May 22, 2015

Proposed Regional Policy Statement for Otago released for public comment

Members of the public are being invited to make submissions on a proposed Regional Policy Statement for the Otago region.

ORC director policy planning and resource management Fraser McRae said that while there are no rules in the proposed RPS, it guides development of district and regional plans, and resource consent decision-making.

This means it also guides what district and city councils across the region do through their own plans to enable business activities while maintaining or improving the environment.

Natural hazards, air quality, climate change and sea level rise, land use change in dry catchments, urban development, and iwi values are among issues featuring in the proposed RPS.

These issues affect what communities and individuals can and can’t do when using natural resources, subdividing or developing land, or embarking on other proposed land uses.

ORC has collaborated with Otago district and city councils and other stakeholders in the leadup to the release of the document to ensure that everyone had common goals when it came to the sustainable management of the region’s natural resources, Mr McRae said.

Submissions on the proposed RPS close at 5pm on Friday July 24.

A summary of decisions requested by submitters will then be prepared and publicly notified, providing an opportunity for further submissions in support of, or in opposition to, submissions received.

A hearing will be then held for those who ask to be heard in support of their submissions, and the council will issue its decisions on submissions received.

The proposed RPS and accompanying documents (including submission forms) are on the ORC website - www.orc.govt.nz

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