Regional Policy Statement for Taranaki |
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| This page: | Part D — Administrative procedures | Section 17 — Procedures | 17.1 — Integrated managment |
| Other pages: | 17.2 — Monitoring | 17.3 — Review | |
Part D — Administrative procedures
Section 17 — Administrative procedures
The Resource Management Act requires that a Regional Policy Statement state:
(a) the processes to be used to deal with issues that cross local authority boundaries, and issues between territorial authorities or between regions (section 62(1)(h) of the Act)
(b) the procedures to be used to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the policies or the methods contained in the Regional Policy Statement (section 62(1)(j) of the Act)
(c) any other information required for the purpose of the Taranaki Regional Council's functions, powers and duties under the Act (section 62(1)(k) of the Act).
Part D of the Regional Policy Statement covers these matters and other related administrative procedures.
17.1 Integrated management and cross boundary processes
Integrated management involves a consideration of:
(a) the effects of the use of one natural resource on other natural and physical resources or on other parts of the environment recognising that such effects may occur across space and time
(b) the functions of other agencies with roles and responsibilities that contribute towards or impact on resource management
(c) the social and economic objectives and interests of the community, recognising that natural and physical resources cannot be managed without having regard to social, economic and cultural matters.
Cross boundary issues may occur when environmental effects of one resource use are felt in another part of the environment (e.g. water quality affected as a result of the discharge of contaminants to land). The aim of integrated management is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources in an efficient and effective manner by implementing and promoting complementary, efficient and effective management of all natural and physical resources.
The policies and methods of implementation as outlined in Part B [Resource management issues of significance] and Part C of the Regional Policy Statement [Resource management issues of significance to iwi] contribute to the integrated management of natural and physical resources in the Taranaki region. In addition to those policies and methods, the Taranaki Regional Council will use the following procedures to promote integrated management and address cross-boundary issues:
- Liaise, as appropriate, with Central Government agencies in relation to resource management issues of regional significance.
- Advocate to Central Government, the use, when appropriate, of national policy statements, call-in powers or national environmental standards, when issues that cross local authority boundaries are of national significance.
- Make submissions, as appropriate, on documents prepared by Central Government agencies regarding issues of national significance that impact or impinge on the Taranaki Regional Council's resource management functions under the Resource Management Act.
- Liaise, as appropriate, with the Waikato Regional Council and the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council on resource management matters that are relevant to more than one region.
- Have regard to any policy statements and plans (including resource management plans, strategic plans and annual plans) prepared by the Taranaki Regional Council, its neighbouring regional councils and territorial authorities (including those prepared under other legislation e.g. the Biosecurity Act, Civil Defence Emergency Management Act and the Land Transport Management Act) and the extent to which this Statement needs to be consistent with those documents.
- Consult adjoining local authorities in the preparation of regional and district plans to ensure a consistent approach between districts and between the regions and districts regarding issues which cross local authority boundaries and state in those plans the processes for dealing with those issues.
- Consider the objectives, and policies contained in the Regional Policy Statement for Taranaki, in the preparation of the Long Term Council Community Plan and annual plans under the Local Government Act 2004.
- Make submissions, as required, to policies, plans, strategies or other proposals of local government or other agencies, and liaise with and consult these agencies regarding the objectives and policies contained in the Regional Policy Statement for Taranaki.
- Liaise, as appropriate, with the New Plymouth District Council, Stratford District Council and South Taranaki District Council on cross-boundary issues relating to land use, waste management, the control of domestic wastewater systems, stormwater and drainage, the use of river and lake beds, odour, the coast, indigenous biodiversity, hazardous substances, natural hazards, sustainable energy, natural features, landscapes and amenities, historic heritage, the built environment and other issues as may be agreed.
- Develop and maintain, as appropriate, protocols, memoranda of understanding, and other agreements where management responsibilities potentially overlap, or in order to promote more effective integrated resource management.
- Advocate to the New Plymouth District Council, Stratford District Council and South Taranaki District Council that, where appropriate, provisions are included in district plans that avoid unnecessary duplication of resource management responsibilities.
- Achieve consistency within regional planning documents on what constitutes the natural character of the coastal environment and seek consistency with territorial authorities in defining the effects that land based activities and subdivision may have in the coastal marine area and ensure that district plan provisions, particularly those that apply to the coastal environment, are not inconsistent with the objectives, policies and methods in the Regional Coastal Plan for Taranaki.
- Work with the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation with respect to managing the coastal environment.
- Seek consistency with territorial authorities in defining the 'natural character' of the coastal environment as it applies in particular to the land boundary of the coastal environment.
- Consider the transfer of functions that other agencies could carry out more efficiently, effectively and appropriately. Transfers of functions will be considered based on the requirements of section 33 of the Resource Management Act, including where both authorities agree that the authority to which the transfer is made represents the appropriate community of interest, and where the transfer is desirable on the grounds of efficiency and technical or special capability or expertise.
- When appropriate, establish joint approaches to the resolution of resource management issues, including the establishment of joint working parties, joint management agreements, research projects, and investigations and monitoring programmes, particularly when issues are of regional significance, or when issues cross local authority boundaries.
- Establish appropriate protocols for the efficient and effective operation of joint hearings.
- Give full consideration to the effects on all other aspects of the environment in the development of strategies and plans, in the consideration of resource consent applications, and in the provision of advice.
- When considering an application for resource consent, consider all issues in the balance with other policies set out in the Regional Policy Statement.
- Consider, in preparing regional plans and in processing resource consents, the actual or potential effects of activities over variable time scales, including the effects of climate change.
- Consider the degree to which financial contributions associated with a consent application to subdivide, use or develop the coastal marine area can be used to offset any unavoidable adverse effects in the coastal environment.
- Liaise, as appropriate, with industry when developments beyond the 12 nautical mile seaward boundary of the region may have impacts within the coastal marine area.
- Consult adjacent authorities when the effects of an activity for which a resource consent application is made cross district or regional boundaries.
- Provide resource consent applicants with information or advice relating to activities that require consent from more than one agency.
- Promote methods through which resource consents required for the component parts of an activity may be dealt with within a single consent process by the Taranaki Regional Council and the territorial authorities including joint and combined hearings.
- When appropriate, coordinate environmental assessments and the gathering of the information required to be submitted with applications for resource consents from the Taranaki Regional Council and the territorial authorities.
- Encourage and facilitate, when appropriate, the development of joint databases and information systems and make available and exchange technical information and advice.
- Consider the development of memoranda of understanding with iwi authorities to promote resource management and an effective relationship between the Taranaki Regional Council and iwi.
- Liaise, as appropriate, with the Department of Conservation, Fish and Game New Zealand, other government and non-government organisations, and iwi and hapu of Taranaki on resource management matters.
- Liaise and maintain linkages with the appropriate public health authorities regarding public health issues that arise in carrying out resource management functions under the Act.
- Consider the desirability of coordinating or jointly undertaking resource management education programmes.
- Gather and provide information or guidelines to resource users and managers and the public on how to avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of activities on the environment.
- Generally advocate the objectives and policies contained within the Regional Policy Statement and encourage awareness and understanding of them within the community.