Issues

The Future Urban Zone (FUZ) covers five areas of rural residential land. These five areas contain clusters of low density residential development situated on the fringes of Whangarei City’s residential suburbs, and are addressed in adopted Urban Structure Plans.

The locations of Future Urban Zones are limited to those areas containing existing rural residential development and which allow for the future reticulated development of areas contiguous to existing urban areas. The Future Urban Zone generally adjoins Residential Zones or Open Space and Recreation Zones on the inner (urban) edge and the Large Lot Residential Zone or Rural Production Zone on the outer (rural) edge.

There is a distinct rural residential amenity and character within Future Urban Zone areas which is different to the amenity of urban areas and of areas of Rural Production Zone. Part of that rural residential amenity and character relates to remnants of rural production activities such as stock loading yards, bars, sheds, fences and shelterbelts. The Future Urban Zone areas also provide amenity to the adjoining urban areas by providing a rural residential outlook until future urban expansion occurs.

The Future Urban Zone provides for a density of rural residential development that lies between the densities of the Rural Lifestyle Zones and Residential Zones. It provides capacity for the future urban expansion of the City and accordingly must be managed for this purpose.

It is anticipated that most Future Urban Zone locations will be considered for rezoning to a Residential Zone once reticulated services are available. However, two clusters of Future Urban Zone at ToeToe Road and Whau Valley Road (refer FUZ Appendix 1 and FUZ Appendix 2 for the location of these areas) have been identified as unsuitable for future urban development because of natural hazards, proximity to Quarrying Resource Areas and other land use constraints, and have been zoned Future Urban Zone solely to recognise the existing level of rural residential development.

Some non-residential activities of a compatible nature, scale and location may be located within the Future Urban Zone including commercial activities that are ancillary activities to residential activities.

Objectives

FUZ-O1Rural Residential Areas

Future Urban Zone, other than ToeToe Road and Whau Valley Road, are maintained as rural residential areas prior to being reticulated for urban expansion.

FUZ-O2Reticulated Urban Expansion

Subdivision and development within the Future Urban Zone does not compromise its future for reticulated urban expansion.

FUZ-O3Hazards, Heritage and Natural Features

Subdivision and development within the Future Urban Zone avoids hazard areas and protects heritage and natural features such as landforms, watercourses and indigenous vegetation.

FUZ-O4Infrastructure Services

Infrastructure services for subdivision and development within the Future Urban Zone are appropriately designed and constructed.

FUZ-O5Non-Residential Activities

Compatible small scale non-residential activities are provided for within the Future Urban Zone.

Policies

FUZ-P1Rural-Residential Development

To provide for existing clusters of rural-residential development, while recognising these areas, other than ToeToe Road and Whau Valley Road, are suitable for urban expansion.

FUZ-P2Character and Amenity

Prior to urban expansion, to maintain rural residential character and amenity in the Future Urban Zone by maintaining:

1. A sense of spaciousness with visual connections to a range of landscapes (such as Mt Parihaka, Hurupaki, Rawhitiroa and Ngararatunua scoria cones, Parakiore, Pukenui/Western Hills Forest, and Glenbervie Forest).

2. Historic heritage features (such as stone walls in Maunu, Three Mile Bush and Vinegar Hill).

3. Dominance of the natural environment (such as landscapes, vegetation and water courses) over the built environment.

4. Lack of urban amenities (such as footpaths, street lights or kerb and channelling).

5. A high level of privacy and low levels of noise and lighting.

6. A range of rural residential development with associated residential units, landscaping/gardens and small scale rural production activities.

FUZ-P3Rural Residential Amenity

Prior to urban expansion, maintain rural residential amenity in the Future Urban Zone by ensuring that all new buildings and major structures are:

1. Of a scale and character appropriate to the Future Urban Zone.

2. Sufficiently setback from site boundaries to enable privacy, the retention of open space and access to sunlight.

FUZ-P4Commercial and Industrial Activities

Prior to urban expansion protect rural residential character and amenity in the Future Urban Zone by avoiding commercial activities and industrial activities and providing for limited commercial activities that are ancillary activities to residential activities on the same site.

FUZ-P5Future Urban Expansion

To provide for future urban expansion in the Future Urban Zone by locating buildings, major structures, building platforms, allotment boundaries, access and on-site services to allow for future urban expansion including an urban level of servicing.

FUZ-P6Locations to Avoid Future Urban Expansion

To avoid future urban expansion in the ToeToe Road and Whau Valley Road Future Urban Zone areas due to hazards, proximity to Quarrying Resource Areas and land use constraints.

FUZ-P7Reticulated Services

To provide for urban expansion in Future Urban Zone areas where reticulated services are available by applying the objectives, policies and rules for the General Residential Zone to urban subdivision and subsequent land use.

FUZ-P8Access and Linkages

To provide for future urban expansion by providing within each subdivision an area of protected land that allows access and linkages to existing and future services including roads, wastewater, stormwater, water, pedestrian access and open space.

FUZ-P9Safety, Efficiency and Parking

To avoid adverse effects from commercial activities that are ancillary activities to residential activities on pedestrian safety, road safety and efficiency, and parking.

FUZ-P10Reverse Sensitivity

To manage reverse sensitivity effects by avoiding the establishment of sensitive activities within close proximity to Quarrying Resource Areas, Rural Production Zone, Strategic Rural Industries Zone, Business Zones and plantation forestry.

