Team (Implementation) Development of Regional Rules Change Water & Land Plan Project Team (Implementation) Determine areas of over-allocation (quantity) and methods and timing for phasing out Change Water & Land Plan Objective B3/ Policy B6 Project Team (Implementation) Determine methods for managing the effects of use and development of land on water including coordination and timing of urban growth, land use, development and provision of infrastructure Change Water & Land Plan Policy C2 Project Team (Implementation) W&L Plan change 1 Change Water & Land Plan suggested change 1 to incorporate generic regional updates 2 Determine scale concurrent with step 1 above Determine catchment boundaries New Strategy document Project Team (Implementation) Determine priority catchments based on degree with which they are at-risk (W&LP) Change Water & Land Plan Project Team (Implementation) 3 Address Priority 1 Catchments Suggested change 2 incorporating Priority 1 W&L Plan change 2 Change Water & Land Plan catchment changes 4 Address Priority 2 Catchments Suggested change 3 incorporating Priority 2 W&L Plan change 3 Change Water & Land Plan catchment changes 5 Address Priority 3 Catchments 6 W&L Plan change 4 Change Water & Land Plan Suggested change 4 incorporating Priority 3 catchment changes Development of Catchment Plans New Catchment Plan documents Objective C1 Project Team (Implementation) Development of Waterbody Plans? New Action Plans Land Management Team Set specific objectives and water quality limits Change Water & Land Plan Project Team (Implementation) Compare current state within agreed limits to identify which waterbodies are degraded Audit Project Team (Implementation) Develop methods and targets Change Water & Land Plan Policy A2 Project Team (Implementation) Determine Objectives to set flow levels and allocation limits for each waterbody Change Water & Land Plan Policy B1 Project Team (Implementation) Development of Tangata whenua collaboration Programme concurrent with steps 1 and 2 above Maori Policy Development of Tangata Recognition of tangata whenua values and interests and reflecting whenua collaboration Objective D1/ these in planning Programme Policy D1 Maori Policy Development of ways to involve tangata whenua in the management of freshwater ecosystems Development of Tangata whenua collaboration Programme Objective D1/ Policy D1 Maori Policy Development of Other Stakeholder 7 Engagement concurrent with steps 1, 2 and 3 above Communications Ongoing Monitoring and adaptive 8 management research runs for the life of the programme to support ongoing and emerging science and research Science team 9 Reporting and Reviewing Update Annual Plan each year for implementation programme Annual Plan Process Council Strategy Team TYP planning integration TYP process Council Strategy Team Development of monitoring programme for targets Science team Monitoring of targets Development of reporting process for NPS implementation progress Annual Reporting Process Policy E1(e) Council Strategy Team? Annual reporting of progress Policy E1(e) 10 Plan review for RPS RPS sub project team including notification 12 Complete Implementation Programme Policy E1(c) iterative process throughout the lifecycle of the programme Unsure date Set date project end End point set date can float between arrows but must be completed by hard line

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21 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Low Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: Fiona McTavish, General Manager Strategy SmartGrowth Strategy Update - Cultural Heritage Actions and Business Land Executive Summary The report seeks Council feedback and position on cultural heritage actions to be included in the Draft SmartGrowth Strategy and business land issues arising from the completion of research on industrial land, commercial land and Rangiuru Business Park viability in order to inform the development of the replacement SmartGrowth Strategy for the western Bay of Plenty subregion. The cultural heritage actions were considered by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee at a workshop held on 19 September The Māori Committee also considered these draft actions at its meeting on 25 September The business land discussion paper is attached to the report and was considered by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee at a workshop held on 17 October Feedback is now being sought from each of the partner councils. Responses from Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council are intended to be provided to the next SmartGrowth Implementation Committee meeting on 21 November That Committee will then decide on how each business land issue is to be included in the draft SmartGrowth Strategy Update document. Given the timing of the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee workshops and meetings, it is also recommended that feedback from the Regional Council on these matters and future matters is via the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee. It is recommended that delegation be sought from the next full Council meeting for the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee to provide any comment, position or decision for SmartGrowth Strategy Update matters referred by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, SmartGrowth Strategy Update - Cultural Heritage Actions and Business Land. 2 Endorses the draft cultural heritage actions for inclusion in the development of the Draft SmartGrowth Strategy Update document. Page 19 of 77

22 3 Provides its position on the issues and options contained in the SmartGrowth Strategy Update Discussion: Business Land report, back to the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee for their consideration, as follows: (i) Issue 1: Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern Supports the draft actions listed in section 3.3 of the discussion paper (ii) Issue 2: Long term requirements for Industrial land Sub Issue One: Additional industrial land requirements Supports Option 2 - Additional land in the western corridor. Sub Issue Two: Development and financial contributions Supports the draft action to review growth costs. Sub Issue Three: Flexibility for businesses that genuinely cannot be accommodated in existing industrial zones Supports Option 2 Limited flexibility approach. (iii) Issue 3: Commercial (Office & Retail) Activities Supports Option 1 - Maintain and enhance the commercial centre-based approach. 4 Provides any additional comment on the SmartGrowth Strategy Update Discussion: Business Land report. 5 Confirms that the decision is within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council s strategic planning framework (Council s Ten Year Plan, and planning documents and processes under the Resource Management Act 1991, Biosecurity Act 1993, Land Transport Management Act 2003, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, and Local Government Act 1974 and 2002). That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee recommend that the Regional Council: 1 Delegates to the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee any SmartGrowth Strategy Update matters referred by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee to the Regional Council for comment, position or decision. 2 Purpose The report seeks the following: (a) To obtain feedback from the Committee on behalf of the Regional Council on (1) cultural heritage actions and (2) business land research. (b) To recommend to Council that any SmartGrowth Strategy Update matters requiring comment, position or input from the Regional Council are dealt with by the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee. 3 SmartGrowth Update Project Requirements The SmartGrowth Update Project has commenced and Council s representatives on the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee (SGIC) are participating in a series of scheduled workshops and formal meetings to work through sub-regional growth management issues that will feed into the SmartGrowth Update Project. Page 20 of 77

23 The first of these was presented back to the Committee at its last meeting on key growth management issues. The SmartGrowth Implementation Committee made decisions at its meeting on 19 September consistent with the position provided by the Committee on each of the four growth management issues, including urban limits. As each research stream is completed, there is a requirement to take that back to the partner council for feedback. That feedback is then considered at the subsequent SGIC meeting. There are two matters presented to the Committee in this report cultural heritage actions and business land research. 4 Cultural heritage actions The cultural heritage actions were considered by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee at a workshop held on 19 September The final draft Cultural Heritage Actions proposed to be included in the SmartGrowth Strategy Update document are provided in Appendix 1. The Committee is asked to endorse the actions. The Māori Committee also considered the draft actions at its meeting on 25 September Antoine Coffin (Tu Pakiri Advisor) and Justine Brennan (SmartGrowth Programme Manager) provided the Māori Committee with an update on progress made with the SmartGrowth Strategy and sought feedback on the cultural heritage actions of the Strategy review. 5 Business Land The business land summary research report bringing together external research completed by McDermott Consultants and Property Economics is attached in Appendix 2. The discussion paper is intended to promote discussion and seek direction on the following business land issues: 1. Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern 2. Long-term requirements for industrial land 3. The strategic approach to delivering land for commercial (office and retail) activities. Issues 1 and 2 are closely related and need to be considered together as a package as they both relate to the Settlement Pattern in respect of industrial land. The current newly zoned industrial areas at Wairakei, Te Puke and the Rangiuru Business Park all present financial viability challenges. 5.1 Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern The term financial viability refers to whether development would be sufficiently profitable for the developer/landowner to be willing to undertake and for project finance to be secured. There are concerns about the financial viability of industrial development in the eastern corridor, especially in relation to the Rangiuru Business Park. Rangiuru Business Park The Rangiuru Business Park is planned to provide strategically located sub regional industrial land in the eastern corridor with direct access to the Tauranga Eastern Link and the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. It would provide significant employment opportunities for the substantial population growth that is envisaged in the eastern corridor consistent with SmartGrowth s Live, Work, Play philosophy. Page 21 of 77

24 The cost of infrastructure to support a fully serviced business park in Rangiuru capable of accommodating all industrial uses including medium and high water/wastewater users makes development financially unviable at present and it could prove to be financially unviable in the long-term. If water and wastewater infrastructure is redesigned to accommodate only low to moderate industrial water users along with some changes to roading infrastructure, infrastructure costs can be reduced considerably. Despite this significant cost reduction, two separate assessments have concluded that even with these changes development would still be unviable by a substantial margin at the present time and in the near future. This may change in the medium to long-term (10+ years) or if a large scale anchor tenant was identified and they were offered significant financial incentives to locate in Rangiuru. Reductions in the level of infrastructure servicing would also constrain the types of industries able to locate at Rangiuru therefore the implications of this servicing option need to be carefully considered. It is recommended that the Rangiuru Business Park (and the other areas identified below) are retained in the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern and that the timing of development is adjusted in light of the development feasibility challenges which exist, whilst still retaining the opportunity for development to commence in the more immediate future if a viable development proposal came to light. Development of the Rangiuru Business Park would support the optimisation of infrastructure investment already made in the eastern corridor including the construction of the Tauranga Eastern Link. Wairakei The November 2010 report titled Assessment of Development Feasibility for the Wairakei Urban Growth Area concluded that industrial development was not financially viable in some parts of Wairakei, primarily because of high development contribution charges. Nothing has substantially changed since that time and these findings are considered to still be valid. The financial viability challenges in Wairakei are however significantly less than they are in Rangiuru. Te Puke The scale of the financial viability challenges for Rangiuru are likely to be very similar in Te Puke given: Significant upfront infrastructure costs High financial contributions High development costs due to poor ground conditions Relatively low industrial land values. In short, development costs are high and revenues are likely to be low which makes development a significant challenge. This conclusion is supported by the recent sale of the largest block of undeveloped industrial land in Te Puke at rural land values with little/no premium for its industrial zoning. It is understood that the purchasers plan to continue grazing the land for at least the next 10 years. Page 22 of 77

25 Proposed actions for inclusion in the SmartGrowth Strategy: Action Determine whether the proposed limited water and wastewater servicing option is viable for the Rangiuru Business Park given potential negative implications on land uptake, desirability, marketability and land values in the Business Park. Determine who will fund the debt associated with the financial contribution funded infrastructure for the Rangiuru Business Park. Lead agency WBOPDC, Quayside WBOPDC, Quayside Holdings In addition to these formal SmartGrowth actions, it may also be appropriate for the SmartGrowth partners to discuss and review the funding model for the mid-block intersection and the amount of development that can occur in the Rangiuru Business Park prior to a direct intersection between the Business Park and the Tauranga Eastern Link being completed. Separate actions addressed elsewhere in the SmartGrowth Update in relation to alternative infrastructure funding options and continued efforts to reduce growth related infrastructure costs should assist in addressing these financial viability challenges. 5.2 Long term requirements for Industrial land McDermott Consultants were appointed to undertake industrial land research for the SmartGrowth Review. The recommendations from that research are summarised below. Recommendation 1: That it would be appropriate to identify in the Settlement Pattern additional industrial land in the Western Corridor (SH29 corridor) for potential development in the medium term given the desirability of this location and the high likelihood that the only vacant land in this corridor at the Tauriko Business Park will be fully developed well before the end of the 2051 SmartGrowth time horizon. This will require an assessment of the likely infrastructure development costs or constraints (e.g. State Highway 29/Tauriko upgrade) of providing additional business land in this western corridor. Staff agree with this recommendation. The recommendation will be addressed through the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern update and does not require any specific actions to be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy. Recommendation 2: That development and financial contributions for industrial land (especially in the eastern corridor) should be reviewed as they are a significant barrier to development feasibility, particularly in areas where ground conditions mean development costs are high to begin with. Continued on-going effort is being put into reducing infrastructure servicing costs and therefore contribution charges by TCC and WBOPDC. Due to limited alternative funding options and community/central government resistance to rates increases, there is little scope for other funding sources to be used instead of contribution charges. The following draft action is recommended to be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy: Action Review on an on-going basis whether growth-related infrastructure costs can be reduced through alternative infrastructure delivery options or reduced levels of service in a manner that ensures infrastructure is still fit for purpose and cost effective from a whole of life cost perspective. Lead agency TCC, WBOPDC Recommendation 3: That limited flexibility needs to be built into the SmartGrowth Strategy (and subsequently into related planning documents like the Regional Policy Statement and District Plans) to provide for industrial activities that genuinely cannot be Page 23 of 77

26 satisfactorily located in industrial zones through either rezoning or resource consents processes. There are a limited number of reasons why industrial zones may not be suitable for some projects and these are identified in the body of this report. There are at least a couple of examples of large scale industrial projects that either have not taken place or are at significant risk because they legitimately cannot be accommodated in existing industrial zones. McDermott Consultants believe that this may become a more significant problem in the future given the limitations of much (or perhaps most) of the zoned industrial land in the WBOP sub region to accommodate high load bearing buildings in a cost effective manner. Staff support this recommendation and note that significant effort would have to be put into developing robust criteria for out-of-zone industrial development. In addition to the McDermott Consultants work, the UNISA Upper North Island Freight Story project is continuing to progress. This project is looking at the issue of industrial land. When available late this year or early next year, the findings of this project should be used as a resource to inform decisions on the industrial land in the updated SmartGrowth settlement pattern. 5.3 Commercial activities The centres-based policy approach outlined in SmartGrowth and implemented through the two district plan reviews (WBOPDC and TCC) is appropriate and prudent given existing market supply and demand dynamics, and having regard to emerging trends in retail and office development. Based on revised SmartGrowth population projections, the existing, consented and proposed in-zone retail floorspace is more than enough to accommodate predicted future retail provision. The strategic planning focus should remain on improving the role and function of the well-established centres network rather than simply duplicating the retail offer with new currently unidentified centres. This recognises competitive trends in eretail which is forecast to be around 20% plus of retail spend into the future. To counter this and reinforce shopping as a leisure activity public and private investment should work together to support and improve the amenity and functionality of existing centres, and hence their competiveness. In the WBOP District this means continued consolidation of the centres at Te Puke, Katikati and emerging Omokoroa. Within Tauranga City, there is potential for additional local convenience retail activity in suburbs where the existing provision is considered light; for example Welcome Bay and Papamoa East. Higher-order comparison retail should be channelled into the existing centre network for maximum benefit. This includes proactive promotion of the Tauranga CBD as the commercial heart of the sub-region. There is increasing fluidity emerging in the office market. Unyielding drive toward office efficiencies, cooperative sharing of floorspace and technology trends will fundamentally change the way workers use built form office space. It is important that additional office development (new or upgraded) is located within defined commercial areas to complement retail activity and improve the economic and social wellbeing of centres as a whole. To help this, district plan provisions should not be too prescriptive or onerous as to make development in appropriate zones unrealistic or unviable. 6 Delegated authority to make decisions on SmartGrowth Strategy Update The Regional Council representatives on the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee have delegated authority to make decisions only on those functions listed within their delegations. The Terms of Reference for SGIC are contained in Appendix 3. Page 24 of 77

27 here to enter text. The SmartGrowth Implementation Committee has recommendatory power for seeking decisions outside the scope of its Terms of Reference to all or some of its partner organisations. SIGC has no authority whatsoever to make decisions for the Regional Council and members have the delegated authority to make decisions only on those functions listed within the SGIC terms of reference. In order to facilitate the Regional Council s input to the SmartGrowth Strategy Update, the Committee is requested to seek approval from full Council for delegated authority to consider issues referred to it by SGIC and provide any required feedback on behalf of the Regional Council. 7 Financial Implications Current Budget The budget for the SmartGrowth Strategy Update is $545,000 and is detailed in the Project Plan for the SmartGrowth Strategy Update ratified by Regional Council at its 2 February 2012 meeting. The Regional Council share (42%) is $228,000 spread over two financial years until the completion of the Update. Future Implications The decisions made by the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee on the sub-regional growth management issues arising from the series of research stream work may have consequences for regional planning processes, including future changes to the Regional Policy Statement. These will need to be considered once the draft strategy has been developed and will be subject to annual plan processes should any additional funding be required beyond that budgeted for in the Ten Year Plan. David Phizacklea Regional Integration Manager for General Manager Strategy 16 October 2012 Click Page 25 of 77

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29 $Rec ognisi ngcultr ualh $ APPENDIX 1 Recognising Cultural Heritage and Change Actions - SmartGrowth Strategy Update, October 2012 APPENDIX 1 - R ecog nising Cu ltural H erit age an d Ch ange Act ions - SmartGro wt h Strateg y Updat e, Octob er 2012 Page 27 of 77

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31 SmartGrowth Update: Recognising Cultural Heritage and Change Actions Timeframes Urgent = completed 1 year after adoption Short = completed 2 years after adoption Medium = completed 5 years after adoption Long = completed 5+ years after adoption Action Lead Agency Support Agencies Time Funding Measure of Success Cultural Heritage Database Project Plan Complete project plan Investigate potential use of alternative mechanisms to protect cultural heritage such as covenants, heritage protection orders and financial incentives Cultural Heritage Database - Project Complete database set up Populate database with current information Initiate identification and recording programme for new sites Implement database for agreed purpose as set out in project plan Iwi/hapū Management Plans (IMPs) Continue to update and host sub-regional IMP database Ensure all IMPs are accessible online Continue to provide funding/resources for the development of IMPs Promote specific identification of cultural resources and their significance, spatial extent and policy response as a result of IMPs New technologies for water infrastructure Ensure that consideration be given to new technology relating to water infrastructure, including technology which aligns with Tangata Whenua values at the very early stages of resource consent application for water or wastewater infrastructure Representation and co-governance arrangements resulting from TOW settlements Establish a Treaty settlements forum through CTWF to share learning s on the operation and efficiencies in relation to co-governance mechanisms Manage and maintain sub-regional contact database of Post Treaty Settlement Groups Promote discussion on Māori representation on partner Councils through Māori seats BOPRC TCC, WBOPDC, CTWF BOPRC TCC, WBOPDC, CTWF CTWF BOPRC WBOPDC CTWF, TCC BOPRC CTWF BOPRC TCC, WBOPDC Short Med Long Short Urgent Partner resources - Annual Plans Partner resources - TYP Partner resources - Annual Plans Tu Pakari Advisor Partner resources - Annual Plans Partner resources - Annual Plans Tu Pakari Project plan adopted As agreed in project plan IMP lodged for all iwi in sub-region (12) and completed at the rate of 1 per year Tangata whenua values are considered at consent preparation stage Group is established and meets regularly. TOR agreed.

