Hybrid plans

Description

This style of organisation represents the most common approach to district plans. Some issues are dealt with issue by issue (typically where they occur throughout a district regardless of activity type or zone) while others are zone-related, with certain issues and management solutions being dealt with solely within a zone or management area. Such plans also tend to mix the zone-based and activity-based organisational styles.

Advantages

• Easy to ensure consistency and integration within the plan through having all issues dealt with in the same document, with cross-referencing between chapters or sections as necessary.
• Less repetitious than self-contained zone plans as issues and management solutions common to the whole district or region can be placed in specific district or region-wide issues chapters.
• Rules that apply to certain activity types are able to be found more quickly than in effects-based plans (more friendly for people who read and use plans on an irregular basis).
• Provides greater certainty for most uses than purely effects-based plans (as activities that are permitted or that require resource consent are often named).
• More capable of dealing with interface issues than zone-based plans or area-management plans.

Disadvantages

• Relies on cross-referencing to be thorough and accurate to avoid issues and effects being missed.
• Needs rigour applied to its structure and order to avoid it becoming a confused mix of styles.

Example plans

Tauranga City District Plan

Palmerston North City District Plan