FUZ-P11Environmental Features

To ensure subdivision protects and enhances environmental features by:

1. Designing subdivisions to respond to the topography and characteristics of the land being developed.

2. Locating accessways, services, utilities and buildings platforms where these can be provided without the need for significant earthworks, retaining, benching or site contouring.

FUZ-P12Road Network

To ensure subdivision results in an efficient and safe road network by:

1. Limiting the number of allotments served by shared accessways and the number of shared accessways per subdivision.

2. Requiring Indicative Roads and cycleways to be formed.

Rules

FUZ-R1Any Land Use Activity

Any land use activity that is undertaken on an allotment created through provision SUB-R14.1 will be assessed by applying the objectives, policies and rules of land use in the General Residential Zone.

FUZ-R2Any Activity Not Otherwise Listed in This Chapter

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. Resource consent is not required under any rule of the District Plan.

2. The activity is not prohibited under any rule of the District Plan.

FUZ-R3Minor Building

Activity Status: Permitted

Note:

1. Minor buildings are exempt from rules FUZ-R4 – R5.

FUZ-R4Building and Major Structure Height

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The maximum building height and major structure height is 8m above ground level.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Discretionary

FUZ-R5Building and Major Structure Setbacks

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. All buildings and major structures are set back at least:

   1. 10m from all site boundaries.

   2. 6m from all right of ways and common accesses.

   3. 27m from Mean High Water Springs and the top of the bank of any river than has a width exceeding 3m (excluding bridges, culverts and fences).

   4. 30m from indicative roads identified on the District Plan Maps.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Discretionary

FUZ-R6Impervious Areas

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The impervious area within the site does not exceed 15% of the net site area.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Discretionary

FUZ-R7Indigenous Vegetation Clearance

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The clearance of indigenous vegetation either:

   1. Does not exceed 500m² per site within each 10-year period from 12 December 2018; and

   2. Is not within 20m of a water body; OR

   3. Is within a single urban environment allotment; OR

   4. Is associated with:

      1. Routine maintenance within 7.5m of the eaves of existing buildings and major structures:

         1. Including the removal of any tree where any part of the trunk is within the 7.5m distance.

         2. Excluding damage to the roots or removal of any tree where the trunk is outside the 7.5m distance; or

      2. Operation, maintenance and repair of existing tracks, lawns, gardens, fences, drains and other lawfully established activities; or

      3. Pest plant removal and biosecurity works; or

      4. Vegetation removal for customary rights; or

      5. Conservation planting, including planting for ecological restoration purposes.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Discretionary

FUZ-R8Principal Residential Unit

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The maximum density is 1 principal residential unit per 1ha net site area, provided that 1 principal residential unit is permitted on an allotment of any size.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Non-Complying

FUZ-R9Minor Residential Unit

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The maximum density is 1 minor residential unit per site.

2. The minor residential unit does not have a separate access/driveway from the principal residential unit.

3. The nearest distance between the minor residential unit and the principal residential unit does not exceed 15m.

4. The maximum gross floor area of the minor residential unit (including decking and garage areas) is 90m²

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Non-Complying

FUZ-R10Sensitive Activity

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The sensitive activity (excluding non-habitable buildings) is set back at least:

   1. 500m from:

      1. The Mining Area of all Quarrying Resource Areas.

      2. The Strategic Rural Industries Zone.

   2. 20m from:

      1. The Rural Production Zone.

      2. Business Zones.

      3. An existing plantation forestry on a separate site.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved: Discretionary

FUZ-R11Commercial Activities

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The activity generates less than 20 traffic movements per site, per day.

2. In addition to the principal operator, the activity has no more than two other persons engaged in providing the activity.

3. The activity does not exceed the use of 15% of the total gross floor area of all buildings on site.

4. The total area of signage is less than 0.25m², per site.

5. There is no illuminated signage or moving signage.

6. The activity is an ancillary activity to the residential use of the site.

7. The principal operator of the activity is a permanent resident on the site.

8. The activity does not include, before 08:00 or after 18:00 on any day, the operation of machinery, receiving customers or the loading or unloading of vehicles.

Activity Status when compliance not achieved with up to two of rules FUZ-R11.1 – 5: Discretionary

Activity Status when compliance not achieved with more than two rules FUZ-R11.1 – 5: Non-Complying

Activity Status when compliance not achieved with FUZ-R11.6 – 8: Non-Complying

FUZ-R12Farming

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R13Plantation Forestry

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R14Supported Residential Care

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R15Retirement Village

Activity Status: Permitted

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R16Care Centre

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R17Emergency Services

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R18Farm Quarrying

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R19Place of Assembly

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R20Educational Facilities

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R21Recreational Facilities

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R22General Community

Activity Status: Discretionary

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R23Hospitals

Activity Status: Non-Complying

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R24Intensive Livestock Farming

Activity Status: Non-Complying

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ-R25Industrial Activities

Activity Status: Prohibited

Where:

1. The activity is a primary activity or ancillary activity.

FUZ Appendix 1 – Map of ToeToe Road Areas

ToeToe Road areas subject to FUZ-P6 and Rule SUB-R14.2(d) are outlined in red in the image that follows.

FUZ Appendix 2 – Map of Whau Valley Road Areas

Whau Valley Road areas subject to FUZ-P6 and SUB-R14.2(d) are outlined in red in the below image.