10 Most Recently Updated Pages

Council Adopts Annual Plan

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 +1200

The Hurunui District Council has now formally adopted its 2012/13 Annual Plan (1 July 2013 – 30 June 2014).

The Council entered its deliberations yesterday, committed to doing everything it can to keep costs down without compromising service. After considering all of the submissions the overall rates increase for the coming year has been set at 5.35% which is down slightly on the 5.39% increase budgeted in the Draft Annual Plan. (The actual increase for individual ratepayers will vary across the district depending on location).

Mayor Winton Dalley says the Council was extremely conscious that any increase could be difficult for some ratepayers, and it has worked hard to keep this as low as possible.

“We need to meet the needs of our growing community but are also very cognisant of balancing this with affordability.”

The Council considered 271 submissions, the majority of which centred on the controversial proposal to lend up to $6 million to the Hurunui Water Project. The Councillors were undecided on whether they should do this and were relying on the public to give them a steer.

Many submitters came and spoke the Council about their submission (both for and against), and the Council ultimately voted 5/3 against the proposal (Mayor Dalley and Cr M Black, as HWP shareholders, withdrew from deliberations and the decision).

The Council considered that the risk was simply too high and that it would not be prudent to lend to a private business and take on a risk that it could not control.

Unsealed Roads

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:47:30 +1200

There are 853 kilometres of unsealed road in the district.

Each year we spend in the order of $650,000 to maintain their structural integrity and serviceability. This includes regular grading and maintenance of the running course potholes and corrugations. Half of this comes in the form of subsidies from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

36,000 cubic metres of maintenance metal are also applied at a cost of $565,000 annually to ensure a safe, well-maintained and reasonable driving surface.

Unsealed roads are by nature difficult to maintain and how long they last between grading cycles is dependant upon the weather, quality of material, drainage, nature of the traffic, and driving habits of the road user (quick acceleration, hard braking and sustained traction loss.)

Please contact us if you have any concerns about the state of any sealed or unsealed road. These include: potholes; corrugations; high shoulders; poor drainage; dangerous trees; un-mown shoulders; exposed bony or rocky material; excessive loose metal; and wheel rutting or scouring.

Frequently asked roading questions

Dust

Dust is a social and environmental nuisance that can cause respiratory problems for nearby residents, sight-distance problems for road users, growth problems for nearby crops, dirt problems for nearby houses and washing lines, reduced vehicle life due to increased friction in exposed moving and contact parts, and erosion resulting from wind and water action.

Unfortunately there is little we can do to combat dust problems on unsealed roads, especially during hot summer days, though we may allow you to oil the road, providing you adhered to certain guidelines.

If you would like to oil the road to reduce dust you need to write to us. We generally consider such requests favourably, though you need to appreciate there will be some conditions, including:

No grading will be done on any oiled section of road until it develops potholes, after which it will be ripped and graded
The work you do needs to be carried out in accordance with the Environment Canterbury Guidelines for Dampening Dust (December 1999)

Loch Katrine and Lake Sumner Access Gate

The Council has been advised that the locked gate between Loch Katrine and Lake Sumner has been relocated approximately 500m north and is now on Crown pastoral lease land, not the legal (Council controlled) road.

Pedestrian access is still available. Boat access is via the canal. Please refer any enquiries regarding the gate to the Lakes Station Partnership.

Noise Control

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:11:34 +1200

The Hurunui District Council is empowered under the Resource Management Act (RMA) 1991 to control the effects of excessive noise and appoint Noise Control Officers to carry out these duties.
The Act is designed to protect people from excessive or unreasonable noise. Excessive noise generally relates to musical instruments and stereos, electrical appliances, power machines, people or groups of persons.
Points to consider when planning any activity or event that will generate excessive noise:

consider your neighbours
keep noise at a reasonable level
tone noise down at a reasonable hour
don’t let your good time be at the expense of neighbours

If you are having problems with noise:

The Hurunui District Council operates a 24 hour noise complaint response service. All complaints, no matter what time of day or night, should be phoned through to the Council number on (03) 314 8816.

The Act provides for one or more of the following actions to be carried out:

seizure of equipment
the imposing of fines
disposal of equipment

Noise

Property owners are responsible for managing noise within their properties.

While noise is a constant companion in our daily lives, we have an individual responsibility under section 327 of the Resource Management Act to ensure we do not create a noise nuisance for other persons.
The owners and occupiers (tenants) of land including buildings are responsible for ensuring noise caused on their property does not create a nuisance for any other person.

Complaints

Council enforces the noise control laws.

Council may act under the Resource Management Act 1991 to alleviate excessive noise. Hurunui District Council provides a 24 hour 7 days per week noise control response service for this purpose. If you have an issue of excessive noise you can call 03 314 8816 anytime.

The Resource Management Act 1991 defines the term "excessive noise" as being any noise under human control which unreasonably interferes with the peace, comfort, and convenience of any other person and includes noise made by any:

Musical instrument
Electrical appliance
Machine however powered
Person or group of persons
Explosion or vibration.

It does not include any:

Aircraft being operated during, or immediately before or after flight.
Vehicle driven on a road.
Train, other than when being tested (when stationary), maintained, loaded, or unloaded.