32 Recreational Fishing Reserve Investigate opportunities and issues associated with inshore recreational fishing reserve (commercial fishing exclusion zone) and potential for inclusion in marine spatial plan. Subregional tangata whenua consultation policy for resource consent processing Compare and contrast current partner council policies Develop and agree a single sub-regional policy Use and maintain single contact database for consultation purposes Iwi and hapū demographics Prepare a report from 2013 census data (and document the methodology used ) that relates to iwi and iwi issues (including housing, employment, education and income) for the purpose of developing a base platform from which to compare future demographic trends Implementation of the Papakainga toolkit Provide on-going recognition and support (which may include direct funding) to the Māori Housing Forum Enabling low impact urban design requirements that are suitable to Papakāinga developments Provide assistance with relationship building and approaches to funding providers Enable Papakāinga settlements to include some small scale commercial/retail activity Land use aspirations resulting from TOW settlements not currently provided for Tangata whenua undertake feasibility and design for new marae in historic settlements not currently provided for through compatible zoning Tangata whenua undertake sub-regional scoping exercise to identify and evaluate planning issues associated with potential business developments arising from TOW settlements, not currently provided for through compatible zoning Partner Councils identify required planning response and undertake plan changes to support development where appropriate Investigate the potential for iconic cultural tourism opportunities Investigate opportunities and issues associated with development of iconic cultural tourism venture BOPRC Tourism BOP P1 CTWF CTWF BOPRC, WBOPDC, TCC Long Short Advisor Partner resources - TYP Partner resources - Annual Plans CTWF Medium Partner resources - TYP Māori Housing Forum WBOPDC BOPRC, TCC, Housing NZ, TPK, Māori Land Trust, Joint Agency Group CTWF WBOPDC, TCC, BOPRC, NZTA, CTWF Tourism BOP, BOPRC, P1 Urgent Med Med Tu Pakari Advisor Partner resources - Annual Plans Partner resources - TYP Tu Pakari Advisor Partner resources - TYP Tu Pakari Advisor Feasibility study completed. Recommendation made Single policy adopted Report prepared and base data established Training programme continues Papakāinga developments established at a rate of 1 per year Plan changes have been implemented to support development where appropriate Feasibility study completed. Recommendation made

33 $Business Str eamr eport $ APPENDIX 2 Business Stream Report - SmartGrowth Strategy Update, October 2012 APPENDIX 2 - Bu sin ess Stream R eport - SmartGro wth Strat eg y Upd ate, Octob er 2012 Page 29 of 77

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35 SmartGrowth Strategy Update Discussion Document: Business Land October

36 Executive summary The purpose of this discussion paper is to promote discussion and seek direction on the following business land issues: 1. Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern 2. Long-term requirements for industrial land 3. The strategic approach to delivering land for commercial (office and retail) activities. Issues 1 and 2 are closely related and need to be considered together as a package as they both relate to the Settlement Pattern in respect of industrial land. Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern The term financial viability refers to whether development would be sufficiently profitable for the developer/landowner to be willing to undertake and for project finance to be secured. There are concerns about the financial viability of industrial development in the eastern corridor, especially in relation to the Rangiuru Business Park. Rangiuru Business Park The Rangiuru Business Park is planned to provide strategically located sub regional industrial land in the eastern corridor with direct access to the Tauranga Eastern Link and the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. It would provide significant employment opportunities for the substantial population growth that is envisaged in the eastern corridor consistent with SmartGrowth s Live, Work, Play philosophy. The cost of infrastructure to support a fully serviced business park in Rangiuru capable of accommodating all industrial uses including medium and high water/wastewater users makes development financially unviable at present and it could prove to be financially unviable in the long-term. If water and wastewater infrastructure is redesigned to accommodate only low to moderate industrial water users along with some changes to roading infrastructure, infrastructure costs can be reduced considerably. Despite this significant cost reduction, two separate assessments have concluded that even with these changes development would still be unviable by a substantial margin at the present time and in the near future. This may change in the medium to long-term (10+ years) or if a large scale anchor tenant was identified and they were offered significant financial incentives to locate in Rangiuru. Reductions in the level of infrastructure servicing would also constrain the types of industries able to locate at Rangiuru. It is recommended that the Rangiuru Business Park (and the other areas identified below) are retained in the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern and that the timing of development is adjusted in light of the development feasibility challenges which exist, whilst still retaining the opportunity for development to commence in the more immediate future if a viable development proposal came to light. Development of the Rangiuru Business Park would support the optimisation of infrastructure investment already made in the eastern corridor including the construction of the Tauranga Eastern Link. 2

37 Wairakei The November 2010 report titled Assessment of Development Feasibility for the Wairakei Urban Growth Area concluded that industrial development was not financially viable in some parts of Wairakei, primarily because of high development contribution charges. Nothing has substantially changed since that time and these findings are considered to still be valid. The financial viability challenges in Wairakei are however significantly less than they are in Rangiuru. Te Puke The scale of the financial viability challenges for Rangiuru are likely to be very similar in Te Puke given: Significant upfront infrastructure costs High financial contributions High development costs due to poor ground conditions Relatively low industrial land values. In short, development costs are high and revenues are likely to be low which makes development a significant challenge. This conclusion is supported by the recent sale of the largest block of undeveloped industrial land in Te Puke at rural land values with little/no premium for its industrial zoning. It is understood that the purchasers plan to continue grazing the land for at least the next 10 years. Proposed actions for inclusion in the SmartGrowth Strategy Action Determine whether the proposed limited water and wastewater servicing option is viable for the Rangiuru Business Park given potential negative implications on land uptake, desirability, marketability and land values in the Business Park. Determine who will fund the debt associated with the financial contribution funded infrastructure for the Rangiuru Business Park. Review the funding model for the mid block intersection from the Rangiuru Business Park Review the amount of development in the Rangiuru Business Park that can occur prior to a direct intersection between the Business Park and the Tauranga Eastern Link being completed. Lead agency WBOPDC, Quayside WBOPDC, Quayside Holdings WBOPDC, NZTA WBOPDC, NZTA In addition to this, separate actions addressed elsewhere in the SmartGrowth Update in relation to alternative infrastructure funding options and continued efforts to reduce growth related infrastructure costs should assist in addressing these financial viability challenges. Long term requirements for Industrial land McDermott Consultants were appointed to undertake industrial land research for the SmartGrowth Review. The recommendations from that research are summarised below. 3

38 1. That it would be appropriate to identify in the Settlement Pattern additional industrial land in the Western Corridor (SH29 corridor) for potential development in the medium term given the desirability of this location and the high likelihood that the only vacant land in this corridor at the Tauriko Business Park will be fully developed well before the end of the 2051 SmartGrowth time horizon. Staff agree with this recommendation. The recommendation will be addressed through the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern update and does not require any specific actions to be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy. 2. That development and financial contributions for industrial land (especially in the eastern corridor) should be reviewed as they are a significant barrier to development feasibility, particularly in areas where ground conditions mean development costs are high to begin with. Continued on-going effort is being put into reducing infrastructure servicing costs and therefore contribution charges by TCC and WBOPDC. Due to limited alternative funding options and community/central government resistance to rates increases, there is little scope for other funding sources to be used instead of contribution charges. The following draft action is recommended to be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy: Action Review on an on-going basis whether growth-related infrastructure costs can be reduced through alternative infrastructure delivery options or reduced levels of service in a manner that ensures infrastructure is still fit for purpose and cost effective from a whole of life cost perspective. Lead agency TCC, WBOPDC 3. That limited flexibility needs to be built into the SmartGrowth Strategy (and subsequently into related planning documents like the Regional Policy Statement and District Plans) to provide for industrial activities that genuinely cannot be satisfactorily located in industrial zones through either rezoning or resource consents processes. There are a limited number of reasons why industrial zones may not be suitable for some projects and these are identified in the body of this report. There are at least a couple of examples of large scale industrial projects that either haven t taken place or are at significant risk because they legitimately cannot be accommodated in existing industrial zones. McDermott Consultants believe that this may become a more significant problem in the future given the limitations of much (or perhaps most) of the zoned industrial land in the WBOP sub region to accommodate high load bearing buildings in a cost effective manner. Staff support this recommendation and note that significant effort would have to be put into developing robust criteria for out-of-zone industrial development. In addition to the McDermott Consultants work, the UNISA Upper North Island Freight Story project is continuing to progress. This project is looking at the issue of industrial land. When available late this year or early next year, the findings of this project should be used as a resource to inform decisions on the industrial land in the updated SmartGrowth settlement pattern. Commercial activities The centres-based policy approach outlined in SmartGrowth and implemented through the two district plan reviews (WBOPDC and TCC) is appropriate and prudent given existing market supply and demand dynamics, and having regard to emerging trends in retail and office development. 4

39 Based on revised SmartGrowth population projections, the existing, consented and proposed in-zone retail floorspace is more than enough to accommodate predicted future retail provision. The strategic planning focus should remain on improving the role and function of the well established centres network rather than simply duplicating the retail offer with new currently unidentified centres. This recognises competitive trends in e-retail which is forecast to be around 20% plus of retail spend into the future. To counter this and reinforce shopping as a leisure activity public and private investment should work together to support and improve the amenity and functionality of existing centres, and hence their competiveness. In the WBOP District this means continued consolidation of the centres at Te Puke, Katikati and emerging Omokoroa. Within Tauranga City, there is potential for additional local convenience retail activity in suburbs where the existing provision is considered light; for example Welcome Bay and Papamoa East. Higher-order comparison retail should be channelled into the existing centre network for maximum benefit. This includes proactive promotion of the Tauranga CBD as the commercial heart of the sub-region. There is increasing fluidity emerging in the office market. Unyielding drive toward office efficiencies, cooperative sharing of floorspace and technology trends will fundamentally change the way workers use built form office space. It is important that additional office development (new or upgraded) is located within defined commercial areas to complement retail activity and improve the economic and social wellbeing of centres as a whole. To help this, district plan provisions should not be too prescriptive or onerous as to make development in appropriate zones unrealistic or unviable. 5

40 1. Purpose: The purpose of this discussion paper is to promote discussion and seek direction on the following business land issues: 1. The financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern 2. Long-term requirements for industrial land 3. The strategic approach to delivering land for commercial (office and retail) activities. 2. Background: The SmartGrowth Strategy was adopted in 2004 and actions were reviewed in A comprehensive update of the SmartGrowth Strategy was initiated in A significant amount of research is being undertaken as part of the SmartGrowth Update. SGIC agreed that rather than each research project being reported up individually, that reports would instead be grouped together in a sensible manner into a small number of workstreams. This is the second of the workstream reports and it addresses business land and activities. This report is structured to deal with each of the three issues individually. For each issue: Relevant background information is provided Key issues for the SmartGrowth Update are identified The options to address these issues are identified and assessed The direction required from SGIC is identified. It should be noted that the industrial land report is closely related to earlier discussions with and direction provided by SGIC regarding flexibility associated with the sub region s Settlement Pattern. 6

41 3. Issue 1: Financial viability of industrial development identified in the existing Settlement Pattern 3.1 Background The term financial viability refers to whether development would be sufficiently profitable for the developer/landowner to be willing to undertake and for project finance to be secured. Rangiuru Business Park The Rangiuru Business Park is planned to provide strategically located sub regional industrial land in the eastern corridor with direct access to the Tauranga Eastern Link and the East Coast Main Trunk Railway. It would provide significant employment opportunities for the substantial population growth that is envisaged in the eastern corridor consistent with SmartGrowth s Live, Work, Play philosophy. The industrial zoning for the 200ha Rangiuru Business Park (RBP) was notified in 2005 and became operative in The RBP is identified in the current SmartGrowth Strategy, the Regional Policy Statement and the WBOP District Plan as a location for sub-regional industrial development. Development of the RBP was originally expected to be already underway or underway in the immediate future. The proposed business park is supported by development of the Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL) which is due for completion in Planned development in the eastern corridor, including RBP, was one of the factors justifying investment in the TEL and it would help support the proposed toll funding of approximately $115m of the project s cost. The majority of the land in the RBP is owned by Quayside however Quayside is not expected to be the developer of the business park, although it may have some role to play in this. Because of the infrastructure costs associated with servicing RBP, a fully serviced business park capable of accommodating all types of industrial activities, including medium and high water/wastewater users is not financially viable at present and could prove to be financially unviable in the long-term. Because of this, WBOPDC staff investigated ways in which to reduce infrastructure servicing costs. This has resulted in the potential for significant reductions to cost if limited water and wastewater servicing is appropriate i.e. the business park would focus on accommodating business that have limited water/wastewater needs e.g. storage, warehousing, distribution. Site specific solutions for businesses with higher water/wastewater needs may be possible e.g. bores, on-site wastewater storage. Nonetheless the limited servicing option while cheaper may reduce the uptake, desirability, marketability and land values in the Business Park, although this is an unknown. The reduced cost option has been tested through the TCC development feasibility model (which was developed for the 2010 Wairakei development feasibility project), and also by Veros Property Partners. In both cases it is concluded that development of the RBP is currently not financially viable by a substantial margin. 7

42 Given the current state of the economy and the property development market it is not unusual for development proposals to be financially unviable to proceed with. It should however be noted that the financial viability conclusions for the Rangiuru Business Park are much more substantial than simply being a symptom of the current state of affairs with the economy and property market. There are fundamental issues associated with the underlying cost structure of development compared to the value of industrial land in that location. The Veros analysis suggests the possibility that development in the RPB might be able to commence in the more immediate future if a large sale anchor tenant was identified and it was provided with significant financial incentives e.g. discounted land values and deferred payment terms. In the medium to long-term development of the RBP may become financially viable. There is however a risk that this may not occur. If this proves to be the case, alternative locations for industrial land in the eastern corridor in Te Tumu or on the southern side of the Domain Rd interchange in the vicinity of the SH2/Welcome Bay Road intersection could be rezoned. It should also be noted that even without the RBP there is significant vacant industrial land in the eastern corridor at Te Maunga (50ha), Wairakei (100ha) and Te Puke (70ha) 1. The McDermott Consultants projections for long-term industrial land needs (addressed later in this report) suggest that this land may well be sufficient (or possibly more than sufficient) to cater for growth out to 2051 (or a population of 275,000 people), even without the Rangiuru Business Park. Other industrial areas Aside from Rangiuru, the main areas where industrial development is expected to occur in the future are Tauriko, Te Maunga, Wairakei and Te Puke, with a smaller amount of industrial development allocated to Te Puna, Omokoroa and Katikati. There are no significant concerns with the viability of development in Tauriko or Te Maunga, with development underway in both locations. The November 2010 report titled Assessment of Development Feasibility for the Wairakei Urban Growth Area concluded that industrial development was not financially viable in some parts of Wairakei, primarily because of high development contribution charges. Nothing has substantially changed since that time and these conclusions are still considered to be valid. The financial viability challenges in Wairakei are however significantly less than they are in Rangiuru. The scale of the financial viability challenges identified above for Rangiuru are likely to be very similar in Te Puke given: Significant upfront infrastructure costs High financial contributions High development costs due to poor ground conditions Relatively low industrial land values. 1 The vacant industrial zoned land in Te Puke has its own challenges with high up-front infrastructure costs and poor ground conditions. It was recently sold at a price which reflected no/minimal premium for its industrial zoning above rural land values. 8

43 In short, development costs are high and revenues are likely to be low which makes development a significant challenge. This conclusion is supported by the recent sale of the largest block of undeveloped industrial land in Te Puke at rural land values with little/no premium for its industrial zoning. It is understood that the purchasers plan to continue grazing the land for at least the next 10 years. 3.2 Issues and options The primary issue for the SmartGrowth Update is whether the Settlement Pattern for industrial land needs to be amended to reflect the development feasibility challenges associated with the RBP and other areas. The RBP, Wairakei and Te Puke have already been rezoned for industrial development and significant investment decisions (e.g. TEL) have been made, in part, to enable this development. It is therefore assumed that these zonings would be kept in place to reflect the medium to long-term development potential that exists in these locations i.e. that rezoning back to rural would not be contemplated. Given this, the only option is to retain the RBP and other zoned areas in the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern. The timing of development would be altered to reflect the likelihood that development is unlikely until the medium to long-term (10+ years). However care should be taken not to preclude development occurring earlier in the event that a viable development proposal came to light. A key outstanding issue related to the RBP that needs to be addressed is who will fund the debt associated with infrastructure to service the RBP which, based on the limited servicing option, while starting out low is likely to be in the range of $20 to $30m for an extended period of time. This has not been addressed or agreed through the recent research work. An Action should be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy to address this issue. Based on the full servicing option debt would be much higher, in the range of $40- $60m over much of the life of the development including the early years of development. The funding and delivery of the mid block intersection which is critical to development of the RBP commencing, and the amount of the RBP that can be developed prior to a roading connection to the TEL being built are other issues that require further discussion. It should however be noted that they are either already subject to agreements between the SmartGrowth Partners and Quayside, or addressed in the WBOPDC District Plan. If the RBP or other industrial areas in the eastern corridor did not go ahead, there may be implications for the live, work, play philosophy for Te Tumu and the wider eastern corridor. To avoid adverse effects on the transportation network, it may (through a future review of SmartGrowth) be necessary to allocate more business land in or close to Te Tumu. The subdued prospects for development of the RBP and industrial development in Te Puke may also have implications for the prospects of residential development in the eastern corridor, especially in Te Puke. This issue is not addressed in this paper and will be picked up in the upcoming residential land discussion document. 9

44 3.3 Direction required Direction is required on whether SGIC agree with the following staff recommendation: That the RBP, Te Puke and Wairakei industrial areas are retained in the SmartGrowth Settlement Pattern with likely timing revised to reflect development challenges. That care is taken not to preclude development commencing in the more immediate future in any of these areas. That actions are added to the SmartGrowth Strategy to address outstanding issues associated with development of the RBP. The proposed actions are: Action Determine whether the proposed limited water and wastewater servicing option is viable for the Rangiuru Business Park given potential negative implications on land uptake, desirability, marketability and land values in the Business Park. Determine who will fund the debt associated with the financial contribution funded infrastructure for the Rangiuru Business Park. Review the funding model for the mid block intersection from the Rangiuru Business Park Review the amount of development in the Rangiuru Business Park that can occur prior to a direct intersection between the Business Park and the Tauranga Eastern Link being completed. Lead agency WBOPDC, Quayside WBOPDC, Quayside Holdings WBOPDC, NZTA WBOPDC, NZTA In addition to these actions, separate actions addressed elsewhere in the SmartGrowth Update in relation to alternative infrastructure funding options and continued efforts to reduce growth related infrastructure costs should assist in addressing these financial viability challenges. 10

45 4. Issue 2: Long term requirements for Industrial Land 4.1 Background McDermott Consultants were employed to undertake industrial land research for the Smartgrowth Update. The summary of its final report is reproduced below: Review of Land Availability The projections for industrial land demand in the Western Bay of Plenty (WBOP) have been reviewed in the light of economic and industrial progress since the first projections were made in 2006 and the SmartGrowth strategy subsequently implemented. SmartGrowth called for an additional 800ha to be zoned by 2051, with the 2007 Implementation Plan accepting that the figure could be as high as 1,000ha. Around 255ha has since been zoned at Tauriko in the Western Corridor and 410ha in the Eastern Corridor. Of this, 310ha falls in the small town, largely rural environments of Te Puke and Rangiuru. At present there appears to be around 570ha available for industrial development throughout the WBOP. The Demand Outlook Not all of that land is serviced and much of it is unlikely to be developed until currently weak economic conditions improve, demand is reinvigorated, and prices lift. Our review of the global and national outlook and consideration of recent trends in the WBOP suggest that this could be several years away, and is subject to significant risk of further downside in the meantime. New projections of possible long-term demand undertaken for this review reflect the slowdown since the mid-2000s. They indicate that current provisions are more than adequate in quantitative terms for foreseeable growth in both the medium (through to 2021) and long term (through to 2051). Medium-term demand is projected to be no more than 180 additional hectares and could be as low as 20ha (barring major projects). Beyond 2021 an average increment of 50ha per decade is modelled as a low growth scenario and 120ha per decade as a high growth scenario. The result is a wide gap between the two estimates the former suggesting demand for an additional 170ha and the latter for 520ha. The fact that the high figure is substantially below earlier expectations reflects the loss of up to ten years of the growth projected in 2006, primarily due to the Global Financial Crisis. 2 Drivers of Demand Industrial expansion in WBOP remains dependent primarily on the level of residential and population growth. A significant boost could come from further port expansion if it encourages local investment in related businesses. This depends, in turn, on whether aggregation and distribution (and any associated processing) takes place within the WBOP or whether it occurs closer to the market at Hamilton or Auckland, or both. Specialisation in a few key manufacturing sectors and increasing the value added to primary production hold long-term potential to push demand for land towards the 2 The SmartGrowth 2011 revised household and population forecasts suggested the loss of around six years of population growth at that time 11

