Important note: Any reference in this document to the Natures Valley LASP (Local Area Spatial Plan) should be read as Local Spatial Development Framework. NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK, 2014 PREPARED FOR THE NATURE'S VALLEY RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE BITOU LOCAL MUNICIPALITY FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL BY THE PRACTICE GROUP (PTY) LTD TOWN PLANNERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONERS P O BOX 35895 MENLO PARK 0102 Tel: 012 – 362 1741 Fax: 012 – 362 0983 E-mail: [email protected] Our Ref: 600/305 CH Wiehahn 18 February 2014 (Rev 01, 30-10-2015) CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE 1 1.3 NATURE'S VALLEY IN CONTEXT 2 1.4 POLICY CONTEXT 3 1.5 METHODOLOGY 3 1.6 CONCLUSION 5 2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 5 2.1 NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES 6 2.1.1 LEGISLATION 6 2.1.2 GENERIC DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES 10 2.2 NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES 11 2.2.1 LEGISLATION 11 2.2.2 GENERIC DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES 15 2.3 CONDITIONS OF TITLE 15 2.3.1 RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS OF TITLE 15 2.3.2 THE EFFECT OF REMOVING CONDITIONS OF TITLE 16 2.3.3 THE EFFECT OF AD HOC REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS OUT OF TITLE DEEDS 17 2.3.4 NATURES VALLEY AS AN ISOLATED ENCLAVE 17 3. STATUS QUO 18 3.1 THE STUDY AREA 18 3.2 MOVEMENT 18 3.2.1 TRANSPORTATION 18 3.2.2 ACCESS AND ROADS 20 ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 3.2.3 VEHICLE VOLUMES, SPEED, TRAFFIC CONTROL AND ROAD SAFETY 20 3.2.4 PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT AND FACILITIES 21 3.2.5 PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND FACILITIES 21 3.2.6 LAND USES AND PARKING FACILITIES 21 3.2.7 VEGETATION IN ROAD RESERVES 22 3.3 DEVELOPMENT PROFILE 22 3.3.1 LAND USE, ZONING, OWNERSHIP AND SPATIAL STRUCTURE 22 3.3.2 DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS 24 3.3.3 PROPERTY MARKET 24 3.3.4 OPEN SPACE (PARKS) 24 3.3.5 MUNICIPAL LAND 27 3.3.6 ACCOMMODATION 27 3.3.7 COMMUNITY FACILITIES 27 3.3.8 SHOPPING FACILITY 27 3.4 INFRASTRUCTURE 27 3.4.1 WATER AND SANITATION 27 3.4.2 ELECTRICITY 28 3.4.3 STORMWATER DRAINAGE 28 3.4.4 WASTE MANAGEMENT 28 3.4.5 FIRE FIGHTING 30 3.4.6 AREA BASED MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION 30 3.5 COMMUNITY NEEDS AND ISSUES 30 3.5.1 MAINTAINING OF STATUS QUO 30 3.5.2 SERVICES PROVISION 30 3.5.3 SECURITY 30 4. KEY FINDINGS AND CHALLENGES 31 4.1 GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 31 4.1.1 DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS 31 4.1.2 LAND USES 32 4.1.3 MOVEMENT AND ROADS 33 ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 4.1.4 SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE 33 4.1.5 COMMUNITY FACILITIES 34 4.1.6 FIRE FIGHTING 34 4.1.7 SAFETY AND SECURITY 34 4.1.8 LAND- AND STREETSCAPING 34 4.2 GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 34 4.2.1 NATURE'S VALLEY AND THE CURRENT LEGAL FRAMEWORK 34 4.2.2 REMAINING HABITATS UNDER DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE 34 4.2.3 THE NEED AND VALUE OF OPEN SPACES OR PARKS 36 4.2.4 CLIMATE CHANGE 37 5. GOALS 37 6. SPATIAL PLAN 38 6.1 INTRODUCTION 38 6.2 INTENT 38 6.3 OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS 38 6.3.1 OBJECTIVES 38 6.3.2 PRINCIPLES 39 6.3.3 STANDARDS 39 6.4 STRATEGIES, MECHANISMS AND GUIDELINES 40 6.4.1 INTENSIFY ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS 40 6.4.2 DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN EFFICIENT MOVEMENT SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES, CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS 40 6.4.3 DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE LAND USE AND URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES 41 6.4.4 IMPROVE, MANAGE AND MONITOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES PROVISION 41 6.4.5 PROMOTE COMMUNICATION, CO-ORDINATION AND ENGAGEMENT 42 7. IMPLEMENTATION 42 7.1 DESIGN GUIDELINES 42 7.1.1 PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENT 42 7.1.2 CYCLIST MOVEMENT 43 7.1.3 VEHICULAR MOVEMENT 43 7.1.4 NEW BUILDING ACTIVITY 43 7.1.5 STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 43 7.1.6 POTABLE WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 43 ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 7.2 MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES 43 7.2.1 REZONING AND SUBDIVISION 43 7.2.2 BUILDING RESTRICTIONS 43 7.2.3 URBAN MANAGEMENT 44 7.2.4 WATER AND SANITATION 44 7.2.5 ROADS, SIDEWALKS AND STORMWATER DRAINAGE 44 7.2.6 ELECTRICITY 44 7.2.7 OPEN SPACE 45 6.2.8 WASTE MANAGEMENT 45 7.2.9 ILLEGAL USES AND ACTIVITIES 45 7.2.10 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND FACILITIES 45 7.2.11 SAFETY AND SECURITY 45 7.3 INTERVENTIONS REQUIRED 45 7.3.1 TRANSPORTATION 46 7.3.2 OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 47 7.3.