Many Tauranga residents have recently received a letter from Tauranga City Council informing them of Plan Change 27 and advising that their property is one impacted by the proposed Plan Change. Below, we break down what Plan Change 27 is, why it’s being implemented, what it means for you and what you can do about it.
What is it?
Plan Change 27 implements new rules that Tauranga City Council are putting place for properties that fall within one of three zones:
- Overland flow path areas
- Flood prone Areas
- Floodplains
What these rules are and helpful illustrations can be found here.
They are also implementing new rules regarding impervious surfaces around property in Suburban Residential Zones and Large Lot Residential Zones.
Tauranga City Council have identified properties in the three areas noted above using GIS mapping technology based on a 1-in-100-year flooding event. You can check to see if your property falls within one of these areas using the maps that can be found at this link.
Why is it being implemented?
As Tauranga continues to grow and develop, it is important to identify risks that are associated with properties and mitigate the risks that go with it.
For example, if you live in an identified flow path area and you build a wall that blocks water from running that will simply cause flooding elsewhere as opposed to allowing the water to run to the natural draining point.
What does it mean for you?
It is important to note that people who have been contacted by Tauranga City Council are not all impacted in the same way and we recommend that you check the maps linked to above to understand exactly how your property is impacted.
It could be that it is simply the bottom of your driveway is part of a flow path as stormwater flows to the drains. However, it could also be that your property is identified as being in a flood prone area. Not everyone’s properties are impacted equally.
This information will be on your property’s LIM report.
If your property falls within one of these areas, no matter to what extent, we recommend you discuss it with your insurance company.
What can you do about it?
The Plan Change is still open for public consultation and will be open until 5pm on Monday 1 February 2021. You can submit in writing at this link.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our Property Team.