UnconfirmedPlanning and Regulatory Working Party

28 October 2020

Planning and Regulatory Working Party Record of Actions

 

Remote meeting held via audio-visual link

on Wednesday 28 October 2020, commencing at 9.30am

 

 

Present:

Chairperson, Joce Yeoman

Councillors:

      Justin Blaikie (from approximately 9.45am)

      Amy Macdonald

      Colin Kitchen

      Penny Smart (Ex-Officio)

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party (TTMAC) Representatives:

      Mira Norris

      Juliane Chetham (left at 10.34am)

      Rowan Tautari

 

In Attendance:

Full Meeting

GM - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

GM – Regulatory Services

Strategic Policy Specialist

Compliance Monitoring Manager

Governance Support Manager (secretariat support)

 

Part Meeting

Policy Specialist (x2)

 

The meeting commenced at 9.33am and proceedings commenced with a karakia by the Chair.

Apologies (Item 1.0)

The (standing) apology from TTMAC representative, Pita Tipene, was noted.

Declarations of Conflicts of Interest (Ngā whakapuakanga) (Item 2.0)

The Chair noted that any declarations of conflict of interest would be taken item by item.

 

Record of Actions (Item 4.1)

The record of actions of the meeting held on 26 August 2020 was noted.

 

 

Planning and Policy Work Programme (Item 4.2)

Presented by: GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement, Ben Lee

Key matters arising from Item 4.2:

 

·         The Te Oneroa-aTohe Beach Management Plan was likely to be approved in November with a number of actions involving changes to the Regional Plan.  Given the actions were ‘tightly knit’ and consultation had already been undertaken on the Beach Management Plan, the plan change may be able to be progressed quickly.

 

·         It was unclear at this time whether a plan change would be required to address additional sites of significance to tangata whenua and if so whether it could ‘piggy-back’ on other water related plan changes.

 

·         There was still uncertainty regarding the cost to complete the freshwater plan change.

 

·         The Ministry for the Environment was yet to confirm whether Northland data would be used for a pilot wetland mapping project.

 

·         It was not recommended to undertake a wholesale review of the Regional Plan until it had been operative for a sufficient time to be ‘tested’.  Legislatively it was required to be reviewed after five years.

 

·         Any plan change would be discussed with TTMAC in the first instance to ‘test thinking and seek advice on the best way to consult’.

 

Regulatory Services Update (Item 4.3)

Presented by: GM - Regulatory Services, Colin Dall

Key matters arising from Item 4.3:

·                A link to the decision made by the Expert Consenting Panel on the Matawii water storage reservoir application (a fast track listed project) to be forwarded to members.

 

Regional Plan Update (Item 4.4)

Presented by: GM – Strategy, Governance and Engagement, Ben Lee

Key matters arising from Item 4.4:

·         A question had been raised during hearings whether by definition wetlands involved the Coastal Marine Area and mangroves; the outcome of which was of high national interest given the potential implications.

 

Freshwater Management Plan Change Update (Item 4.5)

Presented by: GM – Strategy, Governance and Engagement, Ben Lee

Key matters arising from Item 4.5:

·                The most significant challenge to implementing the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management was giving effect to Te Mana o Te Wai; which was a ‘fundamental change to how we view water’.

·                The membership of the Tāngata Whenua Water Advisory Group, set up by NRC, was intentionally different from the Wai group set up by the iwi leaders as they had a very different focus.  The members of the Tangata Whenua Water Advisory Group had also been appointed based on their specific  individual expertise to ensure a diverse and robust discussion.  Further advisory groups would be established, for example a Primary Sector Group.

·                Given that NRC would be one of the first councils progressing a water plan change there would be a high degree of interest.  On this basis, a draft proposed plan change would be prepared to assist upfront engagement and to reduce appeals.

·                Council had approved three TTMAC members attending all council workshops on the content of the plan change that gave effect to the water quality planning requirements of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.  However, TTMAC had directed council to draw on the advice of the Tāngata Whenua Water Advisory Group in terms of engagement; hence the three TTMAC members did not need to be involved in signing off the project and engagement plan.

Agreed action points:

·                Applicants for the Tangata Whenua Water Advisory Group to be advised that the formation of the group was being delayed due to the procedural requirement for council to approve increasing membership from 12 to 15.

·                The completed project and engagement plan to be taken to full council (given it was a significant piece of work).  In the first instance it was expected council would engage at a regional level.  However, it may be appropriate to do ‘deep dives in specific catchments’ or on particular topics.

·                The ‘picture of hot spots in Northland’, based on how current water state aligned with the government’s bands, to be brought back to the Working Party when complete.

 

Efficient Use of Water - Mechanisms for Council (Item 4.6)

Presented by: Strategic Policy Specialist, Justin Murfitt

Key matters arising from Item 4.6:

·                The water quantity provisions of the Regional Plan were currently under review so the ‘landscape’ could change.

 

Reducing the Impact of Plastic on our Environment (Item 4.7)

Agreed action points:

·                Consideration to be given to the submission supporting the phasing out of disposable coffee cups and single use plastics.

·                Advice to be sought from the Comms team whether it was appropriate for NRC’s social media to notify the opportunity for the public to submit .

·                The final submission to be forwarded to the Chair of the Working Party prior to being lodged.

 

Conclusion

The meeting concluded at 11.07am.