SECTION 42A REPORT Report on submissions and further submissions on the Proposed Waikato District Plan Hearing 25: Zone Extents Rest of District – Hamilton Fringe Report prepared by: Susannah Tait Date: 16 April 2021 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 2 Scope of Report ................................................................................................................................................. 6 3 Statutory framework ...................................................................................................................................... 11 4 Puketaha ............................................................................................................................................................. 22 5 Ruakura .............................................................................................................................................................. 28 6 Tamahere ........................................................................................................................................................... 33 7 Matangi ............................................................................................................................................................... 46 8 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 56 9 Appendix 1: Table of submission points ................................................................................................... 57 Proposed Waikato District Plan Rest of District - Hamilton Fringe Section 42A Hearing Report 3 List of submitters and further submitters addressed in this report Original Submitter Submission Further Submitter Submission number number Amy and Andrew De 977 AH and DB Finlay Limited FS1252 Langen Bettley-Stamef Partnership 712 Aileen Margaret Downey FS1158 Brian Croad for Tainui 341 Alan and Eleanor Ure FS1380 Group Holdings Limited Burton Trust 344 Andrew and Christine Gore FS1062 David Yzendoorn for David 292 Andrew Mowbray FS1305 and Barbara Yzendoorn Divina Libre 363 Bernard Wood FS1081 Ethan Findlay 418 Bobbie Wisneski FS1053 Family Jepma on behalf of 846 Bootleg Brewery FS1264 Family Jepma Trust Account Geoffrey Long 129 Bowrock Properties Limited FS1197 Grant and Merelina Burnett 185 Burton Trust FS1203 Ian and Darienne Voyle 672 Christian and Natasha FS1204 McDean Ian Thomas 398 Christina Reymer FS1156 Jonathan Quigley for J and 389 David Hale on behalf of David FS1074 T Quigley Ltd and Sharon Hale Kim Angelo Libre 426 Dennis and Jan Tickelpenny FS1280 Kitty Burton 371 Department of Conservation FS1293 Malcolm McDonald 422 Dorothy Derecourt and David FS1094 Mckeown Mark Smith 272 Ethan and Rachael Findlay FS1311 Matangi Farms Land Ltd 713 Fedor Dronov FS1300 Mel Libre 407 Gavin Lovegrove and Michelle FS1149 Peddie Peter Fitzpatrick 306 Gordon Downey FS1157 Sharp Planning Solutions 695 Hamilton City Council FS1379 Ltd Tamahere Eventide Home 765 Heritage New Zealand FS1323 Trust on behalf of Atawhai Pouhere Taonga Assisi Retirement Village Tamahere Eventide Trust 769 Hugh Goodman and Katie FS1063 on behalf of Tamahere Mayes Eventide Retirement Village Wendy Oliver 438 Jack and Alison Jenkins FS1153 Proposed Waikato District Plan Rest of District - Hamilton Fringe Section 42A Hearing Report 4 Jacob Davis and Karly Hurst FS1152 Jarod Kowhai Huaki FS1166 Jason Gary Davis FS1159 Joanne Bedford and Adrian FS1065 Coote John and Sonia Aubin FS1250 K Badger and WR Badger FS1260 Estate Keir Bettley FS1018 Kerry Ellen Davis FS1163 Kory Kelly FS1310 Kylie Cocurullo on behalf of FS1189 Noel Cocurullo Trust Superannuation Scheme Lyn Kingsbury FS1064 Malcolm MacDonald FS1270 Mark D Reinsfield FS1201 Martin and Maria Rose on FS1068 behalf of Rose Family Trust Mercury NZ Limited for FS1386 Mercury C Mercury NZ Limited for FS1387 Mercury D Mercury NZ Limited for FS1388 Mercury E Moeraki Farm Limited FS1256 Monique Reymer FS1167 Morgan Olsen FS1160 Mowbray Group FS1289 New Zealand Transport FS1202 Agency Newstead Country Preschool FS1182 Newstead Model Country FS1262 School Newstead Residents FS1072 Association Newstead Residents FS1216 Association Newstead Residents Group FS1071 Noel Gordon Smith FS1183 One Mission Society FS1080 Pam and David Bryant FS1162 Pekerangi Kee-Huaki FS1165 Proposed Waikato District Plan Rest of District - Hamilton Fringe Section 42A Hearing Report 5 Peter Lord Cowell FS1048 Peter McKenzie FS1010 Philip and Sheree Lawton FS1284 Prudence Williams and Stuart FS1299 Lye Robyn Ballard FS1324 Ross and Leonie Hopkins FS1147 Susan and Brett Hopkins FS1148 Tamahere