46 higher of the two scenarios developed here, as does any deepening of the economy as the scale of business development in the WBOP generally increases. The other source of potential growth is in the agri-business sector, in large part through investment in large scale supply, and primary and secondary processing business. Like large-scale storage and distribution, such activities require large, load bearing sites. The Quality of Land Zoned for Industry Analysis of the currently zoned land throughout the Western Bay of Plenty suggests that such sites may be relatively difficult to come by or, where available, subject to expensive geotechnical site work. Together with the high financial or development contributions required for bulk infrastructure in many places, these can make sites uneconomic to develop or prices prohibitive to potential investors and tenants. On these grounds, the quantity of land zoned may be less influential over future growth than the quality. The Tauriko Business Estate is well located in the Western Corridor leading from Tauranga to the principal markets of the Waikato and Auckland regions. It provides substantial capacity for light and medium industrial activities and will meet foreseeable needs for new or relocating and expanding local businesses. It is likely to be the major focus of medium term growth related both to expanding demand, deepening of the economy by way of increasing intermediate goods and services, and catering for growing manufacturing enterprises. Catering for Medium-Term Growth If and when the economy begins to recover, industrial growth is likely to be concentrated in the Tauriko area. Outside Tauriko the options for urban industrial activity include Te Maunga, near Mt Maunganui, and Wairakei at Papamoa in the Eastern Corridor. Both suffer some cost disadvantages. Parts of Te Maunga will require significant earthworks to correct for variable geotechnical conditions. Wairakei is currently faced with high development contributions. These conditions lower their competitiveness against alternative sites in Hamilton as well as parts of Auckland. Beyond 2021 While there appears to be sufficient land in the WBOP in total to cater for industrial growth to 2051, its variable quality and cost suggests that there will nevertheless be shortages of particular qualities of land or constraints that under more buoyant conditions could frustrate investment and growth. Rangiuru and Te Puke as well as Northern Corridor sites will play a role in catering for the long-term, with Te Tumu potentially following on from the development of Wairakei. Looking towards 2051 more land is likely to be required in the Western Corridor and close to the port to encourage long-term growth. Proximity to the port suggests that there may be a development advantage from relocating Tauranga Airport (or even the Omanu Golf Course) in favour of industry within the SmartGrowth planning timetable. While this has been considered and set aside in the past, it may need to be reconsidered for the long-term site for industry more closely aligned with WBOP opportunities and prospects than some of the alternatives. This might mean avoiding making on-site airport development decisions that pre-empt a future change in use. 12

47 Increasing Flexibility In the meantime the particular needs of large-scale storage and handling and processing activities oriented towards the WBOP primary sector may need to be catered for outside existing zonings if investment opportunities, the capacity to add value to primary activities, and benefits of the presence of the port are not to be undermined. It may be important, especially during a period when growth is limited, to enable the rezoning or consenting of suitable rural land for industrial use on a project-by-project basis when the need can be demonstrated and the effects satisfactorily managed. Recommendations: Recommendation (1): The suitability of bringing in additional land for industrial development in the Western Corridor in the medium-term, including and beyond Tauriko, should be investigated, including consideration of the implications of current transport constraints on SH29; Recommendation (2): The application of development and financial contributions policies to industrial areas may need to be reviewed by the councils in light of the potentially negative impact of current charges on industrial growth, especially in the Eastern Corridor. This means considering alternative sources of funding or varying the underlying engineering and timing parameters and assumptions behind current funding formulae; Recommendation (3): Provision should be made within the SmartGrowth strategy for site-specific zoning or consenting of large scale, primary sector focused industrial and storage uses in suitably managed and located rural areas, subject to demonstrating a genuine need for such a location that cannot be met satisfactorily in zoned areas, satisfactorily managing environmental effects, and the developer s capacity to fund associated infrastructure. 4.2 Issues and options The issue for the SmartGrowth Update is to address each of the recommendations above. Each is addressed individually below. Sub Issue One: Additional industrial land requirements The recommendation from McDermott Consultants is: The suitability of bringing in additional land for industrial development in the Western Corridor in the medium-term, including and beyond Tauriko, should be investigated, including consideration of the implications of current transport constraints on SH29. Staff have considered the recommendation to identify additional land in the Settlement Pattern for industrial development within the SH29 corridor in the medium term and agree that there is sufficient evidence to support it. It appears very likely that the Tauriko Business Estate will be fully developed well within the 2051 SmartGrowth planning horizon and that there will be demand for additional industrial land in this general location given that it is the gateway to the markets and population 13

48 base of the Waikato and Auckland which account for a significant amount of domestic and international trade (both exports and imports). A caveat must be placed around this in the sense that currently there are known transport capacity constraints in the SH29 corridor which would have to be resolved. In this regard, NZTA is undertaking the Tauriko Upgrade Study to identify solutions to these issues. Other infrastructure servicing issues may also exist. The findings of the UNISA Upper North Island Freight Story project should also inform the SmartGrowth partners thinking around the location and need for additional industrial land. In terms of the timing of additional land release, it would be sensible to align this with the Tauriko Business Estate being substantially complete rather than putting a specific date on the need for additional land. The McDermott Consultants research suggests that when the Tauriko Business Estate is fully developed there is likely to be some undeveloped industrial land in the eastern corridor and, to a lesser extent, in the northern corridor. These locations appear to be less favored and reliance solely on them to accommodate industrial growth in the medium to long-term is likely to constrain industrial development (and economic development opportunities) in the sub region compared to a situation where additional land was zoned in the western corridor. The options available to elected members are: Option 1: Status quo. In other words, to leave the Settlement Pattern for industrial land as it is with possible revision through future reviews of the SmartGrowth Strategy. No additional industrial land would be added to the Settlement Pattern through this current SmartGrowth Update. Option 2: Additional land in the western corridor. This would involve adding additional industrial land in the western corridor into the Settlement Pattern. If this option was adopted, further work on specific details would be required e.g. how much more land, staging and triggers for timing of land release, specific locations, infrastructure servicing costs (including land use and transport planning and justification processes) and constraints. As an initial indication, it would seem to be very unlikely that any additional land would be required for at least 10 years and probably more like years when the Tauriko Business estate was substantially developed. The table below shows the pros and cons of each option: 14

49 Pros Cons Option 1: Status quo Based on revised industrial land projections, there is likely to be sufficient land already identified for in the Settlement Pattern for growth in the Western Corridor for 10+ years. Does not preclude the Settlement Pattern being adjusted in the future to provide more land in the western corridor. Reliance on existing zoned industrial land in the eastern and northern corridors to accommodate long-term industrial needs is likely to constrain industrial development because of factors such as locational disadvantages, ground conditions, development costs and proximity to labour and suppliers. Option 2: Additional land in western corridor Will ensure that sufficient land is located in the western corridor for long-term industrial growth. This is consistent with the SmartGrowth principle of having a supply of developable land in each of the key corridors. The SmartGrowth Strategy and Settlement Pattern is based around identifying where growth will be located to If further land is required prior to 2051 (as it appears to be) it is logical that it is incorporated into the Settlement Pattern through the SmartGrowth Update. Various commitments have been made to consider and assess the proposed extension to the Tauriko Business Estate and the proposed development of land owned by Bob Clarkson for potential inclusion in the Settlement Pattern through the SmartGrowth Update. Both land holdings are located in the western corridor and may in full or in part be suitable for industrial development. There is an undersupply of industrial land on the Tauranga side of the harbour (as opposed to the Mt Maunganui side of the harbour). This would help to balance that which is consistent with the Live, Work, Play philosophy. There are some servicing issues that would need to be overcome for additional land in the western corridor to be developed for industrial purposes. Most notable is the capacity constraints on SH29 and the need for the function of this nationally strategic freight route to not be compromised. It would provide further competition for other industrial areas, including Rangiuru, which may result in development of these areas being further delayed. This may have implications for the live, work, play philosophy in the eastern corridor and may (at a future point in time) require the allocation of additional land in the vicinity of Te Tumu. Staff recommend that Option 2 is adopted. Sub Issue Two: Development and financial contributions The recommendation from McDermott Consultants is: The application of development and financial contributions policies to industrial areas may need to be reviewed by the councils in light of the potentially negative impact of current charges on industrial growth, especially in the Eastern Corridor. This means considering alternative sources of funding or varying the underlying engineering and timing parameters and assumptions behind current funding formulae. 15

50 As set out in the McDermott Consultants report, the reason for this recommendation is that the development and financial contributions payable to develop zoned industrial land in areas like Rangiuru, Te Puke and Wairakei are high. This, combined with high development costs associated with poor ground conditions in many areas (e.g. peat) means that industrial land cannot be delivered to market at competitive prices, particularly in areas like Rangiuru and Te Puke where success is contingent on being able to compete on price. It should be noted that the issue of high development/financial contributions is not limited just to industrial land. It is also a significant issue in residential growth areas such as Omokoroa and Te Puke, Wairakei and elsewhere. There are two ways in which development/financial contributions could be reduced. The first is to transfer cost to another funding source. The funding sources available to Councils at the moment are very limited and this approach would effectively necessitate rates increases to offset reduced contribution revenue. SGIC has directed staff to include actions in the updated SmartGrowth Strategy around the consideration of alternative funding mechanisms for growth-related infrastructure. This may assist in obtaining other funding sources in the future if central government support is forthcoming. The other way to reduce contribution charges is to reduce the cost of infrastructure through alternative approaches to infrastructure delivery and/or reduced levels of service. Work to this effect is already underway and remains on-going for growth areas like Rangiuru, Wairakei and Te Tumu. As identified earlier in this report, significant work has been undertaken to identify ways in which infrastructure costs for Rangiuru could be reduced. This has identified that financial contributions could be reduced from approximately $120/m 2 to $65/m 2 of site area. While this is a significant reduction, considering that industrial section values would currently be around $100/m 2 in that location, the financial contributions would still be a significant barrier to development. Both TCC and WBOPDC have adjusted their respective capital expenditure programmes (and will continue to do so) in light of the current low growth environment. This has resulted in expenditure being deferred and a focus on sweating assets and just-in-time infrastructure provision which will help ensure the debt servicing component of contribution charges does not get out of hand. However, investment in some lead infrastructure has already occurred and investment in some projects like the Southern Pipeline must continue as planned to address existing capacity issues and to allow development to continue (albeit at a slower rate). Inevitable debt servicing costs on these projects will be higher than expected and have to be funded which may put pressure on contribution charges. In summary, Councils have limited funding sources and there is limited appetite for the wider community and central government for rates increases. As such, there is currently little or no scope for development/financial contribution costs to be transferred to other funding sources. There is more potential for contributions to be reduced by considering alternative infrastructure delivery options and by considering whether reductions to current levels of service would be appropriate. Care needs to be taken to ensure infrastructure is still fit for purpose and cost effective from an upfront capital perspective and an on-going maintenance and renewal perspective (a whole of life cost perspective). On-going work in this area should be continued and the following action to this effect is proposed to be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy: 16

51 Action Review on an on-going basis whether growth-related infrastructure costs can be reduced through alternative infrastructure delivery options or reduced levels of service in a manner that ensures infrastructure is still fit for purpose and cost effective from a whole of life cost perspective. Lead agency TCC, WBOPDC Sub Issue Three: Flexibility for businesses that genuinely cannot be accommodated in existing industrial zones The recommendation from McDermott Consultants is: Provision should be made within the SmartGrowth strategy for site-specific zoning or consenting of large scale, primary sector focused industrial and storage uses in suitably managed and located rural areas, subject to demonstrating a genuine need for such a location that cannot be met satisfactorily in zoned areas, satisfactorily managing environmental effects, and the developer s capacity to fund associated infrastructure. The following text from the McDermott Consultant s report provides the context for this recommendation. 6.3 Providing for Heavy Industry [this refers to industrial buildings that require a high floor loading not dirty, smelly industry like bitumen plants or fertiliser works] Doubts over the suitability of some of the zoned land for heavy industry at TBE [Tauriko Business Estate] apply across much of the WBOP. The focus on TBE reflects the fact that currently it is the principle site of new industrial investment, with Stage 1 completed and development of Stage 2 commenced. The background is flagged here because of its wider implications for the industrial capacity theoretically provided for by the SmartGrowth strategy. S&L summarised the findings of geotechnical reports by Coffey Geotechnics to compare the suitability of different localities for large scale, heavy loading industrial buildings. Considerable land preparation took place in the early stages of developing TBE with fill of 5-6m in low lying areas, some of which overlies peat, a not uncommon situation throughout the WBOP. Preloading has induced ground settlement, although in some areas there is the possibility of secondary settlement of up to 300mm taking place over 5 to 50 years. This is not an issue for light industrial uses. However, it calls for flexible structures on stiffened raft floor slabs, settlement monitoring and associated building maintenance, and limiting of floor loadings to 10kPa. Future development west of the existing TBE (towards Belk Rd) will also require earthworks, with the placement of controlled filling in gullies from which unsuitable potentially compressible soils would be removed prior to placement of the filling (p.14). A review of the S&L report by Coffey Geotechnics states that industrial subdivision engineering normally caters for live floor loads of 20kPa and that specific geotechnical investigations are undertaken for heavier industrial buildings as and when required. The Coffey Report identifies over 7ha (net) in Stage 2 lowered by at 17

52 least 7m to provide fully load compensated land. There is also the prospect of future stages of development including suitable land 16.5ha within the Business Estate and perhaps another 46.5 ha on development of the plateau to the west in the long term. This exchange reflects more general issues facing much WBOP industrial land: (1) While there is land within Tauriko and elsewhere capable of catering for heavy structures, there may be longer term challenge in finding sufficient land suitable for large scale industry and storage with high floor loadings within existing zoned areas; (2) The cost of land once prepared to meet the loading requirements within existing industrial zoned parcels is likely to be a deterrent to investment. The inference is that a planning approach that confines industrial uses to land that has been zoned ahead of demand may not be suitable for some activities if their particular site requirements have not been anticipated through consideration of the quality as well as quantity of land zoned. In the current instance there may well be a future deficit of affordable sites that meet the requirements of the large scale storage, processing, and handling facilities often associated with New Zealand s rural areas and primary industries. These include dairy factories, aquaculture processing, fertiliser storage and distribution, postharvest facilities, timber processing and the like, industries that are an important element of the primary base of a region like WBOP. In the past, some of these have grown in situ from small start-up rural businesses. Others have been able to secure and develop rural sites under a planning approach that responds to rather than anticipates their particular needs. Hence, certain industrial uses may occupy stand-alone rural sites, including freezing works, timber processing, post-harvest handling of horticulture, wineries, and rural supply depots. Historically such activities have tended to locate on the edge of urban areas (from which expansion has often displaced them); close to small rural service centres; or in greenfield sites within a rural environment, often with infrastructure services provided on site or as an adjunct to the services of a nearby town, benefiting from the low cost of extensive sites in such locations. There may still be justification for allowing such activities to locate in rural areas because of their scale, transport advantages, and because of their potential reverse sensitivity impacts in urban locations. It can be concluded that the approach adopted by SmartGrowth of providing 50 years of potential land supply and confining industrial investment to the areas so zoned may be inappropriate for a few potentially large rural industries. The approach limits the flexibility of site selection necessary for them. It also imposes excessive urban land and servicing prices on them, while creating additional challenges for the management of environmental externalities within the fabric of urban infrastructure. 6.9 Rural Industry Constraints on existing parcels in the corridor suggest that they should not be considered the only options for large-scale development, and rural industry. Greater flexibility may be appropriate both now and in the future to allow rezoning or consenting for industrial uses associated with primary production at localities best suited to their efficiency and the quality of service they provide to producers, provided effects are satisfactorily managed. This, after all, has been the foundation of 18

53 significant industrial activity at Rangiuru, Paengaroa, and in the Northern Corridor (post-harvests and saw milling facilities). This may also mean accepting the limitations to land on the TBE, particularly for any such activities that require high load bearing foundations over a large area. Consideration of alternative sites in the Western Corridor could be initiated, including the prospect of developing land owned on SH29 owned by Clarkson at Tauriko or advancing development west of the TBE through to Belk Road. While the SmartGrowth strategy and the planning documents through which it is implemented would need to be modified to allow for this, consent to change a site from rural to industrial to meet the needs of a particular sector or business should be based on the requirements of actual investment projects and not on general provision for the generic expansion of zoned industrial land. It would need to be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the consenting authority that the activity could not be located in an established industrial zone. Staff are aware of at least two instances where large scale industrial developments are not proceeding or are under significant risk due to the inability to find suitable industrial land in the sub region at the moment. One of these projects is in excess of $100m. Due to commercial sensitivities and the desire of these businesses to remain anonymous further detail cannot be provided. It is considered that serious consideration should be given to the McDermott Consultants view on this matter on the basis that development proposals may be able to demonstrate to the respective consenting authority that they genuinely could not be satisfactorily accommodated within the current industrial zones and that their effects could be appropriately managed, including infrastructure servicing/costs and effects on the transportation network. This view would generally align with the goal of promoting economic growth in the sub region and building flexibility/nimbleness into the SmartGrowth Strategy so that unforeseen circumstances, which will arise from time to time, can be considered and addressed in a timely manner. If this approach was adopted, it would require amendment to the Regional Policy Statement and possibly to District Plans. Based on the decisions version of the Regional Policy Statement (RPS), aside from a formal amendment to the Settlement Pattern occurring, the approach mooted by McDermott Consultants could not currently be implemented unless the site in question was contiguous with an existing business activity or existing business zoned land and did not require connection to reticulated urban services. This is very limiting policy for quick response to new circumstances. The options available to SGIC are: Option 1: Status quo. All industrial activities would have to locate in current industrial zones with the exception of the very limited scope for out of zone development provided in the RPS and the possibility of future amendments to Settlement Pattern which may provide for industrial development in other locations. Option 2: Adopt a limited flexibility approach. This would involve accepting the recommendation of McDermott Consultants and providing for out of zone industrial development in circumstances based on the requirements of an actual investment project and where the respective consenting authority was satisfied that the activity could genuinely not be located within existing zones. This may be in the form of 19

