Plan Changes chance for input

Input is being sought on two Queenstown Lakes District plan changes which potentially affect all residents, QLDC policy planner Daniel Wells said.

“First, the council is this week calling for further submissions on the Trails Plan Change. The change to the District Plan will make it more appealing to provide trails on private land by reducing the risk that they could affect the ability of landowners to develop their land in the future,” Mr Wells said.

The further submission process means you have to make a submission on the comments already made. That is, people can now only submit for or against the 32 submissions received when the plan was notified.

“Most of the submissions were in support of the intent of the Plan Change although changes in the details were often sought. Only one submission was in total opposition,” Mr Wells said.

Key issues highlighted in the submissions were:

Whether the exclusion from 'public place' should include trails established before December 2007.
Whether those trails established through tenure review should be excluded from the definition, and whether those trails not formally established (i.e. where people access through agreement by farmers) should be excluded.
Whether the plan change weakens the landscape protection provisions of the plan.
 

Submitters included the Upper Clutha Environmental Society and the Forest and Bird Society, landowners, smaller community associations and private developers.

“The plan change was considered a positive step towards removing impediments to the establishment of trails,” Mr Wells said.

The second plan change notified this week is a change to the District Plan around ‘non-residential’ activities in residential, rural living and township zones.

“This plan change seeks to prevent the establishment of activities that are not considered appropriate for residential areas, for example car repair businesses,” Mr Wells said.

This plan change arose because of concern that there was a loophole in the plan that could allow these activities to occur as ‘home occupation businesses’.

“In the township zone it is proposed that these activities be made non-complying. It will not affect existing businesses that are lawfully established,” he said.

Submissions are due on both Plan Changes on 2 May 2007. More information is available on the council website www.qldc.govt.nz