New Rules to Manage Wind Farms in Porirua City

Porirua City Council is leading the way by setting rules to manage the city's valued rural and coastal landscapes while encouraging renewable energy sources in innovative way.

Recommendations by the "Proposed Plan Change 7 – Wind Farms" Hearings Subcommittee were adopted by Council last night.

This is believed to be the first change to a District Plan specifically around wind farms in the country to ensure the interests of the nation's renewable energy needs are managed alongside the local community's needs.

The plan change recommendations were made after hearing and considering over 130 submissions received on proposed Plan Change 7 in 2009.

"Reaching this point has come after an extensive and very thorough process," says
District Plan Subcommittee Chairperson Liz Kelly. "

Councillor Kelly, who also chaired the Hearing Subcommittee, says Porirua's hilly, coastal landscape, which may potentially attract interest for future wind farm development, is also enjoyed by the city's rural and urban communities and needs to be managed carefully.

"Council recognised the potential for future tension between existing and developing rural and urban lifestyle developments within the city, and possible future wind farm development interest and so we have responded with proposed Plan Change 7. It will provide a level of certainty to both the city's residents and any future wind farm developers by specifying how such developments will be assessed."

Councillor Kelly says this plan change provides a framework that takes into account both the benefits of this form of energy generation and the need to manage potential effects on the local community.

"Plan Change 7 proposes to make wind farms in the City's Rural Zone areas a discretionary activity, requiring a resource consent under the City's District Plan.

"Turbines would be required to be located at least 700 metres from the boundary of any property that did not form part of the wind farm development, and at least 700m from any other zone boundary and defined landscape protection area within the City.

Potential wind farm developments not meeting these standards would be subject to a more stringent assessment under the City's District Plan, and the Resource Management Act, as a non-complying activity.

The plan change also introduces 12 assessment criteria related to the management of noise, visual impacts, amenity values, ecological impacts, consideration of national benefits of renewal energy generation and other matters of interest associated with potential wind farm developments."

Meanwhile, the government is expected to publish new noise standards for wind turbine generators early next month which are being incorporated into Proposed Plan Change 7.

The Council's decision is likely to be published early March when people who made submissions will have an opportunity to appeal the Council's decision to the Environment Court. Once all appeals have been resolved the Plan Change will then become operative.

ENDS

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