Plans, policies and reports
Hauraki Gulf Islands review
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Issues and options papers
Natural Hazards
Issue
Section 31B of the Resource Management Act outlines the function of territorial
authorities including the "control of any actual or potential effects of
the use, development, or protection of land, including for the purpose of: …the
avoidance or mitigation of natural hazards…"
Work by Auckland City on identifying natural hazards in the Hauraki Gulf
Islands has only just begun. Studies have been completed on flooding in the
Blackpool, Oneroa and Surfdale catchments. Flooding assessment in the Onetangi
catchment is underway and due for completion by May 2005. One of the issues
raised by these studies is the potential for water pollution from septic tanks
and disposal systems located within flood-prone areas.
On their natural hazards web site, Auckland Regional Council have identified
the following hazards on Waiheke, Great Barrier and other islands: flooding (1
in 100 year storms); coastal (from erosion, inundation, coastal cliff or slope
instability); slope instability (rainfall induced, earthquake induced and
general from soil/rock type); ground shaking hazard (e.g. estuarine deposits are
high hazard, alluvium, basalt, ash tuff are medium hazard); and soil
liquefaction (e.g. estuarine deposits are high hazard, bedrock is low hazard).
The hazards are identified only at a scale of 1:50,000 so there may be some
doubt as to their accuracy. Areas are readily identified, but the boundaries of
those sites are not clearly defined.
There may be no need to have comprehensive provisions for natural hazards in
the District Plan, because many of the issues relating to natural hazards are
adequately dealt with by the provisions of Sections 35 and 71 of the Building
Act 2004 and by the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and
Meetings Act (LGOIMA), under which Land Information Memorandums (LIMs) can be
applied for. The Council is required by the LGOIMA to make available in Land
Information Memorandums any information it has on any special feature or
characteristic of the land concerned, including any natural hazards on that
land. Members of the public usually request LIMs before they purchase property.
Possible approaches
You may have a better or alternative approach to those outlined below. If so,
we would like to hear from you.
- Retain the status quo.
- Given the provisions in the Building Act and in the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act, the Plan could address the
subdivision or use of land if the subdivision, development, or use of that
land (with or without buildings) is likely to increase the erosion,
inundation, subsidence or slippage of that land or any other land, or is
likely to pollute any land (for example, the flooding of a septic tank or
disposal field in a flood).
- The Plan could indicate that natural hazards are also dealt with by the
Building Act and Building Regulations when building consents are applied
for.
- Revise Rules 6B.1.3.4 and 6C.1.3.4.
Note:
While this issue paper can be read in isolation, it is best read in
association with the issue paper relating to:
