Information for Franklin ratepayers
This information is for Franklin ratepayers who became part of the Waikato district on 1 November 2010.
Waikato District Council plans to administer the Waikato Proposed District Plan and the Franklin Operative District Plan side by side after 1 November 2010. On 1 November, a portion of the Franklin district was incorporated into the Waikato district under the Auckland governance arrangements. There are no plans to unify the two District Plans into one at this stage.
What this means on a practical level is that anyone who lives or operates in the former Franklin area that has become part of the Waikato district, for example landowners, developers, and builders, will continue to be bound by the Franklin District Plan rules after 1 November.
The Franklin District Plan rules will still apply and will be enforced by the Waikato District Council.
What is a district plan?
The Resource Management Act 1991 makes it clear that the purpose of district plans is to assist territorial authorities to carry out their functions in order to achieve the purpose of the RMA, which is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources.
District plans cover issues related to the Council’s functions. These include things such as:
- Effects of land use
- Impacts of land use on natural hazards and the management of hazardous substances
- Noise
- Activities on the surfaces of rivers and lakes
- Impacts of land use on indigenous biological diversity
District plans explain how the Council will manage the environment. They contain objectives, policies and rules set out to address resource management issues within the district.
One of the main methods used by Councils is the use of rules that set out what activities you can do as of right (permitted activities), what activities you need resource consent for, and how certain activities may be carried out. District plan rules cover things such as residential development, the use of land for agriculture, the subdivision of land parcels, noise and the location and height of buildings.
Why is a district plan necessary?
District Plans promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources in the council's district, primarily by managing the effects of land use on the environment. The effects are managed differently around the district to reflect the local environmental issues. The plan responds to the issues in terms of community needs and aspirations. If those needs and aspirations change, then plan changes may be needed.
Useful websites
To find out more information about the RMA and District Plans, visit one of these sites: