Te Tūtohunga Panonitanga 5: Tūnga Waka Whai Huarahi
In 2020, the Government required all councils to remove minimum parking requirements from their District Plans (National Policy Statement - Urban Development 2020: Section 3.38). These provisions were removed from the Whakatāne District Plan (District Plan) in December 2021.
The District Plan currently contains no reference to accessible parking, but instead relies on New Zealand Standards (NZS 4121: 2001) which sets the number of accessible car parks as a ratio of the total number of car parks provided.
This means that changes will need to be made to the District Plan to ensure accessible parking can still be required where appropriate.
Prior to Government's removal of minimum parking provisions from the District Plan, developers were required by the New Zealand Standards (NZS 4121: 2001) to include accessible car parks as a ratio of the total number of car parks provided. Table 1 below shows the ratio of accessible car parks to the total number of car parks as required by NZS 4121:2001.
Table 1: Number of accessible car parks required under NZS 4121:2001
Total number of car parks | Number of accessible car park |
|---|---|
1 - 20 | Not less than 1 |
21 - 50 | Not less than 2 |
| For every additional 50 car parks or part of a car park | Not less than 1 |
NZS 4121:2001 still applies even with the removal of minimum carparking requirements from the District Plan. This means that if one car park is included in a development, at least one accessible car park must be provided. However, if a developer chooses not to provide any car parks, the Council currently cannot consider whether accessible car parking is appropriate when assessing a resource consent application or require the provision of accessible car parks.
Proposed Plan Change 5: Accessible Parking
Te Tūtohunga Panonitanga 5: Tūnga Waka Whai Huarahi
- Identifies where accessible parking must be provided and sets an absolute minimum number of accessible car parks in those situations. The minimum number complies with the requirements in NZS 4121:2001.
- Comprises 18 minor changes to the District Plan that will enable the Council to consider during the consenting process whether the provision of accessible parking would be appropriate.
If Plan Change 5 is not implemented, decisions around providing accessible car parking will be made by developers and the Council will have no input into the consenting process.
This may result in developers choosing whether or not to provide accessible parking and how many car parks they provide.
Without implementing the proposed Plan Change 5, access and mobility would be limited for some members of the community. This could prevent them from accessing some businesses and services.
Not to implement Plan Change 5 is considered contrary to the Council's aim to deliver the best possible social and economic outcomes for the community.
Re notification
Proposed Plan Change 5 was initially notified in May 2022. However, the initial notification process did not meet the requirements of Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act 1991. In order to ensure that these requirements are met, Whakatāne District Council is renotifying Plan Change 5 by including a leaflet with the May 2023 rates notice advising all ratepayers of the re notification. A public notice will also be included in the Beacon and Rotorua Daily Times on 31 May 2023.
Documents
- Proposed Plan Change 5 - Accessible Parking - tracked changes (PDF, 334KB)
- Proposed Plan Change 5: Accessible Parking - Section 32 Report - (PDF, 811 KB)
Further Submissions
Whakatāne District Council has prepared a summary of decisions requested in submissions (summary of submissions) on Proposed Plan Change 5 (Accessible Parking). Further submissions are now sought on the submissions that have been made, as provided for in clauses 7 and 8 of Schedule 1, Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
Further submissions closed Wednesday 20 September 2023.
After the further submission period ends the planner will review and analyse all submissions and further submissions. Council will then hold a hearing for the Proposed Plan Change to consider submissions that have been lodged and issue decisions on the matters raised. Anyone who makes a submission and indicated that they wish to be heard will have the right to attend the hearing and present their submission. On receiving notice of a decision on their submission, any person who disagrees with, or is dissatisfied with, the decision made, may appeal the decision to the Environment Court for further consideration.
Documents
- Summary of Submissions for Further Submissions - (PDF, 326 KB)
- Appendix 1 - Plan Change 5 - Accessible Parking - tracked changes - (PDF, 330 KB)
Submissions:
- Submission - Caroline van Leeuwen - (PDF, 90 KB)
- Submission - Disabilities Resource Centre - (PDF, 320 KB)
- Submission - Gina Seay - (PDF, 85 KB)
- Submission - Naomi Freedman - (PDF, 100 KB)
- Submission - Ross Gardiner - (PDF, 436 KB)
- Submission - WAI - (PDF, 245 KB)