Securing Your Future, Th e Importance of District Plans

Several years ago, I reminded members to keep an eye on their local District Plan, to make sure that their airfi eld was protected from encroaching activities. Now I think it’s time to provide a reminder and encouragement to keep your eyes peeled.

All District or City Councils have a District Plan. District Plans are prepared under the Resource Management (RM) Act, and the focus of this legislation is to control land use activities, irrespective of who owns the land. This includes, for example, rules about airfi elds, but also rules about the rural (and residential) land that surrounds airfi elds. The presumption in the RM Act is that you can do anything on your land unless the District Plan says otherwise, in which case you are likely to need to get a resource consent from the Council. Many of these plans are now being reviewed. Please go and check what is happening in your District! District Plans can place constraints on how you operate - but they can also provide protection to your operation (reverse sensitivity). Things you need to keep an eye out for include, for example: ◗ Changes in noise controls (that may curtail when you operate, or how loud your plane can be, or may require sound proofi ng) ◗ Changes in hours of operations ◗ Changes in height restrictions of buildings and trees, particularly if they are in fl ight paths ◗ Are your take-off and landing fl ight paths protected from other activities? ◗ Change in any provisions relating to reverse sensitivity – are your current operations protected? ◗ Changes in rural subdivision in proximity to the airfi eld ◗ Changes in access and roadway requirements ◗ Changes in building controls on the airfi eld How to approach a plan: ◗ start by looking at the maps and fi nd out what zoning and policy overlays apply ◗ check out the rules that apply to this zone ◗ check out the information that goes with the rules e.g. standards, procedures etc. ◗ now look at the same information for all land that is in the general area of your airfi eld ◗ don’t forget about other areas where you fl y regularly – watch out for developments that may affect your fl ying paths – e.g. new line of pylons, power lines or additional buildings near strips that you use for camps, for aerotow retrieves or paddock landing practice ◗ Don’t think too narrowly about geography or about possible restrictions – if there are key areas to be protected for safe fl ying in the future, identify them and make sure they are protected in the District Plan. So how does a plan review process happen?

Some councils will review the whole of their current (called operative) District Plan in one effort – others will do a rolling review and pick on sections over time. Either way, there will be a draft document and consultation with the public before any changes are formally “proposed” and “publicly notifi ed”. At this stage you can write a submission, or a further submission (if you oppose or support something someone else has said). This is summarised by staff and a Council Hearing follows. Decisions are released and if you don’t “support” any of the decision, you can appeal them to the Environment Court - where a “de novo” hearing takes place. This whole process is not quick, so someone in your Club should be keeping an on-going eye on these issues!

I can’t reiterate this strongly enough - if you don’t know what is in the District Plan that applies to your airfi eld – please go and fi nd out NOW. Keep an eye on the District Plan Review process and, if in doubt, go and talk to one of the Council planners, ask them to take you through what they are doing and when the review is going to happen. Also ask to go onto their mailing list, so they will inform you when changes are being drafted. And while I am having my rant – please also keep an eye out for: ◗ the annual plan that Councils put out – this is in general about work programmes, budgets and fees – if your fi eld is operated by a Council, they will expect you to look at this document for any changes being proposed for the coming year, or in their 10-year planning horizon. ◗ The Reserve Management Plan, which may exist if the land has a reserve status, and can control activities within the reserve, alongside the District Plan Good luck with protecting your Club’s future right to operate

BIO: Piako Gliding Club member Robin Britton is an independent c onsultant, based in Hamilton. She has worked for over 25 years in resource management policy and planning, mainly focusing on coastal issues. She also works with central, regional and local government covering many different topic areas.