There are sound levels set down in the District Plan which define the conditions a business can operate within so that they do not create unreasonable noise.

Property occupiers can take action to alleviate noise.

Be a good neighbour. Be mindful at all times of the impact of your noise on your neighbours.

If you are intending to hold a party, carry out any building work or any other noisy activity on your property discuss your intentions with your neighbours first. Comply with any agreement made with your neighbour.

Ensure building and vehicle alarms are correctly installed, adjusted and regularly serviced.

Mow your lawns at reasonable times during daylight hours. Avoid early morning mowing particularly at weekends and on public holidays.

Comply with any resource consent noise restrictions for commercial land development or construction work.

You may complain about excessive noise.

Although neighbourhood problems are best resolved on a face-to-face basis you may choose to report a noise problem directly to Council’s Customer Services Centre. In most cases the personal approach is sufficient to remedy the problem and also promotes good neighbour relations.

Council Officers respond to noise complaints during normal office hours and a Noise Control contractor responds at all other times and on public holidays.

Noise Control Officers may take action to resolve noise complaints.

When a noise complaint is received Noise Control Officers will respond to the address concerned, objectively assess the noise and initiate action if any, based on their assessment.
The test of reasonableness is applied in all cases. Where action is required the Noise Control Officer may:

Verbally require the occupant to immediately abate the noise nuisance; or
Issue a Noise Directive under the Resource Management Act 1991. This requires the immediate cessation of the noise; or
If the nuisance continues after a directive has been issued the Noise Control Officer and Police may enter the property and remove and impound the stereo and/or other equipment causing the nuisance; or
Issue an Abatement Notice that is a blanket prohibition on the emission of noise from the property with no time limit.

Property owners may be billed for the cost of the noise control response action particularly where noise is an ongoing problem or requires specialist assistance (i.e. locksmith, alarm company etc).

Owners may reclaim impounded stereos and other equipment

Impounded stereos or other equipment may be returned to its owner at Council’s discretion.

To reclaim your impounded property you will need to:

Print off the Application for Return of Impounded Property Form, complete it and submit it to Council’s Customer Services Centre.
Provide proof of your identity and ownership of the property.
Pay the impounding fee due in full when you submit the application.

Party planning guidelines

For advice on planning a party or other function where liquor will be consumed go to the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) web page.

Links to more noise control information

Legislation:

Frequently Asked Questions regarding Noise

Water and Sewerage Services

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:48:26 +1200

MIOX Water Treatment Plants

10 May 2013 - Waipara MIOX Water Treatment Plant

The first of our nine new MIOX water treatment plants has been running in Waipara since the beginning of the week. MIOX uses water, salt and electricity to make a liquid chlorine based solution that effectively kills the bugs in the water supply. This form of water treatment means that the quality of the water we supply to Waipara meets the National Drinking Water Standards.

If you do have any more questions regarding MIOX, we will shortly have a website page dedicated to the most frequently asked questions.

Water Shutdown - Lower Waitohi 13 & 14 May 2013

10 May 2013

Residents on the Lower Waitohi Rural Water Scheme that are situated on the South side of 1015 Glenmark Drive (also known as the Jack Burrows Line) are being asked to conserve water. We will be shutting down that section of the Water Scheme to do some necessary upgrades to the water line. The water will be off on Monday 13 May and Tuesday 14 May. We will try and get the water flow restored as soon as possible.

Amberley Township Water Supply

10 May 2013 - Calclear Trial

The installation of a Calclear system began 27 March 2013. This is to trial a new system aimed at reducing the side effects of hard water. Results should be noticeable by the end of the 6 month trial. The results we are looking at will be extended the life expectancy of your water heating elements.

10 May 2013 - Stained clothing

Some queries were received regarding stained clothing and if it was caused by the water supply. Council has tested the water supply in various parts of Amberley and the tests were inconclusive. Further testing is being done and the investigation is ongoing on the water supply.

Rural Water Supply

10 May 2013

Rural supply customers are required to ensure they have three days storage capacity. Capacity is linked to consumption demand, for instance dairy cattle require 70 litres per day each so consumers need to ensure they have purchased sufficient units of water to cover their needs.

Consumption Demand Estimates (as per Federated Farmers data):

Sheep (in milk - dry pasture) 15 litres per day each
Sheep (not in milk - dry pasture) 6 litres per day each
Lambs (dry pasture) 2 litres per day each
Cattle Beef (dry pasture) 45 litres per day each
Cattle Dairy (dry pasture) 70 litres per day each
Calves (dry pasture) 22 litres per day each
Horses 50 litres per day each
Households 230 litres per day per person

Please calculate your daily requirements against your current purchased supply. If you have any queries please contact Cynthia on 03 314-0022.

New Leithfield Beach Bore

10 May 2013

A replacement bore has been drilled at the current intake site. We have increased the casing size in an effort to see if additional water can be secured from this site, as it is a proven deep water source without the hardness issues of deep bores in the area. Drilling and development was undertaken with considerable care and there were minimal problems with the continuity of the existing supply. No additional reservoir capacity was required to match the water demand.

Swimming Pool Fill

Please note due to the high water demands over the months of November - February swimming pool fill requests are subject to water availability.

Water

There are currently 13 Council owned water schemes in the District
Extracting water from 24 different sources.

The schemes are overseen by Water Committees with delegated responsibilities for the planning and development of their schemes.

Current Boil Water Notice

31 July 2012 Amberley Water Supply
The New State Highway One bore is now operational and is providing water to the whole of Amberley. The water has been tested and meets consent requirements.

January 2012 Rural Water Supplies
A reminder that it is an offence to tamper with the restricting device that controls the flow of scheme water to your tank.

In accordance with our Fees and Charges a first offence incurs a penalty of $600.00. A penalty of $1200.00 applies to a second offence.

Your tampering negatively impacts on the supply to others.

On-demand water is supplied to:

8 of the Urban Communities in the District from 7 high pressure schemes consisting of 9 water intakes and 60 km of pipe.

Other small Urban Communities:

Leithfield
Cheviot
Gore Bay
Rotherham
Greta Valley
Amberley Beach
Motunau Beach

These Communities are supplied via tanks from restricted rural supplies. All Rural Communities in the District are serviced by Council operated restricted-flow water supplies providing water to consumers as “units” of water supplied into individual tanks. One unit is 1800 litres supplied over 24 hours, except for Balmoral and Amuri Plains, where a unit is 1000 litres per day. The Hurunui and Cheviot Rural Water Schemes cover four separate supplies within each of their areas. The Ashley Scheme also has four distinct sources and includes part of the Waimakariri District within its boundaries.

All townships with on-demand supplies, except Leithfield Beach have metered connections and charges are made on actual water consumption. The metres are read in March each year and ratepayers are advised of their annual consumption and costs in their first quarterly rate demand each year.

Having consumers represented at the local level in Water Committees is considered to be one of the main strengths of the current organisation and there is no intention to diminish the impact and contribution of these Committees. However, with rural water rates ranging from $71 a unit to $610, and on-demand schemes ranging from $80 per property to $184, there is the need to consider if there is a benefit in funding all schemes by a District-wide rate to improve economies of scale.

The Council intends to retain the ownership of all public water supply assets on behalf of the Communities that these facilities serve. Asset management, basic design work, contract documentation, tendering, record keeping, operation and routine repair and maintenance is carried out by the Council's staff.

Most of the network reticulation is in good repair and operating under a policy of renewal when necessary, reticulation should remain serviceable indefinitely. Pumps, controls, telemetry (data sent back to the Council office by radio) and water treatment devices are repaired as the need arises and are replaced as the benefits of repair are outweighed by replacement – usually every 12 – 20 years. Reservoirs, weirs, bores, and ponds are maintained on an ongoing basis. Ages of on-demand water networks is quite recent, with the earliest networks dating to 1955 (Amberley).

Frequently asked questions re water

Sewerage

This activity provides for the collection, treatment and disposal of sewage from urban areas of the District in seven separate schemes comprising 14 sewer pump stations and 65 km of pipe works. (Amberley and Districts, Cheviot, Greta Valley, Motunau Beach, Hanmer Springs, Hawarden and Waikari).
Each scheme is self funding with revenue obtained by uniform annual charge on each rateable assessment having access to the respective scheme.

Stormwater Drainage

Stormwater drainage schemes which were set up by the Regional Council as rating areas, are administered by the Council on behalf of ratepayers in specific areas. In some other areas, where Ward Committees have accepted responsibility for maintaining drains, funding is by separate rate.

FAQ

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:31:32 +1200

Animal Control | Building | Dogs | Noise | Planning | Roads | Water

Animal Control

Am I allowed to keep poultry and pigs if I live in an urban area?

Yes, in some circumstances. Please phone Council on 03 314 8816 for the criteria.

Am I allowed to keep rabbits if I live in an urban area?

Yes. These must be confined to the owner’s property at all times.

What do I do if I see cattle or horses wandering on a local road or state highway?

Please contact our Dog and Stock Control Contractor - Garry Woods (03) 314 8647 or (021) 873040, or phone the Council on 03 314 8816.

Moving Stock?

Read our Livestock Movement bylaw or phone the Council on 03 314 8816.

Building

Dogs

What age does my dog have to be before is it registered?

Your dog must be registered before it is 3 months old.

When do I register my dog?

All dogs are required to be registered by 1 July each year. Discounted fees only apply until the 1 August each year. Dogs that are new to the area must be registered within 14 days of moving into the District.

Where do I go to register my dog?

Further information

Can I pay my registration over a period of time?

No, dog registrations must be paid in full for each dog.

Lost dog

Please contact our Dog and Stock Control Contractor - Garry Woods (03) 314 8647 or (021) 873040, or phone the Council on 03 314 8816.

Noise

What can be done about noise in my neighbourhood?

Generally excessive noise is unacceptable at any time.
Please contact the Customer Call Centre, phone (03) 314 8816 and we can discuss the options available to you. In some circumstances it may be difficult for you to approach your neighbour, the Council can help you establish contact and in some cases mediate to avoid circumstances becoming aggressive.

The Council can offer advice on possible solutions to all noise but can only act on noise that has been deemed excessive.

What can I do about noise or disturbance from the businesses in my neighbourhood?

There are sound levels set down in the District Plan which define the conditions a business can operate within so that they do not create unreasonable noise.

If you are in doubt, contact the council on 03 314 8816.

What can I do about people street racing or cars speeding in my street?

Any problems relating to people driving dangerously or speeding are a police enforcement matter, the Council has no powers of enforcement over moving vehicles. Supply as much information as possible, such as vehicle description and registration number. A form is available on the New Zealand Police website.

My equipment was impounded by noise control officers, how do I get it back?

You will need to ring the Council for information on the procedure to have your equipment returned.

We will hold your equipment if it is seized. The equipment may be returned if we are satisfied that it will not be used to create further noise problems.

Remember there will be fees that will be payable.

How late can my neighbour mow his/her lawn?

There are no set times. Lawn mowing noise is generally acceptable during day time hours but mowing should not be carried out prior to 7.30am.

What time can commercial construction work start/finish?

There is a New Zealand Standard NZS 6803 :1999 which specifies noise levels and times certain activities can be undertaken.

Generally work starting between 7am and 7.30am Monday to Saturday and finishing at 6pm is acceptable providing the noise levels in the standard are met for the living zones.

Planning

What is the District Plan?

A document which manages land-use and development within the Hurunui District. It sets out the aims that the community has for the sustainable management of its resources.

Why do I need a resource consent

The District Plan sets out rules which provide a level at which activities can be undertaken without further permission. If an activity does not meet a rule, it does not mean that the activity cannot be undertaken at all, but that you first need to obtain a resource consent from the Council.

What is the zoning of my property?

You can find this information in Section F of the District Plan. General Planning maps are for the rural areas, and if your property is located on one of these maps it is very likely the zoning will be 'General Management'. Urban maps are for the townships, you will need to use the Urban Legend to find out what zone your property is in.

What is the maximum site coverage I am allowed?

Residential & Residential 1 Zone - 35% Site Coverage
Residential 2 Zone - 40% Site Coverage
Rural Lifestyle - 20% Site Coverage
Claverley Area A - 35% Site Coverage
Claverley Area B - See rule B1.2.1(b) of the District Plan.

What are the building height restrictions?

Residential, Residential 1 & Residential 2 Zone - 8 metres
Rural Lifestyle - 8.5 metres
Claverley - 8 metres
Claverley Area B - 4.2 metres
Business & Industrial Zone - 9 metres unless the site shares a boundary with a site zoned residential or open space and then it is 8 metres.
General Management Zone (Rural) - 10 metres
Hanmer Springs Old Town Area - 7 metres
Hanmer Springs remainder of residential zone - 7.5 metres
Hanmer Springs Business - 10 metres unless adjoining Residential or Open Space, which is 7.5 metres and 7 metres on the eastern side of Amuri Avenue.

What is a recession plane?

An angle taken from the boundary to determine whether a proposed building will shade a neighbouring property more than is permitted.

What are the building setbacks from boundaries?

Residential, Residential 1 & Residential 2 Zone - 4.5 metres from the front yard and 1.0 metre from all other yards.
Claverley - No building or structure shall be located seaward of the building setback line shown on the development plan contained in Section C5.1.2 of the District Plan
Business & Industrial Zone - No setback is required unless the site adjoins the boundary of a residential zone then a minimum setback of 1 metre is required.
Amberley Business Zone - No setback from the street required if the entrance to the building faces the street, where the entrance does not face the street a minimum of 1 metre setback is required.
General Management Zone (Rural) - 75 metres from a boundary with a strategic or district arterial or collector road and 10 metres from a boundary of any other public road.
Mt Lyford - 5 metres from any boundary

What are the Design Standards for Hanmer Springs?

A Hanmer Springs Design Standards Guide is available which is an overview of the rules in the District Plan. However if you are considering building in Hanmer Springs it is recommeded that you read Section B4 of the District Plan which specifies all the Design Standards that need to be met when building in the Hanmer Basin.

Roads - sealed

What's the difference between a state highway and a local road?

State highways are those roads that form a nationally strategic purpose in moving people and goods nationwide. State Highway 1, for example, runs the entire length of the country.
State highways are a Crown asset managed by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) on behalf of central government.
Local roads are those roads that form a regionally strategic purpose in moving people and goods within regions. These roads are managed by local government (approved organisations).
There are 1454 kilometres of local roads in the Hurunui district.

Do trucks wear roads out faster than cars?

Yes. A vehicle weighing two tonnes is 16 times more damaging to the road than a vehicle weighing one tonne. Heavier vehicles pay for this extra wear through higher road user charges.

Are our roads built with speed in mind?

Our roads are not built to accommodate the desire of many people to drive everywhere at high speed, this is because of topography, safety, and finances.
New roads are generally designed for vehicles travelling at the legal speed limit, except where the countryside makes this too expensive to achieve. In that case, the design incorporates features that make it clear to drivers that a lower speed is essential.
The yellow curve advisory speed signs on roads are designed to give drivers enough information to negotiate curves comfortably and safely in all weather conditions.
“Drive to the conditions, if they change, then reduce your speed – SPEED KILLS”

Why are our roads chipsealed?