54 rezoning or the granting of a resource consent. The table below shows the pros and cons of each option: Pros Cons Option 1: Status quo Provides certainty that industrial activity will be located in industrial zones. Some projects may genuinely not be able to be located in industrial zones and therefore may not take place. If issues such as the current lack of industrial land immediately available for high load bearing buildings arise in future, they could be addressed in a timely manner. It seems likely that there is insufficient zoned land that can be developed in a cost effective manner long-term (to 2051) across the sub-region for high load bearing buildings. Option 2: Limited flexibility There are a number of reasons why existing industrial zones may not be able to accommodate particular industrial activities. These might include: o Ground conditions / high floor loadings o o o Specific locational requirements Large land requirements Land costs for large footprint low value activities e.g. transport depots and bulk storage. It may allow some projects to proceed which otherwise would not, bringing with it employment and economic benefits. If rules and policies were not drafted in an appropriate way it could lead to inappropriate out of zone development occurring and/or the effects of out of zone development not being appropriately managed. May result in remote development which may impact on the transportation network. If connection to existing infrastructure did not occur it may affect the funding of that infrastructure. Although if restricted (as proposed) to activities that genuinely cannot be accommodated in the industrial zones, they would not have contributed to infrastructure funding in any case as they would not have taken place. Staff recommend that Option 2 is adopted which would require significant effort being put into developing appropriate criteria to manage this issue. 4.3 Direction required Sub Issue One: Additional industrial land requirements Staff support Option Two which would involve further investigation being undertaken on adding additional industrial land in the western (SH29) corridor to the Settlement Pattern with the view that additional land would be added to the Settlement Pattern through the SmartGrowth Update. This investigation would include consideration of: The appropriate amount of additional land The options for the location of this land The options for the timing of release of this land for development Identifying transport and other servicing constraints and how these might be addressed. Sub Issue Two: Development and financial contributions Direction is required on whether SGIC support: The on-going work to reduce infrastructure servicing costs in urban growth areas like Rangiuru, Wairakei and Te Tumu to help improve development feasibility by reducing contribution charges and developer costs, and that an action should be added to the SmartGrowth Strategy to acknowledge this work. 20

55 That infrastructure still needs to be fit for purpose and cost effective from an upfront capital perspective and an on-going maintenance and renewal perspective (a whole of life cost perspective). This should also be recognised as an action in the SmartGrowth Strategy. The proposed action is as follows: Action Review on an on-going basis whether growth-related infrastructure costs can be reduced through alternative infrastructure delivery options or reduced levels of service in a manner that ensures infrastructure is still fit for purpose and cost effective from a whole of life cost perspective. Lead agency TCC, WBOPDC The general conclusion, given the limited funding sources available to the local government sector at the moment, is that contribution charges will continue to have an important role in funding growth-related infrastructure in the foreseeable future (subject to funding decisions made by individual Councils). Sub Issue Three: Flexibility for businesses that cannot be accommodated in industrial zones Direction is required on whether SGIC support limited flexibility (Option 2) that would allow industrial businesses that genuinely cannot be satisfactorily accommodated in existing industrial zones to locate in rural areas through appropriate rezoning or resource consent processes that address environmental effects. Alternatively the status quo may be supported (Option One) which has very little flexibility and more or less requires all industrial activities to locate in or adjoin defined industrial zones. 21

56 5. Issue 3: Commercial (Office & Retail) Activities The Commercial Land Report 2012 provides a high-level, comparative review of the earlier Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty Retail and Commercial Strategy Report, Property Economics, March This is in the light of significant global economic changes and a slow down in sub-regional population. Lower projected growth rates result in some changes in the future retail and commercial office markets. Also there are emerging trends in retail and office activity and formats that are relevant to future policy making. The opportunity has also been taken to consult with key companies and individuals involved in the western bay market place on future commercial prospects and provision. Overall Growth Projections The updated SmartGrowth projections indicate an approximate 9% lower population / household growth (to 2051) than used in the 2008 report. It is a subdued growth path rather than a material change in terms of commercial market forecasting of lower retail spend and commercial activity. Commercial Forecasts Lower population growth combined with other factors such as changing labour force participation rates (people working longer), rationalisation of business efficiency, people working from home, and global recession, means a revised more conservative forecast for commercial office floorspace demand to 2026; 310,000sqm (2012) compared to 450,000sqm (2008). The strategic policy response to this should be to steer additional (new and revamped) office floorspace supply into consolidating the investment in the existing commercial centre network rather than supporting out-of-centre leakage. Commercial Office Trends There is an emerging extremely mobile, technologically-savvy commercial labour market; the Generation Y demographic is entering the job market; rapidly advancing mobile technology supports business flexibility; employee floorspace needs are changing; the global financial recession is driving business rationalisation. All these and other drivers will mean a lowering of built floorspace demand and increasing competiveness of office activity. Local service, small offices will be seeking location flexibility. In contrast, there is an increasing push both internationally and nationally for the centralisation of corporate office activity. While this has clear benefits for community social and economic wellbeing by aggregation of social interaction and economic transactions, it must be remembered that the western bay sub-region will be competing for this investment with other cities. Investors on new built-form office space will seek out well located, high amenity locations. In order for the SmartGrowth area to remain competitive urban planning must maintain and enhance existing or planned commercial centres rather than support significant investment in new ones. Some rationalisation of property ownership may be needed and continued business promotion. Additional zoning in response to owner/developer pressures 22

57 should be treated cautiously. This is what the recent District Plan reviews recognise in their objectives and policies. Retail Forecasts The 2012 report has reviewed forecasts in the SmartGrowth area up to It is agreed that longer term retail forecasting (beyond 2026) is less reliable and should only be used to give a general strategic direction. The updated population projections points to a lower annual growth in real retail spend up to 2026 but only a marginal lowering of potential retail floorspace (estimated 106,800sqm), having regard to other retail market changes driven by internet retailing, a high NZ dollar, increasing retail competition and the current recession. Retail Trends The 2012 report recognises the dynamics of changing retail shopping patterns in New Zealand. The key drivers are seen as follows; Retail customer expectation; people expect a good standard of retail goods and services and amenity. Renewal of the retail offer, format, service etc is vital to stay competitive. Increasing specialisation on the one hand or diversification of product in larger format stores / centres on the other hand is unrelenting. Retail centres that do not adapt will struggle. Customer mobility and larger catchments; Improvements in the road network, cheaper cars, more retail choice, regional shopping malls with customer and parking amenity and convenience, shopping as a leisure activity, and store rationalisation drive higher-order purchases into larger centres. Traditional centres will be convenience goods based. The city centre will have to attract and adapt with specialty offer, civic, entertainment and office worker spend and address the perception of inconvenient parking. The (r)etail revolution; Internet retailing allows world-wide customer choice with instant access from home or phone. E-tailing is estimated to reach over 20% of total retail sales over time which effectively reduces the retail expenditure for built-format retail stores (competing for the discretionary dollar spend). However, technology is changing so rapidly that long term predictions should be treated with caution. Conversely, the successful retail stores / centres will be those large enough to provide satisfactory human interaction, meeting places and leisure experiences (with a wider range of activities and services) rather than just generic goods and services. Providing high levels of amenity or social infrastructure (e.g. parks, art gallery, music venues) is becoming important in attracting people to the CBD to shop, meet people and enjoy cultural and recreational experiences which in turn attracts more people to the subregion. Strategically, this further reinforces the need to support and foster the retail hierarchy in the sub-region, to support social and economic wellbeing. Caution should be exercised when considering new large format stores or centres that would not support this policy approach. Local Market Feedback The 2012 review has been further informed by responses to a series of questions of some local business individuals and organisations. 23

58 Tauranga CBD; identified as the crucial centre for long term office and retail growth. Challenges in achieving this are noted, and the public sector is expected to play a leading role in policy direction, convenience and amenity. Planning Strategy; Both SmartGrowth and District Plans are recognised as important strategic documents. The emphasis should be on maintaining and enhancing existing or consented centers and enabling flexibility within this spatial scope. Interpretation and/or clarity of district plan policy were an area of frustration. Commercial Network; there was universal agreement that the identified commercial network (centre-based approach) does have the ability to offer and accommodate future commercial market needs. The caveat expressed was for Councils to adopt a lighter hand in plan implementation, encouraging a market response. 5.1 Issues and options Future Commercial Floorspace The main issue for commercial office policy in the SmartGrowth area in the 2008 Property Economics report was Decentralisation of Office Floorspace. This has been repeated as the main issue in the 2012 review. The reason for this is that office leakage away from established or planned commercial areas into residential and industrial zones for example, undermines the redevelopment potential, productivity and value of the commercial centres and dilutes economic energy over time. In residential zones it frequently displaces what otherwise is likely to be affordable housing. In industrial zones reverse sensitivity can be an issue. The converse of this is the ability, particularly for small businesses, to be more flexible in meeting their own and customer needs in type, scale and location. Future Retail Development The main issues in the 2008 Property Economics report were; Over-supply of retail floorspace Decentralisation of retail floorspace and maintaining a retail centre hierarchy Poor access to convenience retail in suburbs and rural areas Again, the 2012 Report reevaluates these issues. In terms of retail oversupply the 2012 report offers the opinion that there is more than sufficient retail floorspace supplied, consented and proposed in existing commercially zoned areas for the next 20 years, with considerable opportunity for (re)development within current zones. There is an acknowledgement of some further convenience retail in suburban or rural areas viewed to be undersupplied. Also, the increasing influence of internet retailing is noted as a significant demand threat. Overall, the policy direction recommended is to channel physical retail floorspace growth into centres. The reasons are similar to those relating to commercial office above; retail centres are places of social and economic wellbeing, represent considerable public and private investment in physical resources, and dispersal of retail energy / spend should be resisted as it has the propensity further erode centre viability. 24

59 . The main policy options for the SmartGrowth Update in relation to commercial (office and retail) strategic policy are: Option 1: Maintain and enhance the commercial centre-based approach Option 2: Laissez faire and flexibility for commercial offices and retail floorspace The table below sets out the pros and cons of each option: Pros Cons Option 1: Centres based approach Supports sustainability of commercial centres over long term. Directs economic investment / energy into established or planned (or undersupplied) locations to maintain their competiveness Conveys investment certainty to market Supports social and community well being Residential amenity or industrial land resource maintained Places some planning constraint on the location of commercial investment, particularly smaller scale business Costs in consent process for out of zone or rezoning proposals Option 2: Laissez faire Greater business flexibility to respond to market needs and pressures Helps smaller businesses Private investment opportunities for building stock or underused land. Public policy can work with market. Investment in centres might still attract private investment of larger scale development Against strong policy advice to maintain and enhance commercial centres to enhance social and economic wellbeing. Staff support a continuation of the status quo which is Option Direction required Policy direction is required on how future commercial office and retail supply needs are to be sustainably managed having regard to the dynamics of the current and foreseeable market place and to meet the needs of people and communities in the western bay sub-region. This will inform the SmartGrowth Update process and guide public and private sector decisionmaking. Staff favour Option 1 (centres based approach) being maintained. 25

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65 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Low Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: Fiona McTavish, General Manager Strategy Utilising the voluntary sector to deliver Council Outcomes Executive Summary Council received a number of submissions to the Annual Plan 2011/12 that sought Council to consider the use of external parties to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. Council stated it would reconsider the possibility of funding external parties whose activities align to Council s core role and support the well-being of the Bay of Plenty region. This paper explores the role of volunteers and the voluntary sector within our region; looks at the frameworks, policies and funds Council currently has in place; and provides an overview of a selection of regional, national and international approaches currently in use to support the voluntary sector within local government. This paper seeks approval to further investigate options for working with the voluntary sector to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Utilising the voluntary sector to deliver Council Outcomes. 2 Agrees to further investigate options for working with the voluntary sector to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. 3 Confirms that the decision is within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council s strategic planning framework (Council s Ten Year Plan, and planning documents and processes under the Resource Management Act 1991, Biosecurity Act 1993, Land Transport Management Act 2003, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, and Local Government Act 1974 and 2002). 2 Purpose The purpose of this report is to: Explore the role of volunteers and the voluntary sector within our region; Explore the frameworks, policies and funds Council currently has in place; Page 33 of 77

66 Assess regional, national and international approaches currently in use to support the voluntary sector within local government; and Following this, the report recommends further investigation into options for working with the voluntary sector to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. 3 Background Council received a number of submissions to the Annual Plan 2011/12 that sought Council to consider the use of external parties to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. At the time, Council stated: As part of the development of the Ten Year Plan, Council will be considering the use of external parties to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. Council will reconsider whether we fund service providers that support the well-being of the Bay of Plenty region. As part of the Ten Year Plan process Council chose to fund the following two requests: Tauranga Environment Centre; and Surf Life Saving New Zealand 3.1 Tauranga Environment Centre Through the Ten Year Plan process, Council accepted the Tauranga Environment Centre request and provided funding of $27,300 for the Enviro-Hub initiative. It was considered that the Enviro-Hub directly contributes to Council s community involvement outcome and develops a model to independently coordinate volunteer groups. This initiative will be joint funded by the Ministry for the Environment. 3.2 Surf Life Saving New Zealand Through the Ten Year Plan process, Council accepted the Surf Life Saving New Zealand request and provided funding of $10,000 as their work contributes to Council s resilience and safety outcome and assists with enforcing the Navigation Safety Bylaw The Role of Volunteers and the Voluntary Sector in the Bay of Plenty Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) is an association of New Zealand organisations that have a commitment to volunteering, such as volunteer centres, national and other organisations. There are 16 volunteer centres throughout New Zealand working in their local communities as autonomous organisations Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty is our local centre. Currently there are approximately 1,241,000 registered volunteers in New Zealand (34% of the population) 2. There are approximately 2,200 volunteers registered with Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty, of which 1,350 are currently active 3. 2 Based on updated 2006 Census figures from Volunteering New Zealand. 3 Based on figures from Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty. Page 34 of 77

67 These volunteers take part in coastal, estuary, lake, stream and land care groups, Weedbusters and other community groups. Throughout our region there are almost 70 Care Groups involving more than 1500 volunteers. About 870 people are involved in over 30 Coast Care Groups, and about 500 people participate in 12 Estuary Care Groups, with about 130 involved in 24 Land Care Groups. This year we had 80 volunteer wardens who were trained to assist Harbour Masters on lakes and harbours, educating people on safe boating practices. Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty reports a marked increase in the number of people signing up to volunteer, with registrations up from approximately a month (18 months ago) to approximately per month (currently). This growth in volunteering can be attributed to a number of factors but most significantly to increased awareness. Major events such as the Rugby World Cup, the Christchurch earthquakes and the Rena response effort have highlighted the need and role for volunteers. Furthermore, with the field of corporate social responsibility maturing worldwide, there has also been increased interest in corporate volunteering. The advantages of this over traditional investments include visibility, team building and staff training opportunities. Although the practice of volunteering is not specifically covered by statute, organisations and agencies hosting volunteers must comply with all relevant government legislation, including the Employment Relations Act 2000, Human Rights Act 1993, Privacy Act 1993 and Occupational Safety and Health legislation. A recent example of the volunteer sector and in particular how the sector can deliver Council Outcomes was seen in the Rena response effort. 4.1 Rena Response By the end of the public clean-ups, volunteers were recognised as an essential part of the response and were applauded for their efforts and the impact they made. In total there were: 8,000 registered volunteers; 40 corporate/group offers of labour; 57 voluntary caterers; Vehicles and gear loaned or donated; 150 clean-up events; 24,000 hours of volunteer effort; $350,000 worth of Personal Protective Equipment - overalls, shoe covering and gloves; and Collected part of 1,050 tonnes of oily waste. Registered volunteers were invited to take part in an online survey about their Operation Beach Clean experiences. There were many reasons given by respondents for volunteering. The main reasons were encompassed by the concept of kaitiakitanga, such as feeling a sense of duty and responsibility, conservation, a desire to help the community and future generations. Page 35 of 77

68 Respondents overwhelmingly reported that their experience as a volunteer had been positive, and that volunteering had helped them to feel that they belonged to their community. Most respondents agreed that they would be willing to volunteer again both for oil spill clean-up events as well as other types of disaster, and non-disaster, activities. The results of the questionnaire suggest that volunteering helped to unify local communities, showing that the benefit of engaging locals as volunteers in situations of environmental disaster are more considerable than merely expediting its remediation. The whole Bay of Plenty community really got in behind the clean-up and showed their passion for their local beaches. Clean-up efforts would not have progressed so quickly if it wasn't for the overwhelming support from the voluntary sector. 5 Council s Current Framework As part of its Ten Year Plan framework, Council currently undertakes a range of activities that contribute to the achievement of Council Outcomes (see Appendix One). 5.1 Environmental Enhancement Fund Council s Environmental Enhancement Fund (EEF) supports local projects that aim to enhance, preserve or protect the region's natural or historic character. Council provides seed funding for community-based projects that: Improve the environment; Raise environmental awareness; and Use the enthusiasm and skills of the community. EEF focuses on projects that look at public access of, the public's understanding of, and the natural or historic character of the environment. Projects must meet the screening criteria and are then scored against the assessment criteria. Funding for more than $10,000 is allocated through a contestable annual funding round and less than $10,000 can be applied for all-year-round. EEF has $166,000 (for grants of less than $10,000 only) for allocation in the 2012/13 year and $310,000 (for grants of up to $30,000) in years thereafter. 5.2 Policy on partnerships with the private sector Council was previously required to adopt a policy that signalled the commitment of resources to partnerships between the Council and the private sector under section 102(4)(e) and section 107 of the Local Government Act (LGA) Council s policy was adopted as part of the Ten Year Plan From 1 July 2012, this policy was no longer required (as it was repealed by section 24 of the LGA 2002 Amendment Act) and has since become void. 6 Local Government Approaches to the Voluntary Sector There are a vast number of models currently in use to support the voluntary sector within local government and this paper is not intended to be a comprehensive study of government-funded community grant schemes across the board. Rather, it aims to provide an overview of key features of different local government approaches to support the voluntary sector (See Appendix Two). Page 36 of 77

69 6.1 Regional Examples Many of the territorial authorities within the Bay of Plenty region (Whakatāne, Western Bay, Rotorua and Kawerau) have a community funding policy/grant scheme in place. Although the size of the budget differs, the purpose remains consistent; to support not-forprofit groups and organisations with projects that benefit the district and the community, and align with the strategic objectives of the Ten Year Plan. The aim is to offer access to funding and in-kind support to community groups who enlist volunteers and work on projects and initiatives that are consistent with the core activities and outcomes of Council. Total annual budgets range from $12,000 to $150,000 and are subject to change each year as part of each Council s Annual Plan development process. This approach implements a formalised process for the allocation of community funding. In doing so it provides clarity, transparency and consistency around what can be funded and what value is being added. However, it would be an additional function for Council which would require supplementary funding or a reallocation of funds and additional staff time for administration and evaluation of applications. It is worth noting that this approach uses a similar process to that of Council s Environmental Enhancement Fund. As Council already has this base framework in place, there is the potential to consider expanding its reach. Council may also be able to identify opportunities to reduce its spend in other areas by acting as a facilitator of services, rather than a direct provider. It would enable Council to create new relationships and work in partnership with other organisations and groups. This approach puts more emphasis on Community-led projects and assists to build the capacity of community organisations and not-for-profit groups. 6.2 National Examples On a national scale, the most mentionable example is Auckland Council s Draft Community Funding Policy which was adopted in April However, as a result of feedback from the community, the implementation of the draft policy has been deferred until 2013/14 to allow more time for development. Auckland Council proposed that grants are allocated through various funds depending on the nature of the activities and their geographical location. Other Councils throughout New Zealand with similar funds in place include, but are not limited to, Palmerston North, Whangarei, Manawatu, Dunedin, Hamilton and Waitomo. The purpose of these funds and policies is to provide financial support to the community and voluntary sector, while simultaneously ensuring the delivery of community outcomes with the most efficient use of resources available. This approach bears many similarities to the policies and funds currently in operation in the Bay of Plenty region. There is increasing pressure on local authorities for funding of community development projects and as the requests for assistance increase, it has become necessary for Councils to prioritise which projects they will contribute to. This has led to a recent rise in community assistance policies which often cover a number of contestable funds. 6.3 International Examples As well as offering community grant schemes similar to those currently being used in New Zealand, the international scene provides community matching funds as another option. Matching programmes encourage genuine community participation and ownership by matching (dollar for dollar) the value of what the community contributes to the project, for Page 37 of 77

70 here to enter text. example volunteer labour, donated materials, and donated professional services or cash. Such programmes are in operation in Sydney, Seattle and Edinburgh. All projects are community-driven - initiated, planned and implemented by community members in partnership with the local authority. Support for such projects builds a greater sense of community, enhances well-being and strengthens relationships between the community and the local authority. Since 1988, Seattle s Neighbourhood Matching Fund has awarded more than $49 million to more than 4,000 projects throughout Seattle, generated an additional $72 million of community match, and engaged more than 86,000 volunteers who have donated over 574,000 hours. This approach allows resources to be multiplied as government resources leverage the community s resources. The value of the community being so involved is that they re invested in the outcome and more holistic and innovative solutions result. The value of the community match aspect means that projects that have genuine and significant community support are more likely to succeed. It signals community commitment to and investment in the project or initiative. Development can then occur that is appropriate to the unique character of neighbourhoods and the culture of community. This approach strengthens and builds the capacity of the community. As with the previous approaches, this would be an additional function for Council which would require supplementary funding or a reallocation of funds and additional staff time for administration and evaluation of applications. 7 Conclusion and Recommendation It can be seen from examples in the Bay of Plenty, nationally and internationally that the volunteer sector has an important part to play in communities and can offer a genuine opportunity to deliver council outcomes and enable Council s to better interact and engage with their communities. It is recommended that further research and assessment be carried out to determine options for working with the voluntary sector to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes. Once options have been developed, a further paper will be presented to a subsequent meeting of this Committee. 8 Financial Implications Current Budget The cost to determine options for working with the voluntary sector to deliver activities that contribute to Council Outcomes will be met from existing staff budgets. There are no financial implications on the current budget as a result of this report. Future Implications There are no financial implications on the future budget as a result of this report. Tessa Stone Planner for General Manager Strategy 16 October 2012 Click Page 38 of 77

71 $Appendi xone_councils $ APPENDIX 1 Council's Current Framework - Activities that contribute to the achievement of Council Outcomes APPENDIX 1 - App endix One - Coun cil' s Cu rrent Framewo rk - Activities th at contribute to the achievement of Coun cil Outcomes. Page 39 of 77

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73 Objective ID: A Appendix One: Council s Current Framework Activities that contribute to the achievement of Council Outcomes Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Sustainable Land Management Implement the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Strategy, to prevent the establishment of new plant and animal pests and minimise the impact of ones already present. Implement the Regional Policy Statement, Regional Water and Land Plan, Rotorua Lakes Action Plans, Tauranga Harbour Integrated Management Strategy, Tauranga Catchment Action Plans, Kaituna Maketū Strategy and Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy to reduce the impacts of erosion and sedimentation, diffuse nutrient pollution and intensive land use in our harbours, rivers and streams, and on our soils. Work with landowners to ensure that remaining significant areas of indigenous biodiversity within the Bay of Plenty are protected Work with landowners to encourage sustainable land use and management practices. Sustainable Coastal Management Manage mangrove expansion to ensure that ecological and amenity values of sand-flat and saltmarsh habitats are protected. Work with community groups and adjoining landowners to ensure that harbour margins are protected. Work with community groups and adjoining landowners to ensure that the regions coastal dune systems are protected. Manage marine oil pollution response to prevent or mitigate the environmental effects of marine oil spills. Sustainable Air Management Manage, coordinate and implement the Rotorua Air Quality Action Plan to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. Resource Regulation Educate and enable compliance with rules of regional plans; and undertake proactive pollution prevention initiatives. Respond to environmental complaints, incidents and unauthorised activities, including operation of a 24-hour toll-free pollution hotline. Process resource consent applications under the Resource Management Act 1991 and our Regional Plans to ensure adverse effects on the environment are avoided, remedied or mitigated. 1

74 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Sustainable Land Management Implement the Regional Policy Statement, Regional Water and Land Plan, Rotorua Lakes Action Plans, Tauranga Harbour Integrated Management Strategy, Tauranga Catchment Action Plans, Kaituna Maketū Strategy and Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy to reduce the impacts of erosion and sedimentation, diffuse nutrient pollution and intensive land use in our harbours, rivers and streams, and on our soils. Work with landowners to protect significant areas of indigenous biodiversity within the Bay of Plenty to ensure that the water quality benefits that these areas provide are sustained. Work with the forestry sector to ensure that forest management practices are adopted that minimise erosion and sediment loss to waterways. Implement the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Strategy to prevent plant and animal pests from degrading our water quality and coastal environments. Sustainable Water Management Deliver the Rotorua Lakes Programme by meeting water quality objectives set in the Regional Water and Land Plan, giving effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater, and delivering on policies contained within the proposed Regional Policy Statement. Set and manage in-stream minimum flows to maintain the ecological, cultural and amenity values of the region s waterways. Determine the sustainable allocation limits of water resources. Sustainable Coastal Management Implement the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement, the Bay of Plenty Regional Coastal Environment Plan, the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy and the Kaituna/Maketū Ongatoro Strategy. Coordinate the implementation and review of the Tauranga Harbour Integrated Management Strategy. Resource Regulation Monitor the impacts of selected major discharge consents (industrial and municipal wastewater) on the receiving environment. Educate and promote compliance with rules of regional plans. Apply and enforce consent conditions to either maintain or improve the water quality of the region s waterways. 2

75 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Governance and Accountability: Develop and monitor our Ten Year Plans and Annual Plans. Strategic Policy: Develop, maintain and monitor statutory and non-statutory policy, strategies, plans and initiatives Advocate for integrated regional resource management by commenting on and making submissions on district consent applications, district plans, Central Government Bills and other policy from Local and Central Government. Provide responsive policy advice on emerging issues and matters of importance to the community. Develop and maintain transport planning strategies and plans to ensure growth pressures placed on the transport network from population increases are managed in a sustainable way. 3

76 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Sustainable Land Management Develop and implement integrated catchment management best-practice and biodiversity management plans. Provide advice and information on monitoring, control and management options for biosecurity measures on private land, e.g. risks of new pest incursions due to climate change. Provide advice in managing and finding solutions to reduce the impacts of erosion and sedimentation, diffuse nutrient pollution and intensive land use on our water bodies and soils. Provide advice and information on managing the impacts of intensive land use on the productive capacity of our soils Provide advice and information on building more resilience to the impacts of climate change into our land management systems. Sustainable Water Management Investigate water quantity in our groundwater aquifers, and streams and rivers. Sustainable Coastal Management Establish and implement coastal management and research partnerships with the University of Waikato Chair in Coastal Science, Intercoast Research Centre / Bremen University, Taha Moana FoRST funded project and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic programmes. Scope, prepare and implement initiatives for the integrated management of the coastal environment, including preparing for and adapting to the effects of climate change. Regional Monitoring Provide information on the current state of, and trends in, the environment through the Natural Environment Regional Monitoring Network (NERMN). Carry out scientific research where there are specific resource management issues. Rivers, Drainage and Flood Management Provide civil and environmental engineering and design advice on rivers and drainage flood risks and levels, and flood hazard mitigation within the Bay of Plenty. 4

77 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Sustainable Communities Contribute to the effective provision of services, assets and personnel under the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan. Sustainable Coastal Management Enforce the Navigation Safety Bylaw and maintain the New Zealand Port and Harbour Marine Safety Code. Rivers, Drainage and Flood Management Maintain rivers and drainage schemes in the region, consisting of flood protection stopbanks, stream clearing, straightening and construction of floodways, lake-level monitoring, flood pump stations, floodgates and erosion control structures. Provide engineering and technical advice on flood management, flood risk and flood hazard mitigation. 5

78 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Sustainable Land Management Implement the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Strategy to protect the region s economically important sectors such as agriculture, forestry and horticulture from pest plant and animal species. Work with landowners on land-use and management practices to uphold the productive capacity and specific natural characteristics of soil, land and waterways. Sustainable Water Management Determine the quantity of the region s freshwater and manage geothermal resources to ensure that allocation of the resources is sustainable and that it contributes to economic development. Support University of Waikato chair of Science research for Rotorua Lakes. Sustainable Coastal Management Support the Intercoast research facility in Tauranga Harbour, a partnership between the University of Waikato and Bremen University to research coastal management issues in the Bay of Plenty. Manage the interface between the Port of Tauranga and recreational use and enjoyment of Tauranga Harbour. Resource Regulation Issue and manage resource consents so that economic growth is balanced with social, cultural and environmental responsibility. Sustainable Regional Development Develop, maintain and monitor the Bay of Connections economic development strategy, Bay of Plenty Aquaculture Strategy, Energy Strategy, Forestry and Wood-processing Strategy, and the Supply Chain, Distribution and Logistics Strategy. Rivers, Drainage and Flood Management Maintain six major rivers and drainage schemes, and a number of minor river and drainage schemes, allowing for prosperous use of private land and protection of infrastructure, and consequent contribution to the region s economy. 6

79 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Strategic Policy Prepare and implement the Regional Land Transport Strategy, Regional Land Transport Programme and Regional Passenger Transport Plan. Sustainable Transport Plan, contract, part fund and monitor passenger transport and mobility services in the region, such as the Bay Hopper buses. 7

80 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Strategic Policy Develop and maintain the Bay of Plenty Regional Land Transport Strategy to ensure route security for the movement of goods to and from the region, including improved transport linkages with the Port of Tauranga. Sustainable Regional Development Maintain and implement actions in the Bay of Plenty s economic development strategy; Bay of Connections and provide advice and support to the Bay of Connection s management and governance groups. Develop, maintain and monitor the Bay of Plenty Aquaculture Strategy, Energy Strategy, Forestry and Wood-processing Strategy, and the Supply Chain, Distribution and Logistics Strategy. Provide financial assistance to enable regional infrastructure development to be accelerated, improved in quality with regard to delivering outcomes, or increased in scope, beyond what it otherwise would be. 8

81 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Strategic Policy Implement and review the SmartGrowth Strategy, a plan for growth management in the western Bay of Plenty sub-region. Sustainable Regional Development Build and maintain key relationships within the region, and across the country including central and local governments, economic development agencies (EDAs), enterprise and business agencies, and industry. Maintain and implement relevant actions in the Bay of Plenty s economic development strategy; Bay of Connections. Develop, maintain and implement as relevant the Bay of Plenty Aquaculture Strategy, Energy Strategy, Forestry and Wood-processing Strategy, and the Supply Chain, Distribution and Logistics Strategy. Provide financial assistance to enable regional infrastructure development to be accelerated, improved in quality with regard to delivering outcomes, or increased in scope, beyond what it otherwise would be. 9

82 Objective ID: A Examples of our activities and the regional collaboration initiatives Council is involved in, which contribute to achieving this outcome: Strategic Policy Convene and administer the Regional Transport Committee, which includes representatives from Bay of Plenty Regional Council, district/city councils, New Zealand Transport Agency and others as set out in the Land Transport Management Act. The Committee is required to prepare and maintain the Regional Land Transport Strategy and Regional Land Transport Programme. Participate as a partner in the SmartGrowth initiative, a plan for managing growth in the western Bay of Plenty sub-region. It is led by the Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and Tangata Whenua who work with community groups and government agencies such as the NZ Transport Agency. Sustainable Communities Participate as a partner in the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, contributing to the effective provision of services, assets and personnel on behalf of the CDEM group in meeting obligations as defined under CDEM Act 2002 and as required by the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan. Sustainable Water Management Participate as a partner with Rotorua District Council and Te Arawa Lakes Trust in the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group. The Group is responsible for a significant programme of water quality protection and restoration for the 12 Rotorua lakes. The partnership has assisted in securing significant central government support and resources. Bay of Plenty Local Authorities Shared Services (BoPLASS) BoPLASS is a company owned by the seven local authorities in the Bay of Plenty Region as well as Taupo District Council and Gisborne District Council. It develops shared services and joint procurement initiatives to provide improved levels of service, reduced costs, improved efficiency and/or increased value through innovation. Collaboration Bay of Plenty (CoBoP) CoBoP is a network of managers from local and central government agencies serving the Bay of Plenty region. The purpose of the CoBoP network is to promote the achievement of local and regional community wellbeing through effective co-operation and collaboration, and efficient use of resources. 10

83 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Strategic Policy Recognise Kaitiakitanga and Statutory Acknowledgements of iwi and tribal groups in the region through the RPS, Regional Plans and various strategies. Incorporate recognition of the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral taonga in the Regional Policy Statement and in regional plans. Work with Tangata Whenua as partners on the SmartGrowth Implementation Committee. Sustainable Communities Promote the value of the three Māori seats and the respective Māori constituent Councillors members, and hold Māori Committee meetings on marae across the region. Develop and maintain relationships with iwi that have Treaty settlements or are progressing Treaty claims across the Bay of Plenty region. Take into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi and foster the capacity of Māori to contribute to decision-making processes. Support the development of hapū/iwi management plans. Provide sponsorship for iwi members to receive resource management training. Work with Tangata Whenua as key partners for the management of current and future regional parks, for example through the Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park Memorandum of Understanding and the Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park Advisory Committee. Manage the He Matapuna Akoranga a Hawea Vercoe - Hawea Vercoe Commemoration Fund to provide seed funding of Bay of Plenty Kura Kaupapa Maori, Kohanga Reo and bilingual schools for projects that deliver environmental enhancement. Sustainable Land Management Support or hold hui with tangata whenua across the region on sustainable land management issues. Form partnerships with Tūhoe Putaiao Trust in the upper Whakatane River catchment, Tūhoe Tuawhenua Trust and Maungapōhatu Trust and Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy partners - Ngati Awa, Whakatohea, Upokorehe, Ngāi Tūhoe. Sustainable Water Management Continue to work with Te Arawa Lakes Trust as a key partner in the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group. Iwi and Hapu are key partners for specific projects in specific locations. Sustainable Coastal Management Receive input from relevant iwi/hapū as kaitiaki for Estuary Care programmes. Implement the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy with local iwi as Partner Forum members. Provide assistance to Manaaki Taha Moana project monitoring and access to council research and information for Tauranga Harbour. 11

84 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we will do to achieve this outcome: Governance and Accountability Define Council s role in contributing to social well-being Our current contribution to social well-being is usually indirect, for example we: Provide people with transport options according to their needs through the provision of public transport and the total mobility scheme Preserve the character and quality of life in the Bay of Plenty, enhance public access to and enjoyment of the environment, preserve cultural heritage and provide leisure and recreation opportunities through our regional parks Promote greater understanding and awareness amongst the general community of the importance of Māori culture and traditions in the region Recognise, provide for and take into account Māori culture and traditions and the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in the work we do Provide mechanisms to enhance the capacity of Māori to contribute to decision making processes Facilitate regional economic development to raise the socio-economic profile of the Bay of Plenty by funding regional infrastructure and through our role in the Bay of Connections Group Support community initiatives and enthusiasm in caring for the environment Work collaboratively with other agencies, organisations, iwi and local authorities Provide navigation safety making our waterways safe for leisure and recreation use by the community Plan to investigate how community disadvantage contributes to environmental issues Protect key infrastructure including roading networks, hospitals, sewage treatment facilities, water supplies and other utilities, as well as private properties, from flooding through river and stream flood management systems. 12

85 Objective ID: A Activities and examples of the work we do to achieve this outcome: Governance and Accountability Facilitate community involvement through presentations and hearings at Council and Committee meetings. Sustainable Communities Provide seed funding for community-driven projects through the Environmental Enhancement Fund, that help to improve the environment, raise environmental awareness, and use the enthusiasm and skills of the community. Build and maintain relationships with community, tangata whenua and agencies as partners in the on-going management of both the Ōhiwa and Pāpāmoa park properties. Provide communications support and advice to build community awareness, involvement, engagement and education to help achieve the sustainable development of the region. Sustainable Land Management Work with landowners to implement sustainable land use and management practices e.g. riparian management plans, nutrient management and erosion control. Provide assistance to community and research projects with landowners and rural sector industries, such as collaborative projects under the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund. Support national and regional community initiatives to manage pest plants and animals according to the objectives of the Regional Pest Management Strategy. Enter into Biodiversity Protection Programme partnerships with landowners for indigenous biodiversity sites. Support the protection of indigenous biodiversity by landowners and the community with a focus on those sites of highest ecological and/or community value. This protection involves exclusion of domestic stock, control of pests that threaten the ecological values of a site and planting and restoration of specific sites. Sustainable Water Management Support community based projects for each of the Rotorua lakes. Sustainable Coastal Management Work with Coast Care Groups to maintain the natural character and effectiveness of our coastal dune systems and with Estuary Care Groups to maintain the natural character and amenity values of Tauranga Harbour. Facilitate external liaison and technical advisory groups for Tauranga Harbour. Resource Regulation Work with industrial site operators (for example) to reduce the amount of contaminants entering waterways via storm water drains; the waste industry and on-site wastewater companies on proactive pollution prevention. 13

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87 $Appendi xt woover vi ewo $ APPENDIX 2 Overview of Local Government Approaches to support the Voluntary Sector - Regionally, Nationally and Internationally APPENDIX 2 - App endix T wo - Overview of Lo cal Govern ment Ap pro ach es to support th e Volunt ary Sector - R egio nally, N ation ally and Intern ation ally Page 41 of 77

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89 Objective ID: A Appendix Two: Overview of Local Government Approaches to the support the Voluntary Sector Regionally, Nationally and Internationally Regional Examples Council Policy/Fund Name Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants Total budget 2012/13 Eligibility Timing Whakatāne District Council Western Bay of Plenty District Council Rotorua District Council Community Funding Policy Discretionary Community Grants Community Grants Scheme March 2009 Currently being reviewed (approved for consultation with the Community Boards and Iwi Liaison Committee). Not specified Not specified To support groups and individuals to meet local needs and increase participation in local activities. To ensure that funding to community organisations is provided with a focus on transparency, equity, consistency and community outcomes. To offer support to organisations and individuals with an activity or project that fits with Council s Long Term Plan and that benefits the residents and ratepayers of the Western Bay of Plenty District. To support the work of voluntary organisations to provide social and Funding range not specified. Annually as a oneoff, or for a period of up to three years. One substantial grant of 50% of the total fund may be awarded. As a general rule single $150,000 Only community groups and voluntary organisations domiciled in the Whakatane District area and providing a service to the general public of the Whakatane District are eligible for consideration for Community Grants. $12,000 Organisations or individuals who can demonstrate that the activity, project or service: Fits with Council s District Vision Will result in a mainly public benefit to the residents and ratepayers of the Western Bay of Plenty District. $38,475 You can apply for funding if: You are a voluntary/not for profit organisation, and Applications for Community Grants open on 1 July and close on 31 July of each year. There will be one allocation round for 2012/13 applications closed 14 September 2012 Applications closed 13 April

90 Objective ID: A Council Policy/Fund Name Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants Total budget 2012/13 Eligibility Timing Kawerau District Council Community Grant Scheme Not specified community projects and services within the Rotorua District. To enhance the well-being of Kawerau people by supporting groups and/or services that improve the quality of life of Kawerau residents. grants will not exceed $2,500. Up to $3,000 You are involved in community/social services or projects, and You can demonstrate your ability to manage the project/service, and Your project is not eligible for Creative Communities New Zealand funding. $16,550 Any non-profit organisation which has the ability to deliver a project that has a significant benefit to the people within our Community may apply. Applicants must: Demonstrate that the request will fulfil a community need. Provide evidence that the project is financially viable i.e. the project will proceed. Provide a full budget breakdown for the project and provide an up to date balance sheet. From 2013 grants will be allocated on a 3 year cycle. The major funding round is distributed in July of each year. Applications received outside of this period are subject to funding availability. 2

