Council still receiving feedback on the Draft District Plan
Published on 22 July 2022
Waitaki District Council has passed the halfway mark of the Draft District Plan engagement period, which ends on the 31st of August 2022. The Council has used the first half of the engagement period to get out into the community to raise awareness and understanding around some of the key issues being considered in the Draft District Plan.
Since the Council opened its doors to the Ōamaru information centre and commenced drop-in sessions across the district, the planning team has welcomed over 250 community members to these sessions. The planning team has so far been to Palmerston, Hampden, Moeraki, Weston, Kakanui, Ōmārama, and Duntroon. Thank you to those in the community who have braved the winter weather to come out and meet with our team to learn more and ask questions. We also want to ensure that all different sectors of the community are represented, and over the coming weeks we will be engaging directly with different stakeholders including schools, community groups, businesses and more.
The topics of interest have been varied and shows that the Draft District Plan means different things to different people. These range from property-related enquiries, future development options and constraints, changes to section sizes, how we are protecting the environment and our productive farmland and more. As we move into the last stretch of the Draft District Plan engagement period, we want to urge our community to provide their feedback. We want to make sure that all the robust debates and conversations on the draft changes are reflected in the feedback we receive, so please make sure you submit feedback through the recommended channels on issues you are passionate about. Remember, this is your opportunity to have a say on what goes into the next stages of the District Plan making process.
"While the Draft District Plan is our first cut, our Councillors want to know if we have landed in the right place or not. Your feedback is important to help reshape the plan where it needs tweaking and improving. It is by no means perfect, but we really want to provide this opportunity to hear from you on the things that matter so that the next version is more reflective of the community's voice. This is your plan, and our decision makers (Councillors) will only be able to make it your plan if you tell us what you think'', said David Campbell, the Heritage, and Planning Manager.
For your feedback to be used to inform the next stage of the District Plan process, we encourage you to submit your feedback using the specified channels. This includes the online feedback form, which can be found at www.waitaki.govt.nz/haveyoursay. You can also send an email with your feedback to planreview@waitaki.govt.nz. Alternatively, you can also post or drop off a hard copy form. Copies of the engagement document and forms are available from Council offices and Waitaki District Libraries.