District Plan change addresses future flood risk
A District Plan change that takes into account potential flood hazards across the Taupō District has been adopted and will become operative on April 15.
Plan Change 34 was adopted at yesterday’s monthly council meeting and is the result of years of work by council staff and extensive consultation with the community.
As part of the process, council’s policy team identified areas of the district where there was a higher chance of flooding and commissioned Opus International to create detailed computer modelling and flood hazard maps that list low, medium and high risk areas. Council had these technical assessments peer reviewed by NIWA to ensure confidence in the data. This information allows affected landowners to make informed decisions about what they do on their land and how it could be further developed.
Over 1000 landowners and stakeholders were consulted, as well as ratepayer groups, infrastructure and energy providers, and the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board. Having received 22 submissions council appointed a panel of independent commissioners to hear the submissions and make a recommendation. Council accepted the panel’s recommendation and released their decision in December last year. No appeals were lodged so the plan change now becomes part of the operative version of the District Plan.
Policy manager Nick Carroll said Plan Change 34 was required under the law to manage risks to people and property, but the safety of the community was the primary concern.
“Plan Change 34 provides detail on the likely depth and speed of flood waters enabling a risk-based approach rather than treating all properties the same,” he said. “That means council can be flexible in enabling development is areas of low risk, while being more careful in areas of higher risk, and it also means our community has a better understanding of any potential risks.”