Almost without exception, our roads are surfaced using bitumen, not concrete. That's because bitumen:
• is flexible (tolerates reasonable movement without cracking)
• copes with variable temperatures (cold and hot)
• suits lower volumes of traffic
• is less expensive to construct

While some of our high-traffic roads have a smooth asphaltic concrete ('bitumen hotmix') surface, most use a bitumen film with a coating of stones on top, which is called chipseal.
Many other countries, including South Africa, Australia, Canada and the United States, also have extensive networks of chipsealed roads in rural areas.

How can I avoid my windscreen being broken by flying chips from the road?

The best way is to keep to the speed limit displayed on the road. Loose chips will inevitably get thrown up at your windscreen if you travel at speed.

What is asphalt?

Asphalt is a mixture of stones and bitumen. The road surface is actually called asphaltic concrete, because it is like concrete, just not quite as brittle. Most of the roads in New Zealand have only very thin layers of asphaltic concrete on top. They are built mainly out of gravel, compacted down with rollers.
Bitumen is a residue made out of a distillation of the same oil that is used for fuels.

What is chip?

Chip is the name for the small sharp edged rock embedded on the top of the road. In the South Island this rock comes from rivers; in the North Island it mostly comes from quarries. You can make chip only out of very good rock - it has to be strong so it doesn't get slippery after it's been on the road surface for a while.

Why is there variation in chip?

New Zealand has a huge variety of rock. The South Island has river gravels or greywackes that have washed off the surfaces of the Southern Alps into the rivers. This makes excellent sealing chip in the South Island and is why South Island roads are more grey than black because this kind of chip has more quartz in it. Chip used in the North Island uses more pure volcanic materials, such as andacites (check spelling) and basalts so North Island roads are blacker.

Is a road with big chip safer than a smoother road?

What makes a road safe is how much grip (skid resistance) vehicle tyres have on the road. This is a combination of how big the chips are in terms of whether they stick out of the bitumen, and how the surface of the chip looks.
Some of the chips are very, very small, like the relatively soft volcanic andacites. But even though the chip is small it has a high skid resistance. There's no simple rule that 'big chips give you better grip'.
What does matter is the way the road is built. If you keep building a road out of big chips on top of big chips on top of big chips, layer after layer, every 10 to 12 years, then eventually you will probably get a pudding of black bitumen with big stones in it.

What are Special Purpose Roads?

A special purpose road is classified under Section 104 of the Transit New Zealand Act 1989 as a road that:
• caters for a high proportion of tourist traffic
• is of a standard below that currently deemed as being adequate for consideration of state highway status
• passes through an area where the rating potential of the surrounding land is significantly lower than the maintenance costs of the road.

Where is the longest straight road in New Zealand?

The longest section of straight state highway is through Culverden on State Highway 7 in the Hurunui; South Island. It starts just south of the intersection with SH 70 to Kaikoura, and is approximately 13.7km long.

What are engineering lifelines?

Engineering lifelines are essential utility services that support the life of the community.

Traditionally, efforts to manage and maintain engineering lifelines in New Zealand have focused on the effects of hazards from external sources (such as volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, snow and landslides). Increasingly though, technological and man-made hazards must also be taken into account.

To varying degrees there are now lifeline activities in most parts of New Zealand. Typically, activities start out with a lifelines project to identify and quantify hazards in a local area or region, and their likely impact on infrastructure assets. The interdependency between assets is assessed, with mitigation actions proposed and put into action by lifelines utilities. Following the initial project, a lifelines group may be formed for the area to carry out ongoing lifelines activities and maintain awareness and communications across the sectors. Established in 2000, the National Lifelines Coordinating Committee, encourages the establishment of new lifelines projects, promotes best practice, and coordinates communication and liaison between groups and with national agencies. The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, in association with the national committee, has produced a best practice guide for lifelines and civil defence emergency management planning, aimed at lifelines groups and utilities.

Transport networks are lifelines, as are water, wastewater, stormwater, electricity, gas and telecommunications networks.
Because all of the other lifelines depend on the road corridor and road structures, such as bridges, to deliver their services, road networks have particular significance. A failure in part of the road network can lead to consequential failures for other services, and make it harder to repair and restore them in an emergency.

Roads - Unsealed

Why is my metal road not being sealed?

It costs $140,000 to $160,000 to seal a kilometre of metal road. The Council will only commit to this expense where it can attract subsidies from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to offset the cost of reconstructing and sealing a metal road.

This subsidy depends on, how much traffic and the variety of traffic that uses the road, the significance of the route, how many people live along it, and the likely dust problem.

In technical terms this is called a calculated Benefit-Cost (BC) and a ratio of 4 or greater is required to qualify. Currently, none of our roads meet the criteria and without a subsidy it is simply more economical to maintain and not seal the road.

If you live along an unsealed road you can, however, ask to have your road frontage sealed.

How do I get a section of road fronting my property sealed?

You need to write to us if you would like to have a seal extended or installed on any section of a legal formed unsealed road in the district. Requests need to meet certain requirements as outlined in our link to Road Seal Extension Policy. (pg. 227 of the LTCCP 2009-2019) (1.2.2.1)

Can I oil my road to control the dust?

You need to write to us. We generally consider such requests favourably; though you need to appreciate there will be some consequences.

No grading is done on any oiled section of road until it develops potholes, whereupon it will be ripped and graded.
The work you do needs to be carried out in accordance with the Environment Canterbury “Guidelines for Dampening Dust – December 1999”

Water

I am out of water! Can I ask for a quickfill (top up)?

Yes – You can give the water & sewer department a call during normal business working hours to request one and discuss your situation. The normal charge for this is $80.00 (including GST).
If you require one after normal business hours, we do have an after hours telephone service who can get in touch with our on-call waterman to discuss this, extra fees may apply but can be discussed at the time. Give our office a call on 03 3148816

I have found a leak or my toby box is leaking

Give us a call 24/7 to report – one of our staff will be in contact with you either between normal business hours or if a major leak is reported our on-call waterman will contact you directly.

How much to join the water scheme and is water available?

Refer to our fees & charges under Rural Water Schemes. Please contact our office during normal business hours to discuss this further to see if water is available in your area. Application forms for township and rural water schemes are available on our website.

Is the water scheme down? There is no water going into my tank.

From time to time the water scheme maybe down and you notice no water is going into your tank, give us a call and we can advise you of the current situation.

Am I getting the correct amount of water?

If you think your not getting your correct allocation of water give us a call. If you have an outlet on the main feed line to your tank you can collect the water in a jug and time it for 48 seconds and you should be receiving 1 litre of water for every 1 unit you received (this is only for the schemes that receive 1800L/24hrs). If you don’t have an outlet, you could collect the water under the ballcock and measure it from here, but you don’t always get a true reading as some water will run down the inside of the tank.

Is the water I am receiving on a boil water notice?

Refer to our Boil Water notices.

Utility service plans – How can obtain one?

Yes, give us a call during normal business hours on 03 314 8816 and we can send these to you by fax, email or you can collect them from our office.

Livestock Movement

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:46:21 +1300

Stock Movement within the District

Moving livestock along the road, across the road or within 10 metres of Urban boundaries, is an activity that falls under the Hurunui District Council's Livestock movement bylaw 2008. As you are required to abide by this bylaw when making application for a permit, we ask that you take the time to familiarise yourself with it.

Calendar of approved stock movements

Livestock Owner	Date of movement	Permit number
	May
Stainton Farming Ltd	Thursday 30 May 13	SM13001
Avenue Farm	Friday 31 May 13	SM13004
	June
Greg and Lea Earl	Sunday 2 June 13	SM13002
Longbrook Dairy Ltd	Tuesday 4 June 13	SM13003

Application for Stock movement within 10 metres of Urban Boundaries

Prior to moving livestock you are required to make application for a permit. This permit must be carried with you at the time of stock movement and produced on request. This is an online application which must be completed 10 working days prior to the planned movement.

In November 2009 a meeting was held between Farmers, Ratepayers and Council. At that meeting it was decided to have a sign erected at the Waiau Bridge for drovers to fill the details of when they were going to cross. This would give notice to the travelling public so they could plan their trips across the bridge. With the stock moving season approaching it is time to remind farmers who wish to move stock of the main conditions for doing so.

Application for a livestock movement permit must be made at least 10 working days before proposed stock movement in accordance with the Livestock Movement Bylaw 2008. (Note dates & times can be changed because of weather etc) but Council must be notified and Clause two (if applicable) must be adhered to.
Applicant if crossing the Waiau Bridge must fill in the sign at each end of the bridge at least 24 hours prior to any movement.
An appropriate notice is to be placed in the local newspapers by the applicant.
Maximum herd size 500 head.
No more than one herd will be permitted under this clause in any 24 hour period.
A minimum of 4 drovers are required for up to 300 head and an 2 additional drovers for every additional 100 head
All streets within urban areas to be taped along the edges of seal to prevent cattle going onto grass verges. Tapes are to be removed immediately following the last animal passing.
All intersections to be manned by at least 2 drovers unless the crossing is taped. Any tapes across carriageways must have attached to them appropriate visible warning flags or similar.
Herds must be held off feed for at least 12 hours before cattle reach an urban boundary
If moving stock through either Waiau or Culverden townships, the route through township to be specified in permit issued by HDC – (generally will be Highfield, Clarence, Leslie and Parnassus Streets, in Waiau : Montrose and St Leonards Streets and School Rd in Culverden)
Cattle excrement is to be shoveled or swept off sealed surfaces to ensure it can dry quickly so that vehicles passing through it are not splattered.
Cattle should be moved continuously but in unforeseen circumstances when the herd has to be stopped resulting in excess excrement, the road surface shall be cleaned with a high pressure hose
These conditions are additional to those already included in the by-law in Clause 8.1(b)

Application for Regular Stock Crossing

Moving livestock from one side of the road to another on a regular basis requires a permit. Prior to moving livestock you are required to make application for a permit. This permit must be carried with you at the time of stock movement and produced on request. This is an online application which must be completed 10 working days prior to the planned movement.

