'Activity-based ' plan

Description

Activity-based plans centre on known activity types, or clusters of activities, and how they are to be managed. The approach is often used in conjunction with one of the other plan typologies such as 'zone ' or 'topic-based ' plans (and can therefore be seen in both regional and territorial council environments). This plan is based around activity types on the basis that certain effects are known to be associated with certain activities.

Sample layouts

Contents General Definitions Notification Information requirements Issues, Objectives, Policies and Methods Tangata whenua Natural environment Rural development Urban development Infrastructure Residential Activity Rules Noise, light and vibration Bulk and location of structures Home-based businesses Car parking and traffic generation Advertising Manufacturing Activity Rules Noise, light and vibration Hazardous substances Parking and access Advertising Sport and Recreation Activity Rules Financial contributions for development Noise, light and vibration Bulk and location of structures Advertising Temporary events Subdivision Rules Allotment size Existing buildings Hazards Esplanade reserves General Rules Heritage sites and protected trees Indigenous forest Appendices Schedules of heritage resources HFSP procedures Maps

Contents Introduction Character of the coast Ecology Use and development Background Plan preparation process Legislation NZCPS Management Approach - Use and Development Issues Objectives Policies Methods of implementation Principal reasons Management Approach - Marine Management Issues Objectives Policies Methods of implementation Principal reasons Rules: Recreational activities Temporary military training Structures for navigation and telecommunications Reclamations Stormwater discharges Sewage discharges Discharges to air Taking or use of water Dredging and spoil disposal Moorings, marinas and boat refueling Boat painting and maintenance Signs Marine farming Sand extraction General Performance Standards Definitions Appendices Schedules

Advantages

• User-friendly (in that the plan is based around known activities and terms that many people readily identify with).
• It can be easier to check the activity status and see the standards that may apply to a proposal.

Disadvantages

• The reasoning for provisions may be less transparent (it can be harder to see the link back to the effects that are to be managed).
• The plan may not deal appropriately with activities not envisaged during drafting (for example activities that should be 'permitted ' become subject to consent processes as they were not listed, or activities that needed to be subject to resource consent are not).
• Can result in lengthy lists of activities.
• Much depends on the definition of each activity and there can be debates as to whether certain activities (or derivations thereof) fit within those definitions.

Example plans

The Invercargill City District Plan provides an interesting derivation of the activity-based plan that parallels the structure of s.75 of the RMA prior to the 2005 Amendment, and then lists rules in association with activities in its chapter of methods of implementation.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council first-generation Regional Coastal Plan splits its chapters according to broad activity types or characteristics.