91 Objective ID: A National Examples Council Auckland Council Palmerston North City Council Policy/Fund Name Draft Community Funding Policy Community Funding Policy Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants Draft adopted April As a result of feedback from the community, the implementation of the Draft Community Funding Policy has been deferred until 2013/14 to allow more time for development. June 2012 To provide funding to a range of community groups and organisations that deliver services and activities consistent with Council s strategic objectives, whilst ensuring the decisionmaking process is transparent, accountable and equitable. To support the development of the City s voluntary and community sector, simultaneously ensuring that the Council s resources are targeted at meeting its strategic outcomes and getting best use of the Total budget Eligibility 2012/13 Wide variety of - Community groups or funds with organisations should display different funding several of the following ranges. characteristics: be a not-for-profit For example: organisation, or an association of persons Community whose primary aim is Group Assistance providing services and Fund - $2,500 to benefits to the $25,000. community at large membership or Community Wellbeing participation is available Fund - to anyone who wishes to $1,500 - $3,000. join may be special interest or advocacy groups for particular sections of the community, but the group or organisation should not impose restrictions upon membership. Not specified $825,400 Contracting is the preferred way for the Council to fund not-for-profit agencies to deliver on the Council s strategic priorities. Council will seek proposals from the community sector on how they will deliver Council s priority outcomes. Timing Grants are allocated through various funds depending on the nature of the activities and their geographical location. Most funds offer two funding rounds each year. In addition, local and multi-board decision-making will occur three times a year. Council will agree its priority outcomes for social and cultural wellbeing in parallel to its Ten Year Plan programme (every three years) and seek proposals accordingly. 3

92 Objective ID: A Council Whangarei District Council Policy/Fund Name Community Funding Policy Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants resources available. February 2010 To support community organisations to deliver community outcomes and a healthy social infrastructure. Community Funding will be provided in a fair, equitable and transparent manner and with organisations/ activities that will maximise outputs for Council. The maximum funding limits for applications are generally defined by the cost of the project. Funding limits: <$ % $2,001 $15,000 75% $15, % Total budget 2012/13 There are several different funds which groups and organisations can apply to. The Community Fund - $100,000 (maximum grant $10,000) Eligibility This process will be open to any groups operating in the City. To be eligible to apply for funding, applicants must: be a not for profit organisation and generally have legal status, or be working under an umbrella group which meets these criteria not have a bad credit record display appropriate financial management and procedures have a positive previous track record of funding from Council. Timing A call for expressions of interest will open in October 2012 and the new funding arrangements will be in place from July Each fund will generally be open for applications for limited periods each year. This information will be posted on Council s website. The Community Fund has two rounds per year with closing dates in October and April. Manawatu District Council Community Development Funding Policy January 2009 (currently being reviewed) To provide financial assistance to community organisations and groups in the community who wish to undertake projects that aim to enhance community well-being, seeking to improve Not specified - Must be a not-for-profit organisation based in the Manawatu District area Positively contributes towards the Council s outcomes and the social and/or cultural well-being of the Manawatu District. Evidence of the community need and Applications for community development funding will be accepted at any time throughout the year; decisions are generally made within 6 weeks upon receipt of an 4

93 Objective ID: A Council Dunedin City Council Hamilton City Council Policy/Fund Name Community Grants Scheme Community Assistance Framework and Funding Policies Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants outcomes for the community. September 2011 March 2008 To develop a supportive city, which is stronger, more selfreliant and cohesive; where residents feel included, and connected to their wider community to improve the social and community well-being in Dunedin. To provide assistance to not-for-profit groups and not-forprofit programmes that aligns with the Community Plan and to build the capacity of community groups to $500-$2,000 per project Total budget Eligibility 2012/13 benefits of the project. Can demonstrate sustainability in funding and resource base. If applying for a grant, the organisation can contribute a significant portion of the total cost of the project (voluntary effort can be considered). - Aimed at non-profit organisations (preferably incorporated societies or trusts) that serve the social, educational, cultural and environmental wellbeing and development of the community. Applicants must contribute at least 30% of the cost of the project for which they are applying. Contributions may include donated material and professional services. Up to $10, Timing application Funds are available twice a year. The deadlines for all schemes are the last working Fridays in March and September. 5

94 Objective ID: A Council Waitomo District Council Policy/Fund Name Community Development Fund Policy Discretionary Grants Community Partnership Fund Adopted Purpose Funding range for grants create a strong community base for Hamilton City. September 2011 To assist 'not for profit' The value of community grants will be organisations determined on a that undertake case by case basis projects and (up to 50% of the development activities capital costs of which significantly the project) benefit the residents of communities within the Waitomo District. Total budget 2012/13 The budget will be set each year as part of Council s Annual Plan development process. Eligibility Grants will be made to: Projects that align with or support Waitomo District Council s Community Outcomes, and can provide evidence detailing how their project can make a positive impact on community wellbeing. Organisations and groups that offer their facilities or services for the benefit or enjoyment of all Waitomo residents. Organisations and groups, who invest time in helping address social issues within the Waitomo District. Groups who have a proven track record in their area of operation and can show community support for their project. Timing Once per annum (with an option of a second round). 6

95 Objective ID: A International Examples Organisation City of Sydney Policy/Fund Name Local Community Grants Program Local Action Plans Matching Grants Program Adopted Purpose - To support cultural and community projects, events and activities occurring within the City of Sydney Local Government Area. To foster or provide new services, initiatives and resources which address the needs of the City community. To encourage increased participation in local community and cultural activities, building a greater sense of community. Priority is given to applications which demonstrate genuine community involvement or need and that help the City further the aims of Sustainable Sydney 2030 at a local level. To support projects that involve genuine community participation. By matching what the community contributes to the project the City is building or strengthening partnerships between the City and the community, supporting the community identified projects and building a sense of community as people work together on the Project funding amount Up to $5,000 - Up to $10,000 Funding available Eligibility An organisation must: be not-for-profit; be an incorporated body, or be auspiced (sponsored) by one; offer a project in the City of Sydney, or primarily for the City of Sydney community (minimum of 75% participants from the LGA); acquit previous City of Sydney grants and have no outstanding reporting requirements; and have no outstanding debts, legal or compliance matters with the City. - An organisation or group must: Demonstrate an ability to match (in cash or in kind) the value of the contribution requested from the City Be not-for-profit and community focused; Offer a project in the City of Sydney, and primarily Timing This is a biannual program for which applications are accepted twice a year. Applications accepted all year round. 7

96 Objective ID: A Organisation Department for Communities, Government of Western Australia Policy/Fund Name Community Activity Grants Program Delivering Community Services in Partnership Policy Adopted Purpose project. July 2011 To provide opportunities for community organisations to develop and facilitate projects that meet the following priorities: Create initiatives for children and families Promote strong, participative communities Strengthen partnerships with non government organisations Target equality of opportunity, social inclusion and respect. Project funding amount Up to $2,500 - Funding available Eligibility for the City of Sydney community (a minimum of 75 per cent participants from the LGA); Acquit previous City of Sydney grants and have no outstanding debts to the City of Sydney. All applicants need to be an incorporated, not-for-profit organisation or Local Government Authority, or have the support of one. Projects aimed at: Strengthening relationships between non-government community sector providers. Enhancing the capacity of non-government community sector providers to deliver services to the community. Developing and establishing networks between non-government community sector providers, government, business and the community. Responding to identified Timing Applications may be submitted at any time. 8

97 Objective ID: A Organisation Seattle Department of Neighbourhood s, USA City of Edinburgh Council - Neighbourhood Partnership Policy/Fund Name Neighbourhood Matching Fund Community Grants Fund Adopted Purpose Created in Revised in January To provide neighbourhood groups with City resources for communitydriven projects that enhance and strengthen their own neighbourhoods. All projects are initiated, planned and implemented by community members in partnership with the City. Every award is matched by neighbourhoods or communities resources of volunteer labour, donated materials, donated professional services or cash. - To encourage small scale activity that benefits local communities and supports the work of Neighbourhood Partnerships and their Local Community Plans. Project funding amount Small Sparks Fund - up to $1,000 Small and Simple Projects Fund -up to $20,000 Large Projects Fund - up to $100,000 Up to 5,000 - Funding available Eligibility community related issues/needs that are aligned with the department s strategic priorities. - All applicant groups must actively engage diverse community members, and be significantly composed of people who live and/or work in Seattle. Projects must: Provide a public benefit and be free and open to all members of the public. Emphasize self-help, with project ideas initiated, planned, and implemented by community members who will be impacted by the project. Demonstrate community match. Occur within the Seattle city limits. Any constituted voluntary organisation or community group operating in the City of Edinburgh, in a Neighbourhood Partnership area, that has: a constitution or articles of association Timing Small Sparks Fund applications accepted yearround. Small and Simple Projects Fund application deadlines in March and October Large Projects Fund application deadline in July Open for applications throughout the year (subject to availability of funds). 9

98 Objective ID: A Organisation Community Development Foundation, UK Policy/Fund Name Community First - Neighbourhood Matched Fund programme Adopted Purpose 2011 (will run for four years, until March 2015) To help communities come together, become more resilient, and make their local area a better place to live. To provide local communities with the means to address their own priorities. To encourage people to give time, expertise and resources to local projects. The government will match these pound for pound, helping to stimulate local action towards meeting community needs. Project funding amount Funding available - 30 million Eligibility a bank account in the name of the group, requiring at least two signatories for cheque transactions or cash withdrawals. The funds will be distributed to 600 areas across England, which have been selected according to several criteria. Each of the 600 areas will have their own panel, comprised of local people to represent their community. They will be involved in creating a plan for the local area, raising awareness of the funds, and planning how they will match and spend the money. It is a matched fund programme, which means that every 1 provided in funding must be matched by a similar amount of in-kind donations (this means donations of cash, services, free products or volunteer time). Timing - 10

99 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Low Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: Garry Maloney, Transport Policy Manager Submission on the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill- Public Transport Components Executive Summary This paper seeks approval from the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee to submit on the public transport components in the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Submission on the Land Transport Management Amendment Bill- Public Transport Components. 2 Agrees to forward the submission, subject to any changes as a result of this meeting, to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee. 3 Note that the Regional Transport Committee is making a submission on other aspects of the Bill, excluding the public transport components. 4 Confirms that the decision is within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council s strategic planning framework (Council s Ten Year Plan, and planning documents and processes under the Resource Management Act 1991, Biosecurity Act 1993, Land Transport Management Act 2003, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, and Local Government Act 1974 and 2002). 1 Introduction The Land Transport Management Amendment Bill (the Bill) had its first reading in Parliament on 11 September The Bill was then referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee, who have called for submissions. The Bill has three main components. Firstly it proposes changes to the planning and funding framework. Secondly it proposes changes to the framework for assessing toll road schemes. Finally, it seeks to establish in legislation a new policy framework for building a long-term partnership between regional councils and public transport operators, known as the public transport operating model (PTOM). Page 43 of 77

100 A response to the first two components of the Bill will be considered by the Council s Regional Transport Committee (RTC) on 19 October A copy of the draft RTC submission is enclosed in the Agenda for that meeting which Councillors should have received. Attached to this paper is a draft submission on the public transport components of the Bill. The Bill will establish a new policy framework for planning and contracting public transport, known as PTOM. The model was developed following a review of the Public Transport Management Act The Bill will require all bus, ferry and rail services in a region to be segmented into units 4 and provided under exclusive contract to the regional council. Regional councils will be required to identify in their regional public transport plans the units, the policies on procuring units, and the public transport services, taxis and shuttles that the regional council intends to assist financially. The Bill will also repeal the Public Transport Management Act 2008 and move across the relevant public transport provisions in to the Land Transport Management Act. This is proposed to improve accessibility for users of land transport management legislation. 2 Submission Development The submission has been prepared by Regional Council staff and has taken into consideration discussions held with the Regional Transport Officers group, which represents regional council public transport staff from across the country. Feedback from the Regional Advisory Group (which represents local authority transport staff in the Bay of Plenty) has also been taken on board. Once approved by the Committee the submission will be forwarded to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee. 3 Submission Summary In summary the submission discusses the following issues: 1. the level of prescription in Part Five- Public Transport compared to the rest of the Bill. 2. The removal of references to the development of an integrated public transport network. 3. The role of the Regional Public Transport Plan. 4. Exclusion of certain services from the definition of public transport services which may impact on the concept of exclusive operation of units. 5. Consideration of the role of school bus services in the PTOM. 4 Financial Implications Current Budget There are no current financial implications. 4 A unit is one or more routes and must be specified in the RPTP Page 44 of 77

101 here to enter text. Future Implications There are no future financial implications of forwarding the submission. There may be cost implications as a result of the Bill being enacted, such as the redevelopment of the Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan. Rachel Gibson Senior Planner (Transport) for Transport Policy Manager 16 October 2012 Click Page 45 of 77

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103 APPENDIX - L TMA Bill Public T ran spo rt Op erating Mod el $LTM ABill PT $ APPENDIX LTMA Bill Public Transport Operating Model Page 47 of 77

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105 The Land Transport Management Amendment Bill- Public Transport Components Submission from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council 23 October 2012 The Bay of Plenty Regional Transport Committee has provided a submission on Parts One to Four of the Land Transport Amendment Bill (the Bill) which covers the planning and funding and tolling components. This submission supports the RTC submission and provides more detailed comments on the public transport components in Part Five of the Bill. The main issues for the submission are: 1. The level of prescription in Part Five of the Bill compared with Part One to Four 2. The removal of references to the development of an integrated public transport network 3. The role of the Regional Public Transport Plan 4. Exclusion of certain services from the definition of public transport services which may impact on the concept of exclusivity. 5. Consideration of the role of school bus services in the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) Overview of Public Transport Services in the Bay of Plenty Public transport services in the Bay of Plenty include urban services in Tauranga and Rotorua and a number of long distance services which provide access for rural communities. In recent years, Bay of Plenty services have demonstrated strong patronage growth. Patronage on services in Rotorua and Tauranga grew at an average annual rate of 16% between 2004/05 and 2010/11. Customer satisfaction surveys rate the overall service performance at 82% for Tauranga and 90% for Rotorua. The Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan 2012 (RPTP 2012) sets a farebox recovery ratio of between 35-40% by The farebox recovery rate is increasing and is on track to meet the farebox recovery ratio target. 1. The level of prescription in Part Five of the Bill compared with Part One to Four Parts one to four of the Bill cover funding and planning for the land transport system. These sections include the core requirements for planning documents, including the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, the National Land Transport Programme and the Regional Land Transport Plan. The explanatory notes for the Bill refer to simplification, yet the requirements in Part Five are very prescriptive. We recommend further work be undertaken to align Part Five with the rest of the Bill to reduce the level of complexity and prescription. 2. The removal of references to the development of an integrated public transport network Integration of public transport into the wider transport network is critical to meet efficiency targets. Poorly designed infrastructure for example, poorly located bus stops and a lack of public transport priority measures impact on operating costs. The concept of integration also provides a very

106 important mechanism for working collaboratively with sector partners including local authorities and operators. We propose reference to the integrated public transport network be included in the Bill. 3. The role of the Regional Public Transport Plan and the role of Procurement Strategies approved under s25 of the LTMA The Bay of Plenty Regional Council supports the purpose of the Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) as set out in section 116 of the Bill, we would like to see this retained. However we have concerns about the contents requirements in section 119. We suggest the role of the RPTP is to provide a mechanism for negotiation desired service levels with the community. The procurement strategy and tendering processes are where negotiation with operators is best undertaken. Many of the contracting requirements referred to in the RPTP could equally be applied in a non-statutory Procurement Strategy to ensure PTOM is applied these would then be approved by NZTA under section 25 of the LTMA. Greater value for money can be obtained by ensuring alignment for public transport procurement, with best practice physical works and professional services processes. The contents of RPTP are very onerous and specific. For example included in section 119 (1c) (iii) require the RPTP to specify capacities and times of services. Publishing times of services is a very detailed requirement, which will impede innovation by potentially restricting our ability to make straightforward operational changes to services. Specifying capacity could restrict our ability to be responsive to overloading issues. It is difficult to determine the benefit of many of the requirements s119. We recommend this section be reviewed, with the philosophy of streamlining, to be consistent with the remainder of the Bill. 4. Exclusion of certain services from the definition of public transport services which may impact on the concept of exclusivity. One of the key principles of PTOM is the concept of exclusivity, using the current provision in the Bill this will be very difficult to accommodate. Section 115 (2) states a regional council must contract for the provision of every unit on an exclusive basis. Concerns have already been raised with the Ministry of Transport regarding units which share routes, for example as they approach CBDs. Section 115 (2) has the potential to lead to legal challenges where the operator asserts their rights to exclusivity are breached. It is recommended the Select Committee review the following in order to strengthen this concept of exclusivity: The definition of shuttles and shuttle services in the interpretation section, the current definition is a passenger service carried on by means of a shuttle. There is a risk that an operator to directly compete on a bus route and state they are a shuttle. The ability to decline an exempt 1 service in section 133 has been carried over from previous legislation, this proved extremely difficult to apply in the past. There is potential 1 Exempt services, include inter-regional services, commercial services registered prior to 30 June 2011, and commercial services not identified in the RPTP that started after 30 June 2011 and commercial ferry services.

107 that an innovative commercial operator will register an exempt commercial service in direct competition with a subsidised service and it will be very difficult to decline using these provisions. There are also on-demand services that may directly compete with regular timetabled services, for example services to events. Inter-regional services may play an important role in a region s public transport network, particularly in rural areas, these should not be exempt simply because they cross an administrative boundary. 5. Consideration of the role of school bus services in the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) Ministry of Education, commercial and subsidised school bus services all have the potential to have a significant impact on subsidised urban services. In Tauranga the withdrawal of Ministry of Education services is planned for December Consideration should be given to reviewing the provision of school bus services, including whether these are dealt with as units or exempt services. Implications of the transition to PTOM for the Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty Regional Public Transport Plan 2012 was adopted by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in April We have considered how to implement the PTOM and believe the requirement to include units and the other requirements will trigger our significance policy. This means we will need to undertake full consultation using the Local Government Act special consultative procedures.

