The timeframe for reviewing the Dunedin City Council rural and landscape zone planning rules has been extended.
Paul Freeland, at the DCC Planning team for this project, has confirmed that the DCC will look at any comments right up to release of the draft in March / April next year, but would prefer to receive comments in the run up to Christmas, as they are preparing the draft now.
Some of us in Blueskin Bay Watch have put in a submission advocating our values and opinions - a copy of which I have posted in the following comments to keep a record.
I urge anyone who has a stake in appreciation of the landscape in this region to put forward a submission to the DCC. There are links to draft area descriptions and questionnaires on the Consultation Register Page of the DCC website, but any comments in any form should be read and taken into account by the DCC - there is no requirement to follow a pro-forma.
If anyone wants to post a copy of their feedback to the DCC in the comments section, so we have a record of it, that would be great.
Friday, November 24, 2006
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To: Dunedin City Council
Rural/Landscape Plan Change – November 2006
From: Blueskin Bay Watch Inc.
The objective of our society is maintaining or improving the current character of the Blueskin Bay and Dunedin North Coast area and community in a sustainable manner. This includes advocating for the protection and enhancement of the natural flora and fauna of the area. We support sustainable development which retains the intrinsic character of the area, community and environs.
These are some of the important issues which we believe should be considered in relation to the rural and landscape areas of the “Waikouaiti Coast” & “Heyward Coast” areas.
1. Landscape Values
The Blueskin Bay area is a large “amphitheatre” visible to all, comprising the bay, surrounding bush and silver peaks with its uncluttered ridge lines. Open space and emptiness are defining features right up to the sky-line, where there is no bush cover.
Pakeha as well as Maori can have a strong spiritual and emotional connection to a place. This does not relate to ownership of the land, but is evoked by familiarity and a feeling of belonging.
Landscape values are not only visual. When referring to impact of developments etc on the landscape values, it is necessary to include social, cultural, spiritual and historical impacts. The ways in which communities work should not be undermined by development, any future growth should be sustainable, low impact and in-keeping with the unique flavour of the communities already present.
Each community is unique, vital, diverse and stable with its own flavour. There is a wonderful mix of people and their habitats.
People are attracted to these settlements because of the uncluttered landscape that surrounds them. We want to retain this feature by appropriate growth. Rural sprawl, such as that occurring near Waitati, will adversely impact on the landscape with the result that the character of the land is lost.
Recommendation 1:
All coastal headlands from Aramoana to Waikouaiti should be given special status which will protect them from development in perpetuity as outstanding and significant iconic landscape features.
Recommendation 2.
The North Coast Coastal Landscape Preservation Area needs extension north to Karitane, and must include the Blueskin Bay Estuary. This will ensure that these landscape values are properly upheld in these areas.
2. No more subdivision
People in Blueskin Bay would prefer that existing sections within the villages were built upon rather than any rural land further subdivided. The current availability of sections within the communities makes further sub-division unnecessary.
We need to get it right now and preserve the uniqueness of these environs. For example in the Waitati area we don’t want more rural land divided up into smaller lots i.e. Opeke; or looking at the Don’s Creek development, this was almost the construction of a new settlement where there previously was a farm. This has the potential to change our community in a “more than minor” way.
‘Discretionary’ activity should be changed to ‘non compliant’ activity in the Plan. So far there has been no ‘good’ development. Don’s Creek and Pilot’s Point are strong examples of inappropriate developments.
If there is pressure for more residential housing then the sections should be small, adjacent to, and in keeping with the established settlements; thus keeping the communities intact and allowing for the opportunity for a mixture of housing types and costs. A diversity of income levels and age groups creates a stronger and more coherent community.
Recommendation 3
There should be public notification of all developments in this area with opportunity for full community consultation. Planning cases should be reviewed on case-by-case basis, as each site is unique. Monitoring and enforcement of compliance to conditions of development are very important. If these can’t be achieved then development should not occur.
3. Infrastructure Pressures
When large farms are divided into lifestyle blocks there is often a desire both by the developer and new owners for improved infrastructure. This can have several impacts:
One is that it changes the intrinsically rural nature of the area and also leads to exponential growth in land values. This disadvantages low to medium income families wishing to live in this area.
Any development will place additional strain on infrastructure as follows:
North Coast settlements are either reliant on rainwater collection or are on restricted town supply. The Northern Water Schemes upgrade is aimed at providing more security for water supply in some areas. However climate change, which is resulting in reduced rainfall on the east coast of the South Island, will in the long-term produce water shortages which will potentially affect the whole of Dunedin City. Local schemes would add to the security of supply.
Some north coast settlements do not have, and do not want sewage treatment schemes. There are potential environmental impacts of greatly increasing the number of residents in these villages.
The layout of settlements including width of roads and bridges, and lack of walking spaces means there is not the capacity for large increases in population. This could result in traffic congestion and problems during civil emergencies and evacuation procedures.
4. Amenities/Recreation
The community makes extensive use of the entire bay, beach and waters edge environment. It is an important feature, which we want to retain to enjoy. For the sake of the environment and the local aesthetics, it is not desirable to have development down to the waters edge, or along watercourses.
Recommendation 4
Vehicles must be kept off beaches to preserve these areas for wildlife and recreation. Vehicles accessing the beach damage the dunes and risk destruction of the bay if we loose this protective feature.
Recommendation 5
Extensive public walking tracks and Right-of-Ways to enhance public access to recreational areas and provide link tracks around the district should be promoted by the Council and become a condition of any changes to coastal land use.
5. Retention of Rural Agricultural land
Future global economic pressures, such as rising fuel prices, may increase our reliance upon locally farmed produce; therefore maintenance of agricultural land close to greater Dunedin is vital.
Recommendation 6
Land should remain in appropriately sized economically viable parcels to enable future farming.
6. Sensitive Environmental Area
Rate’s relief should be available for the fencing off of bush remnants. Also support is needed for coastal bush restoration and a public awareness of the availability of such support to encourage much more restoration of bush.
The latter could be done under an umbrella of environmental education.
Recommendation 7
Maintenance and development of trees, native forest and wildlife corridors should be promoted.
The Dunedin City Council is currently addressing the potential long-term effect of climate change. This is particularly pertinent to coastal areas. Any land likely to be inundated within the next 30-50 years should be restricted from new housing and infrastructure.
We enjoy our view of a beautiful starlit night sky.
Light pollution arises from light fittings and light reflected up into the sky from buildings and the ground. 'Over-lighting' must be avoided, using only the correct amount of light for the task in hand. Unnecessary night-time lighting should be switched off.
Our aim is to protect, enhance and restore the natural and social environment of the coastal settlements and environs north of metropolitan Dunedin, so the residents and visitors to the area can enjoy the peace and beauty of the area and have access for recreational purposes to the local coast, inlets and bush.
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