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Nelson’s public is asked for input on a far-reaching plan that will address issues such as housing growth, natural hazards, climate change, and the future of the city’s CBD.
Nelson City Council released its draft Whakamahere Whakatū Nelson Plan for public comment this week. Mayor Rachel Reese said it was an opportunity “to shape what will become the resource management planning guiding document for the Nelson region.”
The Nelson Plan will establish what residents will be allowed to do on their properties and how the city uses its natural resources.
At the draft stage, the plan has identified five key themes as the focus of public feedback: climate change, growth and intensification, downtown, natural hazards, and fresh water.
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Some proposed changes include the establishment of a new medium-density residential area that would accommodate buildings up to 11 meters / 3 stories tall, increasing the height of buildings in the city center, and removing parking requirements in the place in accordance with the Declaration of National Policy on Urbanism. Developing.
The first round of public participation for the Draft Nelson Plan will take place from October 6 to December 6.
A consultation document will arrive in mailboxes throughout Nelson beginning October 7 and will also be available online at shape.nelson.govt.nz.
The second participation phase is planned for early next year to cover parts of the plan that were not published in phase one.
Joe Lloyd / Stuff
Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese said the draft plan aimed to be clearer about how Nelson managed valuable resources like fresh water, while facilitating development.
A third phase occurs in 2022 when the plan will be publicly notified and the formal presentation and hearing process will begin.
Mayor Rachel Reese said the next two phases of informal engagement were a great opportunity for people to have their say.
“There have been many conversations with community members, staff and elected members to focus on the strategic issues and opportunities for our region, and how we want to live and care for our natural environment.
“Now that we have drafted the Nelson Plan, it is your turn to help us focus in the right direction when it comes to how we develop and appreciate this beautiful region that we all call home.”
Nelson Plan lead advisor Brian McGurk said initial work on the plan dates back to 2013.
JOE LLOYD / STUFF / Nelson Mail
Plan Nelson Senior Advisor Brian McGurk said he encouraged the public to submit comments during the first round of consultations.
McGurk said that at that stage the council had a collection of planning documents “that were really starting to show their age,” and the decision was made to bring them all together in one grand plan.
“Now we have a comprehensive vision of what the responsibilities of our regional council and territorial authority are.
“Much work has been done … taking into account the current legislative requirements and others that have been indicated.”
The council’s group manager for strategy and environment, Clare Barton, said the council had taken into account possible changes to the central government’s Resource Management Act in its planning.
“Regardless of who enters the government, there will be changes to the RMA framework. We’re not entirely sure the exact nature of that – we’ve anticipated some of that in terms of delivery through the plan.
“While it has taken some time to get to this point, it has also been a reflection of the fact that we wanted to make sure we were at the forefront when dealing with those directives from the central government.”
Meanwhile, the Tasmania District Council is at a much earlier stage in creating its equivalent Tasmania Environmental Plan.
TDC is scheduled to host the first of approximately 20 planned community pop-ups to hear initial resident input on issues and potential solutions for the district beginning October 12.
The plan is expected to take at least six years to complete, which involves the revision and combination of the Tasmania Regional Policy Statement and the Tasmania Resource Management Plan.
Tasmania Mayor Tim King encouraged residents to weigh in on the issues, which could include urban growth, productive use of rural land, water quality and economic development. Feedback would be valuable regardless of the legal framework within which the council had to work, he said.
If the Resource Management Law was changed or eliminated by the next administration, that would not alter “what are the problems and the proposed solutions,” King said.
The district’s urban, rural and coastal areas provided residents with “a great lifestyle and are the basis for many livelihoods.”
“As a region, we have a lot to offer and as a result, our cities and local centers are growing,” King said. “It is important that we plan for the future by fostering quality development in the right places, supporting sustainable industries and production, and protecting and restoring our environment.
“Our communities can contribute to how we do this by participating in the process to create the new Tasmania Environmental Plan.”
Nelson City Council will hold a series of sessions where the public will be able to ask questions and speak with technical experts on the areas that concern them.
An online feedback and information platform has been created at shape.nelson.govt.nz/nelson-plan. You can access all of the plan’s chapters, topics, maps, and supporting information through these pages.
There is also a dedicated email address: [email protected] for the draft Nelson Plan.
