Planning powers delegated

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 407, 8 October 1991, Page 5

Planning powers delegated

The Regulatory Committee of the Ruapehu District Council has been swapped for a 'hearings committee' in the wake of the instigation of the Resource Management Act 1991. At a special meeting held last week the council decided to delegate certain powers under the new act to council officers and to establish a new hearings committee to consider applications from people who wish to carry out 'non-complying activities'. Matters of town planning policy will now be considered by the full council. The special meeting was called on 1 Qctober because the new act overturned previous delegations, so the council had to set in place a new system. In his report to council the general manager Cliff Houston outlined the changes necessary as well as putting forward proposals to handle the new legislation. Under the act the council could delegate any of its powers to officers other than: approval of a policy statement or plan or any change to a policy statement or plan; recommendations regarding heritage orders; granting resource consents for noncomplying activities; and the power of delegation itself.

"A resource consent for a non-complying activity can be considered equivalent to a specified departure in the Town and Country Planning Act," said the GM in his report. "Thus any type of resource consent except the equivalent of the old specified departure may be delegated to staff." Quicker application handling The delegation would result in "the most expeditious execution of the Council's duties and enable the Council to be responsive to the aspirations of applicants." The regulatory committee's activities would be changed dramatically. Separating hearings from other council business would give more certainty to the timing and duration of ordinary meetings. The hearings committee would meet as needed. Mr Houston told councillors there was now much scope for negotiation between a land owner, their neighbours and council under the new act. He said with officers carrying out delegated functions there would still be conditions of approval laid down, where appropriate. "There is no denial of a person 's right to take an issue to Council," he said. Cr Don Lawson expressed concern that if an application were not advertised the public would not have a chance to object.

Mr Houston said issues of major public concern would have to be advertised. "But who is going to decide which is major and which is minor?" said Cr Lawson. Compliance or not "It's a question of whether it is a noncomplying activity - if it isn't it has to be publicly notified," said Mr Houston. "It seems this system will streamline the activity and make it easier for applicants," said Cr Lawson. "Then it lets them get on with it." The hearings committee will consist of councillors Bennett, Vine, Penny, Shaw, Cosford and Murphy (the members of the previous regulatory committee). The committee will elect their own chairman. The replacement committee will not include any community board members. Site signs During discussions on new planning applications procedures at the last Ruapehu District Council meeting, it was suggested signs be erected on sites explaining proposed land use projects as well as the applications being advertised. The signs would give the public more opportunity to comment on the project and make it easier to understand the project, said Cr Graeme Cosford. The idea is used overseas, he said.