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109 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Receives Only - No Decisions Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: David Phizacklea, Regional Integration Manager Proposed Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) to the On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan - Summary of Community Feedback Executive Summary This report provides a summary of the community comments and feedback received to Draft Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) to the On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan. Comments on the draft plan change closed on 7 September A total of 31 comments were received in addition to the seven received following the first round of consultation. A list of people who have made comments is attached to this report. The plan change is currently being finalised and will incorporate provisions on financial contributions and reticulation zones. These changes will form the proposed plan change, to be presented to the full Council meeting in November for approval to publicly notify the plan change for submissions. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Proposed Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) to the On- Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan - Summary of Community Feedback. 2 Background This report follows the update provided to the Committee on 11 September 2012 Update on Draft Plan Change 2 to the On-Site Effluent Treatment Regional Plan Community Feedback and Options. The previous report detailed feedback following consultation meetings with the four affected district councils and their communities. The report also sought guidance from the Committee on a number of matters that needed to be addressed in the proposed plan change and provided an update on the Sewerage Assistance to Low Income Homeowners Policy. The Committee resolved a number of matters which are to be addressed in the proposed plan change, these being: Updating existing provisions for the use of financial contributions to offset nutrient discharge from on-site effluent treatment systems outside reticulation zones Page 49 of 77

110 No further capital expenditure required to upgrade on-site effluent treatment systems if reticulation is available within 2 years, unless the system has failed or there is a direct health hazard Moratorium on the December 2012 date for upgrading of systems in Rotorua Lakes catchments, and date is extended to 1 December 2013 along with a communications and engagement plan. Properties in Rotorua Lakes catchment that have had a nutrient benchmark including on-site effluent treatment shall be dealt with under the Regional Water and Land Plan. The areas of sewage reticulation are defined and mapped as reticulation zones. Further to these matters above, it was resolved that staff would evaluate all comments received to the plan change, make appropriate amendments and report back to the Committee to publicly notify the proposed plan change for submissions. Therefore the purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with an update on the comments received to Draft Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) which closed on 7 September Summary of Comments Received The comments received are summarised below into each of the districts they relate to. However it is important to note some feedback received can be covered region wide. Many of the comments received, supported or opposed reticulation for the different communities for a variety of reasons. This plan change does not deal with reticulation and those communities identified for reticulation zones that form part of the plan change are from information provided by the relevant district councils. Thus to ensure that district councils are aware of the concerns raised by their communities we have circulated a copy of the comments to district council staff. Toi Te Ora Public Health Service also made comment on the draft plan change. They acknowledged that onsite effluent treatment systems were suitable in some isolated communities. Toi Te Ora support in part maintenance zones, and seek that these provisions be extended to apply to all those properties in the region with on-site effluent treatment systems and that these be regularly maintained. They also support the intention to align the plan change with New Zealand Standards 1547:2012, the amendment to the Building Act clarifying roles and responsibilities and microbial source tracking to validate faecal contamination. However they raise concern over the use of greywater for spray irrigation for garden or lawn watering being permitted in the plan and seek the scope of the OSET plan align with New Zealand Standard 1547:2012 and include Section regarding the application of greywater. Toi Te Ora also seek further discussion around viruses in the environment when discussing contamination from on-site wastewater, and the inclusion of dates for those communities identified as maintenance zones. 3.1 Rotorua District Sixteen of the total comments received were from Rotorua Lakes catchment communities including one from Rotorua District Council: Rotorua District Council s comments reiterated those expressed to Regional Council at previous meetings, these are: Page 50 of 77

111 Discharging in a Maintenance Zone once the date has elapsed or reticulation is available should be a non-complying or prohibited activity Where reticulation is available, alternatives should not be an option Support offsetting for short term consents and not in areas where reticulation is proposed Concerns with methods 38 and 39 and district council responsibilities These issues have been addressed when the Committee resolved in its September meeting to define areas of sewage reticulation and map them in the plan as reticulation zones. The rules that would then apply to these reticulation zones would mean that alternatives to reticulation would be unable to be considered unless written endorsement from the district council could be provided. The community feedback identified that the 1 December 2012 date for which properties will need to connect to reticulation or upgrade was unachievable and sought that this date be extended. This was bought to the Committee s attention at the September meeting where it was resolved to extend the date to 1 December 2013, with an accompanying communication and engagement programme to educate residents of the plan requirements. Other comments on the draft plan change were raised in relation to the following matters: Property size should be reassessed, just because a property is under 2ha does not mean they contribute more nutrients than those over 2ha No policy for those properties over 2ha but less than 4ha Some consents have been granted not to put in an AWTS although the property is less than 2ha. Dealing with properties under 2ha needs to be fair and equitable. Need alternatives to AWTS when surrounded by dairy farms and under 2ha No acceptable measure for AWTS reducing to 15g/m 3 Cost and options for individuals needs to be considered further as the costs of AWTS systems is prohibitive Consideration of the social, cultural and economic impacts of the community and the potential for financial assistance or subsidy Discrimination under the Human Rights Act for properties under 2ha Improved communication required. Replace OSET boundary line to align Rule 11 of Regional Water and Land Plan for surface water catchments. In addition to the above concerns Ngāti Pikiao provided comment to the plan change, and generally supported the efforts to improve lake water quality. However, they did raise issue that they felt the majority of the problem was coming from the wider catchment farming practices and not the existing OSET systems, and until such time this is restricted they should not have to meet the 15g/m 3 requirement for OSET systems. Ngāti Pikiao considers that the Okere Gates consent and subsequent water level of Lake Rotoiti is contributing to poor performance of existing septic tanks. In addition to these particular matters they consider the plan change will limit their ability to provide suitable alternative OSET systems such as dry composting toilets and are seek funding towards testing a system of this nature. Page 51 of 77

112 Some of the matters raised by Ngāti Pikiao go beyond the scope of this plan change and may be more appropriate to consider in the 2016 full plan review, others have been referred to the General Manager Environmental Management to address. Federated Farmers also provided comments and raised some concerns with the plan change. They make the following points: Oppose the creation of Maintenance Zones as they unfairly penalise ratepayers. Seek removal of the requirements to upgrade to expensive AWTS systems and 15gm 3 Propose pump outs be undertaken every 10 years not 3 years Tanks are pumped by a suitably experienced installer not a trained and warranted installer. Seek a 5 year deferral to the 1 December 2012 date in the plan for the upgrading of systems. 3.2 Western Bay of Plenty District A total of 10 comments were received from those within the Western Bay of Plenty District being the communities of Tanners Point, Ongare Point and Te Puna. The majority of the comments from these communities were concerned with the science and monitoring results. Many were concerned that the monitoring produced insufficient data to require upgrades of septic tanks. There was a concern that much of the problem was coming from the wider pastoral catchment from agricultural and avian sources and did not take into consideration weather conditions. It was indicated that this could be improved by piping the drain or planting suitable plants to filter pollutants. In addition to these issues, the following points were raised by Tanners Point, Ongare Point and Te Puna communities: All properties should be visited as part of an inspection programme so that all systems can be checked and deficient systems identified and upgraded. Those properties directly adjoining the harbour need to be fixed Cost of systems is too expensive for communities on fixed income (large retired population) Council should consider the potential for a subsidy or cost reduction scheme Council should provide a list of suitable AWTS systems Want assurance that an AWTS systems will fix the problem Information of on-site effluent treatment system to be included on Land Information Memoranda and systems rectified before sale of properties Total amount of waste could be reduced through water saving devices Bad practice on some properties should not bias the rest of the community. 3.3 Whakatāne District Three sets of comments were received to the draft plan change from individuals within the Matatā community. The following points were raised: Would consider paying extra rates to have reticulation Page 52 of 77

113 Oppose plan change until costs of upgrading septic tank is known Concerned with hot spot areas and what that means for those properties surrounding the Hotel and Onewairere Street Matatā does not have an environmental problem from current disposal systems Matatā should be removed from plan change altogether. While these parties opposed the plan change and the inclusion of Matatā, Whakatāne District Council provided comments and supported the inclusion of Matatā as a Maintenance Zone. Whakatāne District Council want to see information to the community regarding liability for costs of inspections, and procedures and suggest a joint programme for financial support, and concerned about the reference to 1 in 10 year flood contour for new septic tanks. Overall they are generally in support of the plan change, in particular: Annual workshops in the community Additional subdivision criteria New standards for adequate treatment areas. It should be noted that Whakatāne District Council and Regional Council are working collaboratively towards identifying the sources of contamination in Matata. The Regional Council has been invited to participate in the project team. This work has resulted in a number of site visits and identified several systems which are not performing well. The next phase will be to pump out a number of septic tanks. The final phase will be to identify solutions for those systems which are not performing well. 3.4 Ōpōtiki District Three comments were received from individuals within Bryans Beach community. Concern was identified around the science and monitoring results and the justification of this community as a Maintenance Zone. The following points were raised: Request for further testing to be done to identify/confirm where the contamination is coming from. Core samples were taken by Regional Council from all properties in Bryans Beach to establish the type of soil in relation to groundwater and no results were provided to the community Boundary of the Maintenance Zone should include all neighbouring properties Those properties not performing at Bryans Beach should be encouraged to upgrade within a certain time period. These concerns have been addressed and information provided back to all residents at Bryans Beach. A letter was sent from the General Manager Environmental Management with updated science information and locations of monitoring, results from core sampling and an updated map of the proposed Maintenance Zone area for Bryans Beach in early October. It is intended to carry out regular inspections of the on-site effluent treatment systems and continue water quality monitoring of the surrounding waterways should Bryans Beach be included as a new Maintenance Zone. Page 53 of 77

114 here to enter text. 4 Finalising Proposed Plan Change 2 Esta Farquhar Planner Staff are finalising the plan change based on the feedback received. There are two areas we are awaiting information on that a critical to this plan change; financial contributions and reticulation maps. There has been significant emphasis on the use of financial contributions and ensuring that the formula to determine the contribution payable is fair and equitable. In order to establish a suitable formula the amount of nutrients discharged from an on-site effluent treatment system needs to be established. The calculation of nutrients discharged from on-site wastewater systems is confused by a multiplicity of methods and reports. There is a need to develop a consistent method. John McIntosh (consultant) has been engaged to look at this issue and develop a method which can be used across the organisation. Information has been sought from Rotorua and Western Bay of Plenty District Councils to provide maps showing reticulated areas. We are awaiting receipt of this information to ensure the community will have a clear understanding of which areas will be reticulated. As discussed in this report the plan currently identifies the 1 December 2012 date for which Rotorua Lakes communities should connect to reticulation or upgrade their systems, thus notification of the proposed plan change is required before this date. The resulting amendments to from this feedback will be incorporated into the proposed plan change and presented to Council in November. It is important to note that staff are also preparing information to update community and stakeholders on the process and progress of the plan change. for Regional Integration Manager 15 October 2012 Click Page 54 of 77

115 APPENDIX - L ist of co mmenters to Plan Chan ge fo r Ag enda Report 23 October 2012 PDF $Lis tofcommenters topl $ APPENDIX List of commenters to Plan Change Page 55 of 77

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117 Comments received to Draft Plan Change 2 (Maintenance Zones) to the On-Site Effluent Treatment Plan Comments received from second round of consultation 1 Alan Goodyear 2 Andre Tibshraeny 3 Ann Howard 4 Broom Park Ltd 5 David Jackson 6 Derek Packham 7 Heather and Bernie Wills 8 Janice Fry 9 John and Kay McDonald 10 Kathy Phillips and David Lowry 11 Lake Rotomā/Lake Rotoehu Community Association (Letter to Kevin Winters) 12 Leonie Chikumbo 13 Maureen Watson 14 Michael & Judy Corboy 15 Neil Foote 16 Ngāti Pikiao Environmental Incorporated Society 17 Ongare Point Ratepayers Association 18 RA & MM Burges-Short 19 Roger Brewster 20 Rotorua District Council 21 Rotorua Lakes Community Board 22 Roy and Dot Spice 23 Sustainable Matatā Inc 24 Tanners Point Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc 25 Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service 26 Whakatāne District Council 27 J & C Koller 28 Federated Farmers 29 Humi Tremayne 30 Paul van Praagh 31 Tony Pietersma Comments received from first round of consultation 1 Bernie and Heather Wills 2 Jim Koller 3 Ngāti Pikiao Environmental Incorporated Society 4 David Crispin 5 Rotorua Lakes Community Board 6 JR and H Torry 7 Rotorua District Council

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119 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Low Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: Stephen Lamb, Natural Resources Policy Manager Review of the Policy on Regional Parks Executive Summary The Policy on Regional Parks ( the Policy ) is being reviewed for the first time. The review assessed how effective the Policy has been in achieving its policy intent. Options for improving delivery of the Policy were investigated and whether (or not) the Policy aligned to Council s strategic direction on open space. This review did not include full public consultation. Interviews were held with key stakeholders. Broad themes emerged from those interviews which are presented for discussion with members of this Committee. Findings from the Review: Confusion regarding the term regional park For the purpose of understanding the Policy, the term regional park is defined as referring to open space. However the term regional park (outside of the Policy) implies something different. There is a commonly held understanding that a regional park is a large area of land, set aside for recreation, and administered by a Regional Council. This has created some confusion about the Policy s intent. The intention of the Policy was not that the term regional park was taken to only mean a regional park. However that is how the Policy has been implemented to date. The implementation has effectively been restricted to one concept of open space (regional parks). The Policy framework is sound The Policy, as it stands, has provision for providing and developing an integrated system of open space throughout the region. The Policy framework is comprehensive and flexible. It is non-restrictive and allows for broader implementation in the future (should the Committee wish to do so). Direction from the committee will influence how the Policy is implemented by staff into the future It may be the Committee s preferred approach to leave things as they are (status quo). However, stakeholders asked for clarity regarding Council s future involvement in the development of an integrated open space system. The Committee s preferred approach will provide guidance to staff in their implementation of the Policy. Page 57 of 77

120 Options As a result of the review process it is recommended that the policy is retained but that its direction and intent are clarified. Two options are seen as potentially useful in this regard - Option Two and Option Three. There is also an important question around how Council wishes to progress the implementation of the policy into the future. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Review of the Policy on Regional Parks. 2 Agrees to: Either Option One Retain the Policy on Regional Parks with no changes. OR Option Two Change the name of the Policy on Regional Parks to the Policy on Open Space including other minor wording changes ( regional park would be replaced with open space ) when possible. OR Option Three Simplification of the Policy on Regional Parks which would include: reducing content; strengthening the core direction; clarifying key areas but retaining the policy intent. OR Option Four Draft a new Policy on Open Space that will go out for full public consultation. 3 Provide guidance to staff on the direction for future Policy implementation. 4 Agrees that wetland management is covered in Council s regional plans and a separate wetland policy is not required. 5 Confirms that the decision is within the Bay of Plenty Regional Council s strategic planning framework (Council s Ten Year Plan, and planning documents and processes under the Resource Management Act 1991, Biosecurity Act 1993, Land Transport Management Act 2003, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Act 2002, and Local Government Act 1974 and 2002). 2 Purpose The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with a review of the Policy on Regional Parks. Page 58 of 77

121 3 Scope of Review The Policy on Regional Parks was approved in November This is the Policy s first review. The scope of this review was considered by the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee on 22 November The scope identified the following areas of inquiry: How effective the Policy is and has been in achieving its vision, purpose and desired outcome. Whether there are ways to improve delivery of the policy intent. Is the Policy in line with Council s strategic direction for open space? Alternative options for Council s future role in providing for open space, including retaining the status quo. Completion of the review was delayed due to reprioritisation of staff resource. Staff have since: Completed a desktop analysis of relevant policy and open space documents (Regional Council s and other agencies). Undertaken interviews with key stakeholders. These stakeholders included Regional Council councillors and staff, the region s territorial authority s (TAs) parks and reserves personnel, and representatives from the Department of Conservation (DOC). The interviews were semi-structured, allowing participants to add any additional comments around open space, as well as answer a series of structured questions. Assessed and identified broad themes from the interviews. 3.1 Wetland Policy The original scope included a sub-project to develop a generic wetland policy in connection to the Policy on Regional Parks. This sub-project was to consist of policy development, consultation and final development and production. When the interviews were held, there was a perception amongst some that wetlands could not be purchased under the current Policy. That is not the case. The Policy contains a ranking/priority list of types of open space that can either be secured by the Regional Council, or in partnership with other agencies. Wetlands are ranked in the highest priority. Protection of wetlands from inappropriate use and destruction is comprehensively covered in the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement. The Bay of Plenty Regional Water and Land Plan also contains a specific section for wetlands. This includes guidelines on voluntary Wetland Management Agreements that are established between the Council and private landowners through Council s biodiversity programme (managed by our Land Management Group). Responsibilities for wetland management are shared between the Regional Council, DOC and TAs depending on where the wetlands are located. Information was sought from other councils regarding how they manage their wetlands. Most manage their wetlands through their regional plans and do not have a separate wetland policy. Page 59 of 77

122 Staff would ask the Committee to consider revoking the need to develop a wetland policy given wetlands are accommodated in our regional plans and the Policy on Regional Parks. 4 Overview of the Policy on Regional Parks 4.1 Clarification of the term regional park The Policy states that for the purpose of this Policy, regional park means: Open space secured for the long-term enjoyment and benefit of the Bay of Plenty region s people and visitors to the region and for the protection and enhancement of their environment. However the term regional park (outside of the Policy) implies something different. There is a commonly held understanding that a regional park is a large area of land, set aside for recreation, and administered by a Regional Council for example, Auckland Council s Regional Parks. To an extent this has masked the other aspects of open space contained within the Policy and there is a degree of misunderstanding that the policy is about regional open space not just regional parks. It was not the specific intent of the policy that it was to deliver only regional parks although to date this has been the case. When the Policy was adopted and in early discussions around implementation, a key contributor to the thinking at the time was that Council was seen as filling a gap (in provision of a service) between local councils and the Department of Conservation. This implicitly created a focus on regional-scale initiatives. Council also was looking to enter the parks activity and in discussion around implementation, a position of sole ownership was preferred and that a managed proactive stance towards securing regional parks should be used. Funding has not historically been provided in a proactive sense for capital purchases and only budgets for operational activities (on regional parks) have been developed. Capital purchases came from reserves. No budget for minor land purchases or for such things as access agreements was created by Council. So while implementation has focussed on regional parks the Policy does deal with a wider scope of open space. Council has signalled in recent years that it is not interested in proactively seeking to purchase regional parks although the idea of opportunistic purchase has been maintained in the Ten Year Plan. Such a purchase could potentially occur where there is a multiple benefit scenario. This leads to an important question around what Council currently sees as the implementation direction for the Policy. If the Policy is renewed then guidance around implementation could be highlighted. 4.2 Policy Framework The Policy contains a framework for open space acquisition and management at a more strategic level. It provides principles and guidelines for securing open space, but does not provide the next layer of detail/context that is required for officers to implement the management of the open space. The framework assists planning to ensure the vision, desired outcome and purpose of the Policy is achieved. It is recognised that this may happen over a long period of time (i.e. 20 years). Page 60 of 77

123 There is provision in the Policy for a flexible approach towards open space acquisition, assessment criteria, management structure, and working with other agencies and organisations. This is important as securing open space can be opportunistic, requiring Council to be responsive to opportunities as they arise. The Policy s desired outcome is: Open space secured for the long-term enjoyment and benefit of the Bay of Plenty region s people and visitors to the region and for the protection and enhancement of their environment. The Policy s Vision is: an integrated system of public open space that provides for continued access to, and enjoyment of, the unique characteristics of the Bay of Plenty region, by present and future generations. The Policy s Purpose is to: provide a framework that sets out strategic goals for [regional parks] in the Bay of Plenty, and to provide a structure for dealing with specific [regional parks] acquisition and management decisions. 5 Assessment of the Policy on Regional Parks 5.1 Has the Policy s desired outcome been achieved? Open space secured for the long-term enjoyment and benefit of the Bay of Plenty region s people and visitors to the region and for the protection and enhancement of their environment. Between 2005 and 2006 the Regional Council begun making open space acquisitions as follows: Pāpāmoa Hills Cultural Heritage Regional Park was fully transferred to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. 27 hectares were purchased at Ōhiwa. This land is known as Onekawa Te Mawhai. By securing (in this case purchasing) public open space, Council technically achieved the Policy s outcome. The Policy is not clear on a quantitative amount, or frequency of acquisition, but it is clear that open space needs to be secured. Interviewee s responses: Stakeholders asked for clear direction from Council as to their role (and political will) in securing open space. Most interviewees saw the role of securing open space as a Regional Council role i.e. the Regional Council has a critical role to play in providing open space and recreation opportunities. Population growth and urbanisation places pressure on open space. Some areas anticipate increased pressure due to new developments. Council should be good guardians of the land they already own. Page 61 of 77