Eventide Home FS1005 Trust – Atawhai Assisi Retirement Village Tamara Huaki FS1164 Te Whakakitenga o Waikato FS1108 Incorporated (Waikato-Tainui) Teresa Bowe FS1155 Tim Cochrane FS1373 Waikato Regional Council FS1277 Wattle Downs Limited FS1254 Ying-Peng Yu FS1021 Zane and Sheryl Bettley FS1008 Zane Bettley FS1016 Zenders Café and Venue FS1085 Please refer to Appendix 1 to see where each submission point is addressed within this report. Proposed Waikato District Plan Rest of District - Hamilton Fringe Section 42A Hearing Report 6 1 Introduction 1.1 Qualifications and experience 1. My full name is Susannah Vrena Tait. I am employed by planning and resource management consulting firm Planz Consultants Limited as a Senior Planner. 2. I hold the qualifications of Bachelor of Science (Zoology) from University of Canterbury, a Master of Applied Science (Environmental Management) from Lincoln University and a Post Graduate Diploma from Lincoln University. I am a full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. 3. I have 17 years’ experience working as a planner, with this work including the development of plan changes, plan reviews and associated s32 assessments, the preparation of submissions on a number of plan reviews and the preparation and processing of resource consent applications. I reviewed the s42 report prepared by Ms Chloe Trenouth on behalf of Waikato District Council for the Ohinewai (Sleepyhead) land as part of Hearing 19. 1.2 Code of Conduct 4. I confirm that I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014 and that I have complied with it when preparing this report. Other than when I state that I am relying on the advice of another person, this evidence is within my area of expertise. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions that I express. 5. I am authorised to give this evidence on the Council's behalf to the hearing’s commissioners. 1.3 Conflict of Interest 6. I confirm that I have no real or perceived conflict of interest. 1.4 Preparation of this report 7. I am the author of this report. 8. The scope of my evidence relates to the evaluation of submissions, further submissions, and evidence received in regard to the rezoning of land within the ‘Hamilton Fringe’. This report sits alongside the report prepared by Ms Catherine Boulton providing recommendations on the ‘Rest of District’ rezonings beyond the Hamilton Fringe. 9. The data, information, facts, and assumptions I have considered in forming my opinions are set out in my evidence. Where I have set out opinions in my evidence, I have given reasons for those opinions. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions expressed. 2 Scope of Report 2.1 Matters addressed by this report 10. This report is prepared in accordance with section 42A of the Resource Management Act (RMA). This report considers submissions that were received by the Council in relation to the zoning of land adjacent to Hamilton City Council’s territorial boundary and sits as a sub- set of submissions seeking rezoning throughout the wider rural areas of the Waikato Proposed District Plan. Where relevant, this evidence also considers the suitability of overlays where relevant to the rezoning request. Proposed Waikato District Plan Rest of District - Hamilton Fringe Section 42A Hearing Report 7 2.2 Overview of the area/town 11. The ‘Rest of District – Hamilton Fringe’ encompasses all of the predominantly rural-zoned land around the periphery of Hamilton. For reporting purposes, the Hamilton Fringe area has been addressed separately from the remainder of the ‘Rest of District’ topic due to area- specific issues and interplay with Hamilton City. The Fringe, particularly Tamahere and Matangi, has experienced rapid growth in the last 15 years, including a 50% population increase in Tamahere alone1. This rapid growth has been largely driven by the lifestyle living opportunities within an easy commute to Hamilton. 12. The Hamilton Fringe includes the following settlements: Tamahere 13. Tamahere is a rural lifestyle settlement (zoned Country Living) immediately adjoining the southern boundary of Hamilton City. 14. Over the past 80 years or so, the land at Tamahere has been converted from typical Waikato farms to smaller intensive horticulture and lifestyle uses. By 1970, much of it had been subdivided into 4-hectare blocks, although farming continued on the remaining larger blocks and on the small blocks which had been kept in one ownership. Farming gradually reduced and lifestyle block development ultimately accelerated after the Operative District Plan zoned all