Auckland Council District Plan Operative Waitākere Section 2003 rules
Waitākere district plan rules
The rules section of the plan contains five sets of rules:
- the city-wide rules
- the natural area rules
- the human environment rules
- the special area rules
- the subdivision rules
For many proposed activities, there will be relevant rules that apply to that activity in each of these five parts. All five parts should therefore be consulted for relevant rules applying to an activity. The plan generally contains cross-references in each part to other relevant parts.
City-wide rules
The "city-wide rules" section includes rules on information for resource consents: natural hazards, financial contributions, hazardous facilities and contaminated sites, heritage, prohibited activities and temporary activities. Definitions of terms used in the plan also appear in the city-wide rules.
The natural area rules
The "natural areas rules" cover vegetation alteration, earthworks, impermeable surfaces, establishment of vegetation, stock grazing and forestry.
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General natural area PDF 189KB - covers developed parts of the City, generally with low or little native vegetation cover. Important natural resources include trees, water systems, landforms and ecological linkage opportunities.
View map PDF 2MB.
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Restoration natural area PDF 316KB - covers areas in the city which have been identified as having significant native vegetation, but of a lower quality than that identified as managed natural area.
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Managed natural area PDF 331KB - covers areas which are characterised by significant native vegetation, wildlife habitats and water systems. The area is also an important landscape feature. This natural area is primarily located in the Waitākere Ranges, although there are sizeable portions in the rural areas and eastern lowlands.
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Coastal natural area PDF 62KB - covers an area extending along the West Coast, around the Manukau Harbour and alongside parts of the Waitemata Harbour. It is an area of outstanding coastal landscape quality, and it also includes important areas of native vegetation, wildlife habitat and streams and lakes with high water quality and aesthetic values.
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Protected natural area PDF 347KB - covers areas close to the coast which have outstanding landscape quality and all other areas in the city (all being in the Waitākere Ranges) which have been classified as having outstanding native vegetation.
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Riparian margins/coastal edges natural area PDF 192 KB - covers an area extending around coastlines and adjoining important streams, rivers, wetlands and lakes. This natural area forms an ecological buffer beside natural water systems and does not provide for public access to private land.
Sensitive ridgelines
Sensitive ridgelines, headlands, cliffs and scarps cover areas of ridgelines, headlands, cliffs and scarps that are sensitive to inappropriate subdivision, use and development. The rules managing buildings on ridgelines, headlands, cliffs and scarps are contained in the human environment rules. Otherwise refer to the relevant natural areas that underlies the sensitive ridgeline, headland, cliff or scarp.
All of the above natural areas are shown on the natural areas maps. The Natural Areas Maps also indicate natural landscape elements, which are the subject of separate rules within the human environment rules. The policy section of the plan provides further explanation of these natural areas and the natural resources that these areas have.
Appendices
Human environment rules
The human environments reflect areas within the city which have noticeably different characteristics, and possible effects on the environment, due to their past, present and possible future development. The human environments are shown on the human environments maps.
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Living environment PDF 569KB - covering urban and suburban residential areas of the city.
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Medium density housing criteria PDF 270KB - sets out the assessment criteria for medium density housing.
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Open space environment PDF 275KB - covers land owned by the council, the Auckland Regional Council or other public agencies.
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Community environment PDF 885KB - covers the town centres, suburban shopping centres and blocks of shops.
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Working environment PDF 344KB - covers the industrial/employment areas of the city.
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Countryside environment PDF 303KB - covers the rural area to the north of the city's developed urban area.
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Foothills environment PDF 315KB - covers that area between the developed urban area westwards to the bush covered parts of the Waitākere Ranges.
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Rural villages environment PDF 477KB - covers the villages located in rural parts of the city - Herald Island, Whenuapai and Waitākere.
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Coastal villages environment PDF 380KB - covers the settlements along the Tasman Sea and Manukau Harbour Coast - Te Henga, Piha, Karekare, Huia, Cornwallis and Parau.
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Bush living environment PDF 372KB - covers areas within the Waitākere Ranges in private ownership, generally bush-covered and smaller sites.
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Waitākere Ranges environment PDF 326KB - covers areas within the Waitākere Ranges in private ownership and generally bush-covered large sites.
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Transport environment PDF 192KB - covers all of the roads in the City which are owned by the council or Transit NZ, and the railway corridor.
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Scheduled sites PDF 162KB - these are sites containing activities such as service stations and shops which are within a human environment generally not catering for that type of activity, but where the plan gives the activity special recognition and protection.
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Scheduled sites appendix PDF 33KB
Special area rules
The "special area rules" apply to the special areas which are identified on the human environments maps. For most of the special areas activities particular to the individual site are allowed by the plan. The approved concept plans for each large property management area are included in the maps section.
The "special areas definitions" give meanings of the various activities provided for, and the rules specify the specific standards to be applied. Other standards also need to be met, which generally are those standards applying in the human environment nearest to the special area.
There are rules in the plan other than the special area rules that may apply to a proposed activity.
Subdivision rules
The subdivision rules apply to all proposals for subdivision in the city. There is a general rules section with specific rules relating to each of the human environments. Rules cover design (lot size, etc.) and engineering (service provision etc.) matters. Other rules in the plan also need to be referred to, including the following:
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The city-wide rules cover requirements on information needed on application for resource consents, financial contributions, natural hazards, hazardous substances, and contaminated sites and heritage. Prohibited activities and temporary activities. Definitions of terms used in the plan also appear in the city-wide rules.
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The natural areas rules cover requirements on vegetation clearance, earthworks, impermeable surfaces, environmentally damaging plants and some structures.
- The human environment rules cover a number of standards relating to buildings and activities.
Rule documents
