No images? Click here December 2023 Kia ora koutou, We'd like to wish you and your whānau a safe and happy summer season. This is our last update in what has been a very busy year, and, as always, if you have any questions or feedback regarding any of the below, please get in touch with us. In this edition we cover:
Lake Rotoiti Limited Notified Consent ApplicationsThe hearing for the notified Lake Rotoiti Lake structure consents took place in August. Following this the Commissioners for the hearing released their decision, granting 30-year duration consents to all applications; a copy of the decision report can be found here. A corrected set of resource consent conditions was provided by the Commissioners in October, a copy of these final consent conditions can be found here under Applications recently notified – submissions closed. We are in the process of rolling out the individual consent conditions to applicants and had hoped to get all the individual notified Rotoiti consents out before the end of this year. Although some have already been issued, we will not be able to get all of them out until after the New Year. We apologise for the delay and commit to get the rest out as soon as practicable. We have been obtaining lake structure dimensions for structures where we did not previously have dimensions to include in the consent decisions. Lake Tarawera Limited Notified Consent ApplicationsApplications assessed as having minor or more than minor adverse cultural effects were limited notified; we are working with Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Tūhourangi on the next steps in the process following the Commissioners decision for the Limited Notified Lake Rotoiti Structures. We may hold a pre-hearing meeting for the boatshed applications at Kariri Point (Boatshed Bay) assessed as having significant cultural adverse effects, but for now we are still waiting for further information from the applicant. Lake Ōkāreka Non-notified Consent ApplicationsWe will continue processing non-notified consents for Lake Ōkāreka next year. Applications assessed as having less than minor adverse cultural effects will be processed non-notified. Please refer to the Lake Ōkāreka Cultural Mapping Report for individual structure assessments. Above: Status of information packs sent out and consents granted as at 20 December 2023 Lake structure landowner documentationLand Information New Zealand (LINZ) LINZ will advise a lessee in advance when a lease is due to expire and refer the lessee to the LINZ website to complete an application form for a new lease. Any queries regarding LINZ leases should be emailed to crownproperty@linz.govt.nz Department of Conservation (DOC) There are a variety of contracts that might be used to authorise a structure on Public Conservation Land. Depending on the type of structure, the type of activity and other factors, you may be asked to apply for an Agreement for Occupation, a lease, a management agreement, or a concession. Fees will vary depending on the type of contract applicable. The costs associated with DOC staff processing applications is passed on to the applicant. Some contracts have no fees associated with them, for example, a management agreement which is used to manage ‘voluntary’ work such as grass maintenance. Where a lease or concession for a long-term activity is applied for, the processing fee is likely to be around $2065 plus GST. The processing fee is likely to be between $3500 and $5000 plus GST if your application needs to be notified to the public. You will receive an invoice once you have processed your application. In addition to processing fees, you may be charged annual fees such as lease fees or activity fees. Where necessary, a valuer will be bought in to determine fair market value, but as a guideline, you could expect to be charged $500 per annum for a jetty and $2022.30 per annum for an exclusive use boat shed. Annual management fees of around $450 per annum and an hourly staff charge out rate may also apply. Further details on the fees charged by DOC are available on the DOC website www.DOC.govt.nz for queries contact Rotorua@doc.govt.nz Help stop Freshwater gold clam!The highly invasive gold clam was first found in New Zealand in the Waikato River in May 2023 and has subsequently been declared an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act. To stop gold clam from spreading to the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes, we need local residents and visitors - particularly from the Waikato - to do their bit and follow the rules.Protect the Rotorua Te Arawa LakesThe Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP) 2020 – 2030 requires that all public boat ramp users must certify that their vessel (boat, jet ski) and trailer are free from freshwater pests. If you are using a boat, please complete a self-certification form before launching. The self-certification form must either be submitted electronically or displayed in the vehicle and left at the public boat ramp where the boat was launched. You can find self-certification stations at all public boat ramps, with paper forms available to fill out, or by scanning the QR code to complete the process online. Throughout summer Biosecurity staff will be checking public boat ramps regularly for compliance. Visitors coming from the Waikato RiverTo stop the gold clam from spreading outside of the Waikato there are specific rules that apply to users of the Waikato River in the ‘controlled area’ which covers from the Whakamaru Dam to the river mouth at Port Waikato, including Lake Karapiro. No wake boats from the controlled area can be used on Bay of Plenty waterways or other waterways in New Zealand. All river users that have been in the controlled Waikato area must follow Check-Clean-Dry requirements for any craft, gear (such as fishing and other equipment used to gather kai) and equipment (including water skis, wakeboards, and inflatable pool toys). Any boat that has been in the controlled area in the last 30 days must be cleaned at the designated wash station. The designated wash station is at: |