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVISION OF SERVICES 48 7.3.4 LAND USE MANAGEMENT 49 7.3.5 COMMUNITY NEEDS 50 7.3.6 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 50 7.3.7 MONITORING SYSTEM 50 7.3.8 DISASTER MANAGEMENT 50 7.3.9 SAFETY AND SECURITY 51 7.3.10 CLIMATE CHANGE 51 7.3.11 COMMUNICATION 51 8. CONCLUSION 52 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1: NUMBER AND USE OF ERVEN 3 TABLE 2: NATIONAL, PROVINCIAL AND MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 10 TABLE 3: NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES 15 TABLE 4: ROAD RESERVE WIDTHS 20 TABLE 5: LAND USES AND REZONINGS (2012) 22 TABLES 6A AND 6 B: DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS 24 TABLE 7: CRIME STATISTICS 2004-2008 31 TABLE 8: GOALS 38 TABLE 9: DESIGN GUIDELINES 43 TABLE 10: MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES 45 TABLE 11: INTERVENTIONS REQUIRED 51 LIST OF MAPS MAP 1: NATURE'S VALLEY TOWNSHIP LAYOUT PLAN AS PROCLAIMED DURING 1953 4 MAP 2: MAP OF STUDY AREA 19 MAP 3: NATURE'S VALLEY MOVEMENT SYSTEM 23 MAP 4: NATURE'S VALLEY LAND USES 25 MAP 5: NATURE'S VALLEY LAND USE ZONINGS 26 MAP 6: NATURE'S VALLEY SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE 29 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: METHODOLOGY 5 ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 LIST OF PLANS PLAN 1: PROPOSED PARKING LAYOUT PLAN AT NATURE'S VALLEY STORE 53 PLAN 2: PROPOSED UPGRADING OF WASTE TRANSFER STATION (ERF 337) 54 PLAN 3: TYPICAL ELEVATED ROAD SECTION TO SERVE AS PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AND TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURE 55 PLAN 4: LAYOUT PLAN INDICATING POSSIBLE ACCESS CONTROL AND TAXI PICK UP FACILITY 56 PLAN 5: NATURE'S VALLEY: LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN - 2014 57 ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND PAGE 1 OF 57 PAGES 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1 INTRODUCTION Nature's Valley, a small isolated coastal village, is situated 30km east of Plettenberg Bay. The township which was proclaimed in 1953 has remained virtually unchanged and still portrays the picture of a peaceful and near pristine coastal development. The following important factors have contributed to this idyllic situation : Unique Natural Environment: Nature's Valley which lies at the foot of the coastal escarp and is accessible only from the historic Groot River Pass, is bordered by the protected lagoon and estuary, sea and the indigenous rain forests of the Tsitsikamma National Park. The vegetation found in the area falls within the eastern section of the Cape Floristic Region which is one of the six floral kingdoms of the world and has the highest species diversity per unit area in the world. Single Residential Character: The almost exclusively “Residential Zone 1” erven of the township have been retained and virtually unchanged since the proclamation of the village in 1953. Large wooded and unfenced properties together with forested open spaces play an integral part in maintaining and augmenting the environmental integrity of the unique natural surroundings within which the township falls. Geographical Constraints: The township only comprises 406 erven and, as its boundaries are the Groot River Lagoon, the ocean and the Tsitsikamma National Park, no further development outside the residential area is possible. These same constraints impose severe restrictions on any further development of existing infrastructure with particular reference to sewage management and availability of water. Owners: Since the proclamation of the township owners have actively rallied to protect and maintain the character of the village and the integrity of the unique environment by which they are enclosed. 1.2 OBJECTIVES AND STRUCTURE The Nature's Valley Local Area Spatial Plan, 2014 (LASP) seeks to provide a set of development principles and urban design guidelines to guide and inform any future development initiatives in the village and its surrounds. The anticipated outcomes of implementing the framework are: To identify and record the needs and issues of the local residents, land owners, employees and other interested and affected parties viz a viz the village and its future; To ensure integrated and sustainable development; To protect and enhance the unique character of Nature's Valley; To protect and enhance land values; To protect the environment and enhance nature conservation within the village; To promote a pedestrian friendly environment and to curtail unnecessary vehicle movement; To ensure the safety and security of its residents and visitors; To protect and retain the single residential status of the township; and To promote improved service delivery. In order to deliver on the above the document has been structured in the following manner: Identification of important objectives and outcomes; Assessment of the status quo of Nature's Valley; Identification of key issues that need to be addressed; ©THE PRACTICE GROUP NATURE'S VALLEY LOCAL AREA SPATIAL PLAN, 2014 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND PAGE 2 OF 57 PAGES Provision of a development framework with certain development, urban design and conservation strategies, objectives, principles and standards; Provision of design guidelines; Provision of management strategies Provision of interventions required.