What is the City Plan?
The Christchurch City District Plan (The "City Plan") is a document prepared under the Resource Management Act 1991. The purpose of the City Plan is to provide a framework for the management of land use and subdivision within the City. For example, it defines areas (zones) for residential or industrial activities, each with their own set of rules. It defines areas of urban growth, and detailed matters such as the height of buildings.
The City Plan is now operative in part and available online since 21 November 2005. When it is fully operative it will replace the Transitional Plans prepared by the various local authorities that became part of the enlarged City in 1989.
The City Plan has three parts to it:
- The Statement of Issues (Volume 1)
- The Statement of Objectives and Policies (Volume 2)
- The Statement of Rules, including planning maps (Volume 3)
Generally speaking, most people come into contact with the Plan through rules that might affect the development of their property, or because their consent is sought for development of a neighbouring property. Rules specify "standards" which a development is expected to meet. For example, a rule may specify a maximum height for a building in a Living Zone of 8 metres. If a proposed building exceeds this height, a resource consent will be required from the Council. The City Plan also contains objectives and policies. These are used to form the basis of the rules in the Plan and are referred to when considering Resource Consents.
Note that the City Plan addresses the effects of land use, subdivision, and building activities on the environment, and on neighbours. The structural aspects of building are subject to the Building Act, and are a separate issue.
Among the matters that are dealt with in the City Plan are:
- The Natural Environment
- The Living (residential) Environment
- The Business Environment
- Major Utilities (eg, the airport, services, and transport)
- Heritage and Protected Trees
- Noise and Hazardous Substances
- Subdivision of Land
Volume 1 considers issues associated with these subjects; Volume 2, the Objectives and Policies being followed to deal with these subjects, and Volume 3, the Rules that are intended to achieve these objectives and policies.
The preparation of the City Plan involves a long process of drafting, submissions, hearings and references to the Environment Court. During this time the Plan may be further amended by Variations/Plan Changes which offer the same process of submissions and hearings.
The City Plan is sometimes confused with the "Annual Plan". The Annual Plan is a document produced each year for determining the financial priorities and spending of the Council, upon which public comment is sought. It is however, quite different to the City Plan.
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