124 Strong message that they want land acquisition to remain an option and that Policy implementation should be flexible and support an opportunistic approach when unique, significant land becomes available. Ownership was preferred, but if not possible permanency should be explored. Permanency could be achieved through integrated management whereby the Regional Council works with other agencies who own the land to achieve the same goal i.e. Māori land. The alternative view that Council should not be involved in regional parks was also expressed by one interviewee. 5.2 Has Council achieved the Policy s vision? An integrated system of public open space that provides for continued access to, and enjoyment of, the unique characteristics of the Bay of Plenty region, by present and future generations. The intent of the vision is that an integrated system of open space throughout the region would be achieved. This means that open space should be secured and developed in a cohesive, planned manner. It does not dictate the type of open space, or the size of the land parcels. It signals that when securing open space, priority should be given to protecting the region s unique characteristics and landscapes in perpetuity. Interviewee s responses: The vision is right for the Policy, but more needs to be done to achieve it. Two land purchases by the Regional Council in six years falls short of developing an integrated system. What we currently have should be enlarged. The land purchased to date has secured two unique cultural heritage sites in the region, thus benefiting the present (and future) people of the region. Some wanted a long-term strategic approach to secure land and connectivity/linkages i.e. from mountains to sea. It was acknowledged that open space is not limited to Regional Council ownership. 5.3 How effective has the Policy been in achieving its purpose? Provide a framework that sets out strategic goals for [regional parks] in the Bay of Plenty, and to provide a structure for dealing with specific [regional parks] acquisition and management decisions. The Policy contains a framework as follows: Part I Guiding principles (purpose, scope, vision, partnerships) Part II - Assessing proposals for open space Part III - Options for securing open space Part IV - Working with other agencies and organisations Part V - Managing and using open space Page 62 of 77

125 The framework in the Policy has had little impact on the activities of the partner agencies. Most partner agencies have their own open space guidelines and sub-regional parks policies that they refer to. TAs and DOC are set up to manage their own open space areas. The Policy is primarily an internal tool for Regional Council Elected Members and staff. Parts I to V provide a high-level framework/structure to assist in decision-making (management and acquisition). How the framework is implemented internally by Regional Council staff has an impact on whether (or not) the strategic goals of the Policy are achieved. It became apparent through the interview process that familiarity of the Policy s framework content was limited (by both external and internal stakeholders). Interviewee s responses: Not sure on the Policy on Regional Parks as I am more familiar with the Joint Tauranga District Council (TCC) and Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC) Policy on Sub-Regional Parks Has Part II of the Policy been applied when assessing proposals for open space? Part II of the Policy sets out a Primary Assessment Criteria, which must be met before the Regional Council will consider securing an interest in land, or contributing to the purchase or maintenance of land for open space from other agencies. This section also includes guidelines for assessing the Level of Regional Investment; Regional Priorities; Work outside the Region; and has a table that outlines priorities for securing open space either independently or in partnership with any other agencies. Examples of land assessments were reviewed. The Policy criteria had been used for some of the earlier assessments (up to 2007), but became less common after that. The assessments ranged from in-depth assessments against the Policy criteria, to brief file notes and s. It was not clear from some proposal assessments: how the land was assessed; how suitability of the land (for public open space) was determined; whether partnering with other agencies was considered; how a decision was reached as to whether (or not) the land option would be presented to Council for their consideration. Interviewee s responses: Purchasing of land in the past has been ad hoc rather than holistic and a systematic approach. Could investigate a spatial planning approach. Open space must be factored into planning. Flexibility is necessary need a framework for assessment of land. Protection of land should be managed on a case-by-case basis. Open space must be fundamental and central in spatial planning. There are many examples or poor town planning overseas that we don t want to replicate. Land must be complimentary to what is already happening in the region. Would like Council to be able to assess land opportunities as they arise. Page 63 of 77

126 5.3.2 Has Part III of the Policy been applied when assessing options for securing open space? Part III of the Policy covers options for securing regional parks (open space). It highlights methods for securing which best provide for protection of values, secure a long-term public interest in land, and meet the aspirations of the regional community. The Policy signals that securing a public interest in land can include: land purchase, longterm lease, long-term management or access agreements (e.g. covenants), and statutory tools (e.g. heritage protection orders). It is not restricted to purchasing and owning land (which was a perception of some interviewees). Part III outlines options for funding the capital costs of open space (i.e. general funds, loans). It also outlines potential ways to fund operating costs and/or opportunities to offset the costs of on-going management of open space. This section allows for innovation in securing, and funding the on-going cost of open space. Some examples in the Policy are: targeted rates, bequests and donations, commercial partnerships (camp grounds), sponsorship or grants, central government grants, community trusts and land management income earning practices (farm parks, forestry). Interviewee s responses: Need to explore joint ventures further (i.e. Māori owned land, Treaty Settlements). We need to promote and encourage land bequests. Investigate purchasing access (for tracks) across land i.e. purchase public easements not purchasing the entire property. Explore commercial options i.e. coastal camping areas which are slowly disappearing throughout the region and/or support partner agencies that provide recreation/camping areas. Sponsorship from polluting organisations/industry (offsets could help fund open space). Further explore grants. Would like the Policy flexible enough to support alternative options with landowners i.e. through agreements, leasing (rather than direct ownership) Has Part IV of the Policy (working with other agencies and organisations) been developed? An objective of Part IV is enhanced ability to achieve the vision for regional parks (open space) through partnerships with other agencies and organisation. The Policy outlines a range of potential partnership options for securing an interest in land i.e. TAs, DOC, private landowners and iwi. It also factors in community participation and involvement. The majority of interviewees endorsed working with other agencies and the community. There was a clear message that developing greater collaboration between agencies will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of open space through the region. Page 64 of 77

127 Interviewee s responses: Work with other agencies to achieve strategic linkages to open space (DOC, TAs and Recreation Clubs). Avoid duplicating services of other agencies, instead provide support to enhance other agency s projects i.e. finances, staff resource. Lack of connectivity between other agencies. Better co-management of open space and/or working with other agencies is needed. There needs to be a paradigm shift regarding managing open space in regard to agencies working collaboratively. This includes an internal (within the Regional Council) attitude/culture shift to let go or take a bold step to allow different approaches. Friends of the Park concept Community Management development will be more challenging in urban areas. It will take longer to develop, but the concept is good and allows the community to be involved. It s not about the Regional Council buying more land; it s about networking with other agencies and developing ways of working collaboratively to achieve a common goal of a better integrated open space network. Identify where there are open space recreational opportunity gaps. Find out what the public want. After that, work with agencies to secure them i.e. sometimes recreation clubs are more effective in securing access over private land than councils. TAs Elected Members are keen for the Regional Council to have more involvement with TCC and WBOPDC all pitching in to respond to opportunities as they arise Has Part V of the Policy (managing and using open space) been effective? Part V covers asset management, protection and enhancement, use and access. The Policy encourages protecting open space from sale and disposal in perpetuity. However, it is flexible enough to allow appropriate sale of land within the open space area if it will enhance the efficient administration of the area i.e. minor boundary adjustments. The Policy has provision for flexible management structures that can be tailored to the unique values of the open space. The Policy places emphasis on protecting and minimising any adverse effects on sensitive heritage and ecological sites. It also encourages flexibility in maximising recreational use of the open space. This includes allowing the establishment of commercial facilities and operations within the open space area i.e. camping grounds. Many of the concepts contained in this section of the Policy were reiterated and supported by the interviewees as opportunities that need further development. Interviewee s responses: Greater utilisation of Regional Council owned open space i.e. mountain biking, triathlons. Page 65 of 77

128 Pāpāmoa Hills and the Onekawa land should be protected from sale and disposal in perpetuity. Offset some on-going management costs through commercial operations. Ideally open space will be self-funding (through commercialism). 5.4 Does Council s Strategic Direction Align with the Policy Council s Strategic direction for providing open space is intrinsically linked to the Ten Year Plan The Ten Year Plan states: Council will not actively seek to acquire more land for [regional parks] 5. There will be no material changes to the Levels of Service or cost of service in this activity. Specific mention of the Onekawa Te Mawhai property was added into the Ten Year Plan but it is unclear whether (or not) the land will officially become a regional park in the next ten years. There is provision in the Ten Year Plan for opportunistic land acquisition in the event that there is a willing seller, and Council and the community can run a prompt decision-making process. The provision for opportunistic land acquisition aligns with the Policy, although there is no financial provision in the Ten Year Plan for land acquisition. The statement Council will not actively seek to acquire more land for regional parks needs clarification. Does this only mean for a regional park, similar to what Council already own? Is there still provision for acquiring open space? Or does this statement mean that Council will not actively seek any open space regardless of the type, size, acquisition details (lease, shared ownership)? Given the signalled emphasis on working with other agencies to secure strategic open space, this needs further discussion as the Committee s views will strongly influence how staff approach other agencies, and our level of commitment. Interviewee s responses: TAs would like to know if the Regional Council has the flexibility to purchase land (at short notice) should an opportunity arise. Budget restrictions do not enable land acquisition. The Ōpōtiki community have an expectation that the Onekawa Te Mawhai property will be officially recognised as a regional park. Promises have been made to iwi and the community. 5.5 Alternative options for Council s future role in providing open space There was a general consensus among interviewees that the Regional Council should remain involved in providing open space. However, this does not mean that the Regional Council must be responsible for all open space within the region. Other agencies have responsibility for open space areas throughout the region. These range from DOC s large national parks, city/district council reserves, sports grounds, multi-use recreation zones and esplanade strips etc. 5 Direct quote from the Ten Year Plan Page 66 of 77

129 Greater integration with other agencies was mentioned by interviewees as something that could be developed. The Regional Council could focus on supporting other agencies to develop a strategic network of open space. This could involve financial support, staff resource, co-management/joint ownership, and on occasions land acquisition. The Regional Council would not have to be the lead agency. One would expect flexibility, depending on what is being developed, and by whom. Rather than large areas of land, acquisition may favour smaller, strategic land parcels that create linkages between open space areas. Connectivity of open space could become the focus. With greater collaboration with agencies, and a long-term strategic approach, it would be possible to achieve some dynamic results. For example, Bay of Plenty agencies could work together to create a concept not dissimilar to the Otago Rail Trail linking one side of the region to the other (with commercial ventures stationed along the way to accommodate the walkers and cyclists ). The Regional Council could spearhead innovative concepts, but wouldn t have to carry all the responsibility. Other agencies are likely to have their own open space connectivity plans that would benefit from Regional Council support. 5.6 Ways to improve delivery of the policy intent Assessing open space proposals does it align with the strategic direction? In 2004 a report went to the Strategic Policy Committee with a recommendation that an implementation plan (for the Policy on Regional Parks) be developed. Due to the direction of the discussion on implementing the Policy, an implementation plan did not eventuate. The Policy provides a high-level framework to assist planning. It does not provide the level of detail needed to implement the concepts. Staff implementation of the Policy is pivotal to the Policy meeting its policy intent. It would be beneficial for staff to have guidelines on assessing open space proposals i.e. templates/checklists. This would help identify whether (or not) the open space proposal meets a criteria and fits with the strategic direction. If it does, then it could be taken to Council for their consideration Building collaborative relationships with other agencies From the interviews it was clear that Land Management staff are already working with other agencies. Some external stakeholders expressed a desire to have a more collaborative working relationship with the Regional Council i.e. DOC. Councillors (who were interviewed) also flagged that they would like to see a focus on building better, more collaborative arrangements with other agencies. They saw this as a key to increased connectivity of open space. There are opportunities to improve the existing relationships and develop new ones with different agencies i.e. community recreation groups. Page 67 of 77

130 To ensure staff aren t giving agencies the wrong message, they need to know How active you want them to be? Do you want them to be proactive actively seeking opportunities to work together to build up an integrated open space network; or, do you want them to be reactive only collaborate when an external agency approaches them? Recent development with the Department of Conservation The interviews identified that DOC has a revised strategic direction that includes encouraging people to be active in the outdoors. DOC s new business model puts more emphasis on partnerships, relationship building, sharing skills and knowledge and involving others. They are focused on achieving the best outcome and if that means changing the way they do things, they have said they will. They are already working with agencies to allow greater access and use of DOC land i.e. recreational groups such as dog sledding, 4- Wheel drive and mountain bike clubs. DOC has taken a proactive approach in their community engagement. This includes finding out what the community want, and letting them know what s out there. An open space and recreation register was mooted by some interviewees. They thought a stocktake of what recreation open space is accessible to the public would be useful. It would help the public know where they can access open space. It would also assist other agencies to identify any gaps in the network. This is potentially something that the Regional Council could work collaboratively with DOC. DOC are actively looking for opportunities to work with other agencies to improve open space and recreational opportunities. They acknowledge they have large assets, but limited funding and resources. Joint projects with other agencies could maximise the results. DOC have worked with the Regional Council on joint projects in the past and would be interested in developing this further i.e. access into the Kaimais. 6 Findings 6.1 The Policy framework is sound The Policy has provision for providing and developing an integrated system of open space throughout the region. The Policy framework is comprehensive. There is a degree of flexibility within the Policy which allows for broadening implementation in the future (should the Committee wish to do so). Almost without exception the Policy has provision for concerns raised by stakeholders in the interviews. 6.2 Make the Policy clear it is about open space, not limited to regional parks There is a difference between the intent of the Policy and how it has been implemented by stakeholders and staff. The understanding of the term regional park has contributed to this. This confusion could be addressed by changing the title of the Policy to Policy on Open Space and in some instances replace the term regional park with open space. This would not change the Policy intent; rather strengthen people s understanding of the policy s original intent. Page 68 of 77

131 6.3 Direction from the Committee will influence how the Policy is implemented in the future The Committee can decide to leave things as they are (status quo). This may be the preferred approach. However it should be noted that currently funding is only directed towards operational activities on regional parks. Stakeholders asked for clarity regarding Council s strategic direction on open space and whether (or not) there was the political will to be involved in developing an integrated system of open space. They wanted to know what role the Regional Council is willing to play. The Committee s response to these questions will then influence staff response to implementing the Policy. Staff will know whether (or not) to continue on as status quo, or to broaden their implementation of the Policy. What that would look like will depend on the Committee s view. 6.4 Guidance for staff in their implementation of the Policy Staff will be strongly influenced by the direction of the Committee. This will shape their approach to open space management and future planning. It was identified that staff would benefit from: 7 Options Guidance from the Committee as to the direction they would like staff to take when implementing the Policy. Knowing what the funding restraints are i.e. is funding a small, strategic piece of land an option (or not). This will guide their response when they are approached by other agencies. More detailed implementation guidelines i.e. an implementation guide that includes a criteria for assessing proposals and bringing opportunities before Council (i.e. commercialism, agency partnerships, land acquisition). A long-term structure for developing an integrated system of open space. Identifying what open space recreation areas the region already has (and what is missing) would allow staff to factor the gaps into future planning. A number of options have been developed for the Committee s consideration. No options change the original Policy intent. Options Two and Three help to clarify how the Policy should be interpreted. 7.1 Option One Retain the Policy on Regional Parks with no changes Option One would retain the Policy on Regional Parks with no changes. This option acknowledges that the Policy contains a sound framework that accommodates the direction signalled by internal and external stakeholders. Under this option the Policy will remain as written; therefore confusion over the term regional park will still exist. When people read the Policy (especially the title), it will give the impression that the Policy is only referring to one type of open space, which is not the case. Page 69 of 77

132 The existing Policy allows for an integrated approach to open space, working with other agencies and is flexible in on-going management approaches. Depending on the Committee s direction, certain areas could be given a greater priority. 7.2 Option Two Replace: title of Policy; and the term regional park with open space when appropriate throughout the document Option Two would retain all the Policy intent and content of the existing Policy. The only changes that would be made would be: The title of the Policy would be changed to Policy on Open Space. Throughout the document, when appropriate, the term regional park(s) would be replaced with open space to eliminate confusion and clarify the original Policy intent. These amendments are minor so would not need to be consulted on. This option would not restrict any future direction the Committee would like to prioritise. 7.3 Option Three Simplify of the Policy Option Three would involve simplifying the Policy. The proposed changes would be: Slim the Policy down Identify/strengthen the core directions to reflect Council s approach on open space Key areas, such as working with others, would be made clearer but the Policy intent would be retained It could be recommended that targeted consultation with key stakeholders i.e. TAs and DOC would be carried out to support the simplification process. 7.4 Option Four Rewrite the Policy Option Four would involve a complete re-write of the Policy. All aspects of the Policy will be reviewed. The Policy would need to go out for full public consultation. This approach would inform Council regarding public expectations for open space. This is not currently known as this review did not include full public consultation. 7.5 Staff Recommendations Depending on what direction the Committee want to take, and how active they want to be in developing open space integration throughout the region two options are useful: Option Two Option Two clarifies that the Policy title is misleading, given the common understanding of the term regional park. The original Policy intent was to secure open space for the longterm enjoyment and benefit of the Bay of Plenty region s people and visitors to the region and for the protection and enhancement of their environment. Page 70 of 77

133 here to enter text. This definition is non-restrictive, flexible, and aligns with the feedback received from most interviewees. This outcome can be achieved by further developing connectivity between agencies and taking a collaborative approach to building an open space system. This option allows Council to take an active role (or retain a low profile). Option Three (recommended) Option Three would involve a relatively fast process to simplify the Policy while retaining all of the original Policy intent. The advantage of this option is that direction provided by the Committee will be factored into the simplification process. For example, areas the Committee want prioritised can be strengthened and clarified. This option still allows Council to retain a broad and flexible approach to open space and provide direction for improvements to implementing the Policy. 8 Financial Implications Current Budget Depending on the Committee s decisions around options there may be need to re-work the policy. Policy resources will be reviewed to determine timelines for this work to be carried out. Future Implications Council s decisions on future implementation direction will need to be considered in the context of annual and ten year planning processes. Marion Henton Planner for Natural Resources Policy Manager 15 October 2012 Click Page 71 of 77

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135 File Reference: Significance of Decision: Receives Only - No Decisions Report To: Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee Meeting Date: 23 October 2012 Report From: David Phizacklea, Regional Integrated Planning Manager Horizons One Plan Environment Court Decisions Executive Summary Horizons Regional Council (Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council) notified their One Plan in May The One Plan contains both their regional policy statement and regional plans. Environment Court decisions on appeals around four topics of interest to Bay of Plenty Regional Council were recently issued. These are nutrient management regulation, land use controls to manage accelerated erosion, outstanding natural features and landscapes, and indigenous biological diversity. The decisions have potential implications for the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement and Regional Water and Land Plan. Those implications are summarised in the report. 1 Recommendations That the Strategy, Policy and Planning Committee under its delegated authority: 1 Receives the report, Horizons One Plan Environment Court Decisions. 2 Horizons Regional Council One Plan Horizons Regional Council (Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council) notified their One Plan in May The One Plan contains both their Regional Policy Statement (RPS) and regional plans. Council hearings were held between 2008 and 2010, with decisions issues August Subsequent appeals led to Environment Court hearings in The Court s interim decisions were issued on 4 September There are four topics were the Court s decisions have potential implications for Bay of Plenty Regional Council: Nutrient management regulation Land use controls to manage accelerated erosion Outstanding natural features and landscapes Indigenous biological diversity Summaries of the Court decisions and implications are given below. Page 73 of 77