Planning for the future in a way that also protects what we have for the good of the environment and future generations are key to a successful Napier District Plan.
And one of the ways to help us get it right is giving our community every opportunity to tell us what they think.
Our consultation for our Draft District Plan has been extended to Friday 24 September. Go to sayitnapier.nz to say it for Napier - every bit of feedback counts!
While the bulk of our plan remains the same, there are some proposed changes which you may have an opinion on that you want to share with us. This way we have a better idea of where our community's future needs are and priorities lie.
These important changes include:
- The need to include a stormwater retention tank in any new build to prevent flooding.
- The extension of the Hawke's Bay Airport Noise Boundary to allow for the growth of the airport.
- The protection of Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to improve biodiversity in our city
- Improving new build design and protecting existing heritage, not just the Art Deco special character.
- And encouraging greater public access and connectivity between Napier's natural spaces to enable cyclists and walkers to enjoy these areas.
Did you know that we have 14 sites we rate as Significant Natural Areas that need protection?
These cover both public and private land. We want to encourage landowners to think about whether any changes they want to make, such as removing vegetation, is absolutely necessary, as this may now require the granting of a consent.
We want to work with our community to help protect these areas, and the best way to do this is together, through this process, says Paulina Wilhelm, NCC Manager City Development.
Public access corridors are also something we believe we need more of. These corridors are opportunities to improve connections within and between neighbourhoods, open spaces, the coast and other water bodies, and between the places where we live, work and play.
"We know greater connectivity encourages more people to walk or cycle. Apart from the obvious health benefits to people personally, these type of networks simply make good sense, creating the sort of place people want to live in and enjoy living in," says Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise.
There are other things we can do to make a city safer too, such as extending cul-de-sacs to connect to public roads, which will help provide feasible evacuation routes in emergency situations, or limiting fence heights to increase neighbourhood surveillance.
Are you thinking of building a new home? What if you had to include a stormwater tank in your plans?
We think retaining water on site will help reduce the chances of flooding during heavy rainfall.
We live in a great little city, but because it's generally flat 75% of our stormwater has to be pumped away. Napier has grown, and some parts have not been designed with this in mind, putting pressure on our existing stormwater network. Climate change will only increase the number of extreme weather events and rainfall, and we think installing tanks is one way we can cope until such time the network catches up.
It's not just the land which needs looking after.
We've worked with Hawke's Bay Airport to forecast how we think its usage may change over the next 30 years. We're proposing to expand the Airport Noise Boundary, which means if anyone within this boundary wants to make changes to their homes, they will have to factor in the cost of noise-insulating their property.
We think the amount of noise generated by the Airport will increase, so we need to make sure existing residents and future residents are aware of the impact and can be ready for it.
We are also consulting on a Spatial Picture, which is the first step for us towards making the best plan we can for growth.
To find out more, and have your say on the Draft District Plan or Spatial Picture, visit sayitnapier.nz by 24 September.