Planning and Regulatory Working Party

24 February 2021 

Planning and 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 February 2021, commencing at 9.30am

 

Present:                           Cr Joce Yeoman                   Chair (via Zoom)

Cr Amy Macdonald             (via Zoom)

Cr Colin Kitchen                   (via Zoom)

Cr Justin Blaikie                    (via Zoom)

Cr Penny Smart                    Ex-officio (via Zoom)

Juliane Chetham                 TTMAC Representative (via Zoom)

Mira Norris                            TTMAC Representative (via Zoom)

Rowan Tautari                      TTMAC Representative (via Zoom)

 

In Attendance:              Ben Lee                                   GM - Strategy, Governance & Engagement (Zoom)

Colin Dall                                GM - Regulatory Services

Justin Murfitt                       Strategic Policy Specialist

Alison Newell                       Natural Resources Policy Manager

Rachael King                         Planning & Policy Administrator (minutes)

 

 

The Chair declared the meeting open at 9.33am

 

1.0       KARAKIA TIMATANGA

Joce Yeoman

The passing of Alan Halliday and the huge contribution he had made was acknowledged

 

2.0       APOLOGIES | NGĀ WHAKAPAHĀ

The standing apology from TTMAC representative Pita Tipene was noted

 

3.0       DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST | NGĀ WHAKAPUAKANGA

Colin Kitchen noted that several incidents relate to fires – advised that he is associated with FENZ

 

4.0       REPORTS | NGĀ RIPOATA

4.1       Record of Actions

Ÿ  A conversation is scheduled for the next TTMAC meeting regarding the reporting stream between TWWAG and Council

Ÿ  TWWAG is providing technical advice to Council moving forward

Ÿ  Discussion took place regarding structure of the engagement plan

Agreed Action

Ÿ  Re-draft bullet point from minutes (Alison Newell)

4.2       Planning & Policy Work Programme

Ÿ  Taken as read

Ÿ  Discussion took place regarding coastal occupation charging and TTMAC / MTAG’s role in the development of the document

Ÿ  Regional Plan guidance material – draft has been provided to MTAG who felt that it was too wordy and technical

Ÿ  Conversation around hotline etc. may be brought into another agenda if necessary

Agreed Actions

Ÿ  COC put back on the TTMAC agenda to allow a robust conversation to take place (Ben Lee)

Ÿ  Hold a council COC workshop after the TTMAC meeting

 

9.17am – Colin Kitchen left the meeting

 

4.3       Regulatory Services Work Programme

Ÿ  Taken as read

Ÿ  Discussion took place regarding opportunities for transfer of powers / deputisation

Ÿ  Colin Dall advised that this has been looked at in the past, but is not the best timing given that we are looking at a complete overhaul of the RMA

Ÿ  Enforcement is not easy to delegate, however, at the moment we do contract some of that work out to eg. security agencies – need to ensure that staff are appropriately qualified and security issues are considered – raft of legal issues to consider when accessing private property etc.

Ÿ  Look at recurring issues (ie. burning of rubbish), education campaigns, look at how we can get info

Agreed Action

Ÿ  Look at the driving factors behind continued non-compliance – ignorance, cost of other disposal etc? (Alison Newell)

 

4.4       Regional Plan Update

Ÿ  Have received decisions from Environment Court following on from NPS and NES

Ÿ  Fishing controls – have received the list of 53 expert witnesses – hearing set down for three weeks in late July/early August

Ÿ  Council has contracted Mike Farrow to work with ONLs

Ÿ  Discussion took place regarding Te Mana o Te Wai

Ÿ  Vehicles on beaches currently going through the Environment Court

 

4.5       Freshwater Management Plan Change Update

Ÿ  Taken as read

Ÿ  Wetland mapping - MfE sent base documents yesterday – we are unable to use the data – no report sent, waiting to hear back from MfE

Ÿ  Council received sediment source tracking data for the Hātea catchment yesterday – why are the mitigation scenarios only focussing on pasture?

Agreed Actions

Ÿ  Brenda to send email explaining limitations – if this is insufficient, then:

Ÿ  make contact with NIWA and ask them what information or data they are lacking to be able to do mitigation modelling for forestry

4.6       RPS Review

Ÿ  Taken as read

Ÿ  Staff feel that the RPS review should be put on hold in light of the current planning landscape

Ÿ  The Working Party supports the recommended actions in the paper

Agreed Action

Ÿ  Prepare a paper for consideration by council for approval to hold off on initiating the RPS review until the broader planning framework is confirmed (Alison Newell)

 

4.7       Process for managing consent compliance monitoring

Ÿ  Taken as read

 

The meeting concluded at 11.28am