26 May 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 26 May 2021, commencing at 9.30am
Present: Cr Joce Yeoman Chair (via Zoom)
Cr Amy Macdonald (via Zoom)
Cr Colin Kitchen (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: Full Meeting
Ben Lee GM - Strategy, Governance & Engagement
Colin Dall GM - Regulatory Services
Justin Murfitt Strategic Policy Specialist
Alison Newell Natural Resources Policy Manager
Brenda Baillie Policy Specialist
Ingrid Kuindersma Policy Planner
Rachael King Planning & Policy Administrator (minutes)
Susan Botting Northern Advocate Reporter
Part Meeting
Mary de Ruyter Communications Specialist
The Chair declared the meeting open at 9.30am
1.0 KARAKIA TIMATANGA
Joce Yeoman
2.0 APOLOGIES | NGĀ WHAKAPAHĀ
The standing apology from TTMAC representative Pita Tipene was noted
Apologies from Malcolm Nicolson, Jason Donaghy, Tess Dacre, and Justin Blaikie were also received
3.0 DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST | NGĀ WHAKAPUAKANGA
It was advised that councillors should make declarations item-by-item as the meeting progressed.
4.0 REPORTS | NGĀ RIPOATA
4.1 Record of Actions
Ÿ Item 4.3 – looking at driving factors around continued non-compliance
Ÿ Media release has been done and was well received
Ÿ Cr Kitchen advised that recent FENZ work has complemented the media release
Agreed Actions:
Ÿ Follow up on recent media release – as this is generally the time people light up, look to see if there are more/less issues this time around due to the recent comms
Ÿ Analyse the feedback from the media, whether that translates into incident rate reduction and are there other things we can do into the future to bring down the number of incidents
4.2 Wetland Comms – verbal update
Ÿ Regulatory Services through the CEO’s Report noted that there had been an increase in incidents relating to wetlands
Ÿ With recent changes to Freshwater regulations, what were allowed activities in the past may now require consent
Ÿ Wetland story is one that can be told through many lenses – keen to turn it into a positive story as to what a wetland can offer
Ÿ There is no point trying to offer guidance on rules until FES hearing in September
Ÿ Suggestion is to hold off so as not to mix current SNA consultation process with wetlands issue and to tie this into funding becoming available for fencing of wetlands, and do comms on this late June at the earliest
Ÿ Highlight good things happening with wetlands – KMR etc
Agreed Actions:
Ÿ NRC staff to meet with TAs to foster a greater understanding of the wetland rules when they are processing consents
Ÿ Will look to develop communications around protection of wetlands (and a couple of other things around the NES) around beginning of July when funding becomes available (Colin)
9.52am – Mary de Ruyter left the meeting
4.3 Planning & Policy Work Programme
Ÿ Taken as read
Ÿ Ben advised that this is a list of things that are becoming more and more of a priority – not a full RPS review, discrete focused changes to the RPS
Ÿ First step to refine particular issues – go to council in the first instance to confirm list, scope etc, then the next step is discussion with TTMAC and looking at process
Ÿ It was suggested that an initial workshop with Council in July is a realistic date
Ÿ Will need to look at role of council versus this working party – flagging that some work will overlap with climate change working party
Ÿ The question was raised as to how are we going to bring the climate change element into the Northland to Auckland corridor plan group?
Ÿ The answer is that we don’t know – still working out the scope – it may be through that strategy that other issues to support development are required
Ÿ Representation on the group is to be CE, Mayor, Ministers – with steering groups etc. under that and three main elements of focus - partnerships; spatial plan, selecting big, high-priority infrastructure projects
Agreed Action:
Ÿ Add update on Council workshop to next PRWP report
4.4 Regulatory Services Update
Ÿ Taken as read
Ÿ Wastewater treatment plants - what sort of timeframe do we allow for replacement consent etc. that expired in 2019?
Ÿ Colin advised that council has been awaiting further information, could proceed to either a hearing or the TA moving to consultation before moving to a formal hearing
Ÿ It was noted that council have been criticised previously for not putting pressure on TAs to upgrade systems in a timely manner and ensure that they are actually getting on with these things
4.5 Proposed Regional Plan Update
Ÿ Taken as read
Ÿ Alison advised that there is a new topic - Topic 17 – draft maps out with the parties, court-directed consultation, very narrow focus and truncated timeframe
4.6 Water Quality Plan Change Update
Ÿ Taken as read
Ÿ With regards to getting DoC on board for early engagement - an initial contact has been identified and a meeting arranged to see whether he can either assist, or be able to point council in the right direction
Ÿ Once report is back from NIWA, will be conducting a cost benefit analysis
Ÿ Hoping to investigate and see what other modelling is being used for forests
Ÿ With regards to moving the SNA forward the question was raised whether it should be brought to TTMAC?
Ÿ It is too late for inclusion in the next agenda, but if members raise it on the day then it can be addressed at the time
Ÿ Valuable conversations being had and implications are far reaching, not only over Māori land, but over all land
Ÿ What makes it so significant to the Far North, is that 37% of land is Māori land, as opposed to Whangārei where it is 4%
10.38am – Juliane Chetham joined the meeting
Ÿ Discussion took place regarding protection of significant biodiversity and the fact that mapping and identifying areas is a key management approach
Ÿ Juliane – unfortunately this is a Crown / treaty partner issue with NRC caught in the middle
Agreed Action:
Ÿ Send Rowan a copy of the water quality report from previous meeting
The meeting closed at 10.47am