Proposed Waitaki District Plan: Exemptions and Withdrawals

Pursuant to Section 80Y of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) Waitaki District Council gives public notice of:

1. Those parts of the Proposed Waitaki District Plan that have been withdrawn as of 15 January 2026 as set out below, AND;
2. Those parts of the Proposed Waitaki District Plan that will continue under an exemption that has been granted, as set out below.

WITHDRAWN:

Part 1 (excluding Definitions/nesting tables) and some definitions to be withdrawn where not required to support exempted chapters.

Mana Whenua (excluding provisions automatically exempt - Treaty settlement requirements and Participation of mana whenua in RMA processes)

General Rural Zone - GRUZ (except provisions listed below that are exempt and GRUZ layer to be removed from the Zones layer and added as a separate layer in Natural Hazards titled 'GRUZ - as applied to the relevant NH/CE/EW/SUB provisions')

Contaminated Land - CL

Hazardous Substances - HAZS

Historic Heritage - HH (Part A only)

Notable Trees - TREE and SCHED4 - Schedule of Notable Trees and Notable Trees, and Notable Trees (Group) map overlays

Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori - SASM, SCHED5 - Schedule of Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori, and Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori map overlay

Ecosystems & Indigenous Biodiversity - ECO, SCHED6 - Significant Natural Areas, and Skink Management Area map overlays

Natural Character - NATC

Natural Features & Landscapes - NFL, SCHED7 - Schedule of Outstanding Natural Features, SCHED8 - Schedule of Outstanding Natural Landscapes, SCHED9 - Schedule of Significant Natural Features, SCHED10 - Schedule of Rural Scenic Landscapes, Outstanding Natural Features, Outstanding Natural Landscape, Significant Natural Feature, Rural Scenic Landscape map overlays

Public Access - PA, SCHED11 - Priority Areas for Public Access, Esplanade Strips and Esplanade Reserves

Activities on the Surface of Water - ASW

Coastal Environment - CE (excluding those provisions relating to coastal hazards), Coastal Environment, Coastal Protection, Coastal Area of Degraded Natural Character, Coastal Conservation Land map overlays

Earthworks - EW (excluding EW-S1 GRUZ threshold)

Light - LIGHT

Signs - SIGN

APP3 - Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Accidental Discovery Protocol

APP5 - Criteria for identifying areas that qualify as Significant Natural Areas (SNAs)

APP6 - Principles for biodiversity offsetting

APP7 - Principles for biodiversity compensation

APP8 - ECO chapter information requirements for resource consents

APP9 - Threatened Environment Classification (TEC) version 2012

APP10 - Lighting fixtures

Motorised and Powered Vessel Exclusion Area map overlay

EXEMPT AND TO CONTINUE:

Some proposed rules in the Proposed District Plan have immediate legal effect

Pursuant to sections 86B and 86D of the RMA, those rules of the Proposed District Plan that had immediate legal effect from the date of notification (1 March 2025) will continue to do so, unless captured by the withdrawn provisions above.

Where to view the Proposed Waitaki District Plan

A copy of the Proposed District Plan may be viewed on the Waitaki District Council website at www.waitaki.govt.nz/proposed-district-plan. It can also be viewed in hard copy at any of the following locations during business hours.

• Council Offices:
  • Waitaki District Council Headquarters, 20 Thames Street, Ōamaru
  • Waihemo Service Centre, 54 Tiverton Street (SH 85), Palmerston
• Public Libraries:
  • Ōamaru Public Library, 62 Thames Street, Ōamaru
  • Palmerston Library, Waihemo Centre, 54 Tiverton Street (SH 85), Palmerston
  • Hampden Library, Hampden Hall, Main Road, Hampden
  • Kurow Community Library, Waitaki Valley School, Settlement Road, Kurow
  • Otematata Community Library, Lakes Centre, West Road, Otematata
  • Ōmārama Library, Ōmārama School, Main Road, Ōmārama

Council offices are open 8.30am-5pm Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri and 8.30am-4pm on Thursdays. Library opening hours vary, please check www.waitaki.govt.nz for details.

What happens Next?

Waitaki District Council will prepare a summary of submissions and give public notice of the availability of this summary and where the submissions can be viewed.
There will be an opportunity for the following persons to make a further submission in support of, or in opposition to, the submissions already made:

• Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest;
• Any person who has an interest in the proposal greater than the general public has;

Further submissions must be made, in the prescribed form, within 10 working days of notification of the summary of decisions sought. A copy of the further submission must be served on the Council and the person who made the original submission to which the further submission relates.

Important note: Where plan provisions are withdrawn, there is no need to further submit on these.
The Council will appoint a Hearing Panel to consider the submissions lodged, including further submissions. The Panel will hold public hearings to enable submitters to present their submissions. Submitters may speak in support of their submission at a hearing if they have indicated in their submission that they wish to be heard.

Following the hearing, the Council must give its decision on the provisions and matters raised in the submissions (including its reasons for accepting or rejecting submissions) and give public notice of its decision within 2 years of notifying the Proposed District Plan and serve it on every person who made a submission at the same time.

Any person who has made a submission has the right to appeal against the decision on the Proposed District Plan to the Environment Court.

Alex Parmley – Chief Executive
Waitaki District Council