Application is subject to the following conditions:

If any of the following increase during the term of this permit a new application must be made:
          - maximum number of livestock crossing the road
          - frequency of crossing the road
          - the area grazed on either side of the road
If the livestock crossing or its management are deemed to be inadequate in terms of the permit conditions Council may suspend the permit until those conditions are satisfied or cancel the permit if the inadequacies are not rectified.
Payment of the $60.00 application fee - Hurunui District Council bank account number is Westpac 03-0802-0946666-00 or post: Roading, PO Box 13, Amberley 7441

Bylaw references

7.0 Complete restriction on movement of livestock
8.0 Livestock movement permitted in certain circumstances
9.0 Moving dairy cattle from one side of a road to another on a regular basis
10.0 Livestock crossings
11.0 Permits declined pursuant to clause 10 of this bylaw or conditions imposed pursuant to clause 9 of this bylaw
12.0 Reviewing, revoking or suspending a livestock crossing permit

Hot Topics

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:34:12 +1300

Current Consultations
District Plan Review
Events in the Hurunui District
Hurunui Water Project
Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee - Canterbury Water

District Plan Review

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:33:44 +1300

What is a District Plan Review?

A District Plan Review is similar to a Plan Change, except that all provisions of the District Plan need to be comprehensively reviewed by the Council. Under the RMA the Council is required to review its District Plan every 10 years, so the review must commence before 7th August 2013.

Any changes considered necessary to the District Plan as a result of the review are required to be processed according to the requirements of Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act 1991, which sets out the relevant timeframes, public submission rights and decision making processes. Public input into the review is essential to ensure that the Hurunui District meets the needs and expectations of those who will be living and working here in the future.

How do we make our district even better?

The District Plan is a legal document which affects the lives of everyone who lives and works in Hurunui. The policies and rules it contains are designed to maintain a high standard of environmental responsibility, but the plan is now 10 years old so it is time to begin the process to replace it with a new one.

Apart from the legal requirements, we need to respond to new issues, opportunities, and the direction the community wants to take. Through your feedback we can identify areas of the District Plan that could be improved and change those things that you don’t like.

View your property under the Draft District Plan online.

Further information

You can give us your feedback online or by email or by sending your completed feedback sheet to:

District Plan Feedback
Hurunui District Council
Attn: Sally Berry
PO Box 13
Amberley 7410

Alternatively, you can call us to organise a time speak to a Councillor or planning staff by contacting:

Rebecca 03 314 0058 or Andrew 03 314 0059

Comments should be received by Monday 27 May 2013 however we welcome your feedback at any time through this review process.

Residents Issues Survey 2011

One of the first steps of the District Plan review project was to conduct an issues survey. The survey results will help to identify significant resource management issues within the District and provide the Council with more general information that will contribute to the review of the Hurunui District Plan. The survey was distributed to 600 households that were selected randomly and proportioned across the wards – Hanmer Springs, Amuri-Hurunui, Cheviot, Glenmark and Amberley.

Progress

A strategy for how to manage the review was adopted by the Strategy and Policy Committee in May 2011. The strategy identified a number of scoping projects required in order to gather relevant and necessary information.

Review process diagram

Council workshop

Reports to Strategy and Policy Committee

2011 November Project update
2012  March         Stage 2 Topic streams
          August        Energy project update
          August        Workshop outcomes and update
          August        Integrated planning with Regional Council documents
          October       Workshop outcomes and update
          November   Collaborative planning
          December   Workshop outcomes and update
2013 March           Workshop outcomes and update

If you would like further information contact our Senior Planner

District Plan

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:01:05 +1200

Purpose of the District Plan

The Hurunui District Plan is a legal document which affects the day-to-day lives of everbody in the Hurunui District. The Plan is a requirement of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The purpose of the RMA is the sustainable management of natural and physical resources while avoiding, remedying or mitigating adverse environmental effects and providing for the well being of communities. The Plan's framework provides objectives, policies and methods to manage the use and development of natural and physical resources to meet the purpose of the RMA.

The current Hurunui District Plan was made operative on 7th August 2003 but it has not been frozen in time. The Council has processed nearly 30 changes to parts of the Plan since it became operative. The Council is also required to review the Plan every 10 years.

District Plan Review

A District Plan Review is similar to a Plan Change, except that all provisions of the District Plan need to be comprehensively reviewed by the Council every 10 years. The Council has initiated the review.

Recent District Plan Changes

The District Plan was last amended 13 July 2011.

