24 June 2020
Planning & Regulatory Working Party Record of Actions
Meeting held in the Committee Room, 36 Water Street, Whangārei
and via Zoom video and teleconferencing
on Wednesday 24 June 2020, commencing at 9.30am
Present: Cr Joce Yeoman (Chair)
Cr Justin Blaikie
Cr Amy Macdonald
Cr Colin Kitchen
Cr Penny Smart (ex officio)
Mira Norris Te Parawhau Hapū Authority Charitable Trust
Rowan Tautari Te Whakapiko Hapū
Juliane Chetham Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board
In Attendance: Full Meeting
Ben Lee Strategy, Policy & Planning Manager
Michael Day Natural Resources Policy Manager
Rachael King Planning & Policy Administrator (minutes)
Colin Dall GM - Regulatory Services
Tess Dacre Compliance Monitoring Manager
Ali McHugh Water & Waste Monitoring Manager
Sheila Taylor Kaiārahi Kaupapa Māori
Chevon Horsford Kaiawhina Kaupapa Māori
Part Meeting
Jonathan Gibbard GM - Strategy, Governance & Engagement
Michael Payne Policy Specialist
The meeting commenced at 9.36am
1.0 APOLOGIES | NGĀ WHAKAPAHĀ
Pita Tipene, Malcolm Nicolson, Jason Donaghy, Juliane Chetham (lateness)
2.0 DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST | NGĀ WHAKAPUAKANGA
It was advised that members should make any declarations item-by-item as the meeting progressed.
3.0 REPORTS | NGĀ RIPOATA
3.1 Receipt of Meeting Notes
Ÿ Taken as read
Ÿ Draft compliance monitoring and enforcement strategy – no feedback received from last meeting – any comments to be forwarded through to Colin
3.2 Regulatory Services Update
Presented by: Colin Dall – GM, Regulatory Services
Ÿ Report taken as read
3.3 NRC Forestry Monitoring Programmes
Presented by: Tess Dacre – Compliance Monitoring Manager
Ÿ Report taken as read
Ÿ Justin provided background and overview to the report
Ÿ NRC have invested and developed our own dataset to record the erodibility datasets of Northland soils – these differ to national information available, in terms of showing Northland soils are more erodible
Ÿ Soil erosion is only one of a number of factors considered when determining whether an activity is permitted and whether a site visit will be made
Ÿ If MPI data are used for assessment of risk, it’s not a true reflection
Ÿ The suggestion was made that a submission be made to MPI regarding using NRC maps
Ÿ Are the current NES settings proving to be effective relating to forestry in Northland, which is likely to continue to grow as a land use
Ÿ An opportune time to look at it and see whether we need to address a plan change moving forward
Ÿ Request for additional information as to what made afforestation activities non-compliant – Ali advised that it has to do with the way in which it is reported, and recording changes are imminent
Ÿ Afforestation only applies to new areas – if replanting areas then NRC do not need to be notified
Ÿ Forestry sector guidelines are available and utilised, however, need to be brought up to date
Agreed Actions:
Ÿ Ben to meet with Colin and Tess to discuss the matter further and report back to next working party
Ÿ Refer request for information on costings on data-loggers to the Land & Water Working Party
Ÿ Report back to TTMAC on Compliance Monitoring with regard to Forestry – provide an understanding of what council does in that space and the current situation
10.06am - Jonathan Gibbard joined the meeting
3.4 Planning & Policy Work Programme
Presented by: Ben Lee - Strategy, Planning & Policy Manager
Ÿ Report taken as read
Secretarial Note: The order of the agenda items was rearranged to allow for other commitments by attendees
10.11am - Michael Payne joined the meeting
3.6 Update on Water Quality Plan Change
Presented by: Ben Lee - Strategy, Planning & Policy Manager
Ÿ Have been working with MTAG to come up with an approach for engaging with tangata whenua – being tabled at next TTMAC meeting
Ÿ Tangata whenua advisory group – key group for receiving advice
Ÿ Two consultants have been employed to provide modelling of the current state of Northland water quality
Ÿ NIWA have completed their modelling – Land & Water Science are due to return their outputs in July
Ÿ Have also engaged NIWA to provide modelling of proposed scenarios
Ÿ Outlined proposed timeline around the engagement and preparation of the plan change
Ÿ Amy – reminder that outputs of modelling are not the only things worthwhile – look holistically at all benefits and articulate them as much as possible wherever we can
Ÿ Stakeholder groups – no indication of who these may be at this stage
Ÿ Has there been any thought of ground truthing to provide more information around e.coli data etc. – once information from Land & Water Science is received, it is anticipated that it will fill in some of the gaps in the NIWA modelling
Ÿ Will be looking at other RC, however, targets, limits etc. will be Northland specific
3.5 Proposed Amendments to National Environmental Standards for Air Quality Submission
Presented by: Michael Payne - Policy Specialist
Ÿ Joce - minor feedback already provided by email to Michael
Ÿ Is the submission able to speak to spray drift – not something the NES covers, mostly traffic and dust
Ÿ The monitoring we undertake at the refinery will not be affected
Agreed Action:
Ÿ Any comments / amendments through to Michael no later than midday Tuesday next week
10.26am - Juliane Chetham joined the meeting
3.7 Regional Plan Appeals
Presented by: Michael Day – Natural Resources Policy Manager
Ÿ Approx 75% of all appeal points agreed to have been agreed to date
Ÿ Fourteen signed orders have been received – these are now up on the council website, together with an updated / amended copy of the Annual Plan incorporating the changes
Ÿ Two hearing dates have been locked in: 20 July (fumigation) for two days and 10 August (mangroves) for a week
Ÿ No-take marine protection provisions has been scheduled for two days in early August
Ÿ Further updates will be advised
The meeting closed at 10.33am