Whakatāne District Council is proposing a change to its District Plan to ensure that accessible car parking is provided by developers in future developments.

Public submissions are invited on proposed Plan Change 5 that seeks to reinstate accessible parking standards in the District Plan and ensure that accessible parking provisions are retained in the consenting process.

Late last year a Central Government mandate required all councils to remove minimum parking provisions from their District Plans. A consequence of this change has been the loss of councils’ ability to require the provision of accessibility parking as part of the consenting process.

This means that if a developer does not wish to provide any accessible car parks, Council can no longer require them to do so or assess whether it is appropriate for a development to include accessible parking.

Under the proposed District Plan Change 5: Accessible Parking, Council will be able to assess whether accessible parking should be provided during the consenting process.  Plan Change 5 also sets a minimum number of required accessible car parks.

Under proposed Plan Change 5, developers could face additional costs as they will be required to provide the appropriate car parks. However, Council considers that any additional cost to developers is outweighed by the benefits to the community.

If the proposed change is not made, access and mobility for some members of the community could be denied and could prevent them from accessing some businesses and services.

Council invites community feedback on the following: 

• issues or concerns you feel Council should consider relating to proposed Plan Change 5  
• any specific changes you would like to see in the proposed wording of proposed Plan Change 5.

Details of proposed Plan Change 5 can be viewed at:

• Online: Proposed Plan Change 5: Accessible Parking - Te Tūtohunga Panonitanga 5: Tūnga Waka Whai Huarahi
• Customer Services, Whakatāne District Council, Commerce Street, Whakatāne 
• Whakatāne Library, 49 Kakaharoa Drive, Whakatāne
• Ōhope Library, 4 Harbour Road, Ōhope
• Edgecumbe Library, 38 College Road, Edgecumbe
• Murupara Library / Service Centre, Pine Drive, Murupara

If you wish to discuss any of the proposed changes, please contact the Council on 07 306 0500 or email shaping.whakatane@whakatane.govt.nz

Submissions close on Wednesday, 11 May 2022.