Plan Change 15 (Buxton Valley Management Area) was publicly notified on 26 July 2008 and the change became operative on 20 September 2010.
Plan Change 16 (Woodbank (River Edge) Zone) was publicly notified on 15 November 2008. The appeal to this plan change has been settled by Environment Court Consent Order and the change became operative on 15 June 2010.
Plan Change 18 (Frost Control Fans) was publicly notified on 6 December 2008 and the change became operative on 13 July 2011.
Plan Change 21 (Waipara Oaks) is a private plan change request to rezone approximately 13.0366ha of General Management land at 274 Glenmark Drive, Waipara (approximately 800m north of the existing Waipara Township), to Residential zoning, creating the potential for an estimated 125-150 residential allotments. Further submissions closed on 26 May 2010. The hearing is likely to be delayed for some time due to the Christchurch earthquake.
Plan Change 22 (Financial Contributions) was publicly notified on 14 April 2010. The change became operative on 15 December 2010.
Plan Change 23 (Urban Subdivision and Independent Senior Living Units) was publicly notified on 26 June 2010. The provisions relate to Independent Senior Living Units became operative on 24 August 2011, and the provisions that relate to Urban Subdivision became operative on 16 December 2011, making this change fully operative.
Plan Change 24 (St James Estate) rezoned approximately 25.4ha of General Management land (on Hanmer Springs Road (SH7A), bordered by Argelins Road to the west). This provides for a mix of residential zoning ranging from 350m2 – 1000m2, and includes open space areas, with future development guided by an ‘Outline Development Plan’. The change became operative on 11 May 2011.
Plan Change 25 (Amberley Business and Industrial Zones) introduces a new Business 1 (town centre) zone at Amberley with associated policies and rules and rezones land at Grays Road to Industrial Zone. The change became operative on 15 December 2010.
Plan Change 26 (Conway Hills Station Significant Natural Areas Review) redefines SNAs 46 (Okarahia Stream bush), 47 (Peaked Hill bush), and 48 (Conway Hills bush) at Conway Hills Station, Cheviot. The change became operative on 10 June 2011.
Plan Change 27 (Minor Dwelling Units) introduces specific provisions for minor dwelling units (MDUs) allowing for their establishment as a permitted activity, subject to meeting requirements relating to siting, size, and relationship to the main dwelling on a site. The change became operative on 7 September 2011.
Plan Change 28 (Hanmer Springs Multiple Unit Dwellings): introduces new provisions for multiple unit dwellings within the Business Zone at Hanmer Springs as a Discretionary Activity, subject to standards and terms; extends the Business Zone Boundary to incorporate land with existing business activities; and increases the maximum building height to 10 metres across the Business Zone at Hanmer Springs, but retains the 7.5 metre height limit for sites that share a boundary with a site zoned residential or open space. The change became operative on 10 May 2012.
Plan Change 29 (Mendip Hills Significant Natural Area Review) redefines Significant Natural Area 51 (Black hills) at Mendip Hills, Parnassus and is effective immediately under s86B(3)(b) of the Resource Management Act 1991. The plan change became operative 8 March 2012.
Plan Change 30 (Rezoning of Queen Mary Hospital Heritage Reserve) rezones the Queen Mary Hospital Historic Reserve from ‘Business’ to ‘Queen Mary Hospital Heritage zone’. This is a new zone in the District Plan, which recognises the site’s unique qualities and need for a specific planning framework. The plan change proposes a new policy, and performance standards to enable the use of the site for a wide range of business or community purposes, without compromising its heritage and open space values. In particular, the plan change recognises that the heritage values of the site are likely to be maintained, and even further enhanced, if the buildings are able to be adaptively re-used. The change became operative on 4 May 2013.
Plan Change 31 (Hanmer Springs Carparking) introduces on-site car parking standards specific to Hanmer Springs. It does so by inserting new requirements in the Hanmer Springs urban area for some types of activities. The plan change also provides for the district-wide car parking requirements to be updated to reflect current New Zealand Standards and the New Zealand Building Code. The change became operative on 10 May 2012.
Plan Change 32 (Rural Subdivision and Hanmer Basin - Woodbank Road) introduces changes to the subdivision standards for the General Management Area. These include lowering the minimum subdivision allotment area from 5ha to 4ha and allowing a sub-4ha lot to be subdivided as a one-off option, provided the balance of the land needed to make up the 4ha average is maintained. This balance area of land would be contained in the balance lot and legally protected in order to maintain rural density. The change became operative on 12 June 2012.

Hurunui District Plan Framework

The Hurunui District Plan is divided into three main parts:

Management Strategy

Issues, objectives, policies and methods

This part of the Plan identifies important issues within the Hurunui District based on broad concepts such as:

Use of non-renewable resource (eg. land and soil)
Protection of resources with significant value (eg. heritage)
Protection and enhancement of environmental quality (eg. opens space, privacy, sunlight, visual amenity)
Hazards mitigation (eg. flooding)

Under the broader heading, issues are identified and objectives established to address those issues. Policies are developed for each objective and more specific methods for achieving those policies are set down.

The first section of the Plan establishes a hierarchy of management tools on which the remainder of the District Plan is based.

Management Code

Rules and assessment criteria

This section of the District Plan implements the objectives and policies set out in the Management Strategy. The Management Code is the rule section of the Plan and is divided into the following sections:

District-wide Rules
Environments of Special Concern (eg. urban areas, Hanmer Basin and coastal environments)
General Procedures (including assessment criteria*)
Interpretation
Appendices

* The Assessment Criteria contained in the General Procedures assist planners in processing resource consents and should be considered when preparing consent applications.

Planning Maps

The Planning Maps are contained in a separate volume to the text of the Plan. The maps are divided into two sections for ease of use:

General Management Area (rural)
Urban Area (eg. residential, business, industrial and open space)

More Information

For more information about the District Plan or to establish what zone you are in and how rules may affect you, please contact Planning at the Amberley Office of the Hurunui District Council or email a Planning Officer.

The District Plan is available for purchase in hard copy and on CD. For costings, please see our Fees and Charges schedule.

Have Your Say

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:02:12 +1200

Current Consultations

Issue	Closing Date
District Plan Review Feedback	Monday 27 May 2013

Please send feedback to PO Box 13, Amberley 7441, fax to 03 314 9181, email submission@hurunui.govt.nz, or submit online.