Draft Napier District Plan consultation opens
What if every new housing development had to include water tanks for stormwater storage?
Should fences have height restrictions?
The answers to these questions – and the reasons these suggestions have been made in the first place - have been released in the draft Napier District Plan.
A District Plan can be likened to a rulebook on how to develop a city, while also safeguarding it for the future, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise says. It provides guidance to developers on the outcomes residents would like for Napier while limiting negative effects on the environment.
"Protecting Napier’s natural features and landscapes is as significant a part of the plan as controlling fence heights to increase visibility and improve safety," Wise says. "These things couldn’t be more different, but they are both governed by the District Plan rules. This review gives residents the chance to say what they think we’re doing well, and what we could do better as our city grows."
She says the District Plan impacts residents in many ways, and we need to bring our thinking up to date in terms of where our community’s future needs are and priorities lie.
They have focused on achieving six outcomes which include improving water quality in the estuary, managing stormwater, enabling a Regional Park; and having great urban areas to achieve safe and well-connected neighbourhoods.
Accompanying the plan are extensive best practice design guidelines that to ensure Napier is vibrant and sustainable while protecting the city's unique Art Deco heritage.
Alongside the draft District Plan, they have developed a Spatial Picture which is the first step in creating a plan to manage Napier’s future growth, and the 3500 more homes they expect to need over the next decade.
To find out more, and provide feedback on the Draft District Plan or Spatial Picture, go to sayitnapier.nz. Consultation closes on September 17.
