Share your voice

Alongside our 2024-34 Long-Term Plan process, we reviewed our Development Contributions (DC) Policy and Growth Funding Policy. We asked Hamiltonians, our development community and key stakeholders for feedback on seven proposed changes in the revised DC Policy:

1. Provide a remission of DCs of up to 100% for some development on Maaori customary and freehold land and for papakaainga on any land.
2. Extend the DC remission in the central city (formerly the CBD remission) for a further three years but reduce the remission from 50% to 33%.
3. Extend the current 100% high-rise remission of DCs for central city developments with six or more storeys for a three-year period.
4. Revise the non-residential capped charges to only include commercial and retail development in neighbourhood centres. Also, increase the level of the proposed capped charges from those in the current DC Policy by $20,000 to reflect the increased cost of funding growth.
5. Retain the existing social housing remission as a community housing remission and amend the eligibility criteria to include more targeted requirements and secure long-term benefits through binding agreement.
6. Charge residential development a uniform flat stormwater charge for all dwellings, regardless of bedroom numbers or size of dwelling.
7. Outline the factors Council considers when determining when to require a DC within the policy.

During our community consultation period (19 March to 21 April 2024), key stakeholders and the wider community had an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes to the DC Policy as well as minor changes to the Growth Funding Policy. Council staff met with developer groups and key stakeholder during and leading up to public consultation.  A total of 73 submissions were received, with a combination of feedback received on the draft DC Policy and draft Growth Funding Policy. Overall, respondents supported:

i. extending the central city remission for a further three years to 30 June 2027 but were divided on whether to reduce the percentage remission from 50% to 33%

ii. extending the 100% high-rise remission in the central city for a further three years to 30 June 2027

iii. amending the non-residential capped charges provisions to narrow their scope to include only commercial and retail neighbourhood centres as zoned in the District Plan, with caps increased to $50,000 and $60,000 respectively (excl. GST) per 100m2 of gross floor area

iv. amending the social housing remission criteria to ensure developments receiving the remission will remain social housing in perpetuity

v. amending the calculation basis for stormwater development contribution charges for all residential dwellings to be 1 Household Unit Equivalent (HUE)

vi. updates to the bedroom definition.

Overall, respondents did not agree with:

i. introducing a 100% Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993 remission for Maaori customary and freehold land, and papakaainga on any land

ii. the updates in the DC Policy relating to the milestones at which DCs are required

iii. the draft DC charges and proposed increases

iv. the validity of the Schedule Of Assets (SOA).

Hearings to hear verbal submissions took place on 15 – 17 May, with 19 respondents from a range of organisations and two individuals requesting a speaking slot.

Following consultation, Council approved several changes to the draft DC Policy at a 4 July 2024 meeting. The changes include phasing in the new DC charges over three years and to further cap residential charges in the Peacocke and Rotokauri growth cells.

Other amendments to the draft DC Policy include:

i. extending the central city remission for a further three years to 30 June 2027 at 50%

ii. extending the 100% central city high-rise remission for a further three years to 30 June 2027

iii. amending the community housing remission to include registered charitable trusts that deliver social housing, and remove the requirement for “in perpetuity” and instead specify a 20-year timeframe

iv. proceeding with a 50% remission to residential and commercial development on Maaori customary and freehold land, and papakaainga on any land

v. amending the non-residential charge caps criteria to include neighbourhood centres within Peacocke, and reduce the cap levels by $10,000 per 100m2 of gross floor area

vi. amending the residential stormwater charges such that one-bedroom dwellings (only) pay 0.5 Household Unit Equivalents (HUEs). All other dwellings pay 1 HUE.

The updated DC Policy and Growth Funding Policy became operative on 5 July 2024.

Hamilton.govt.nz

We asked you for feedback on the proposal to revoke the Cultural and Recreational Facilities Bylaw 2012.

We proposed to revoke the Bylaw as we can continue to use our current management processes to minimise offensive behaviour at Council cultural and recreational facilities and will respond to offensive behaviour with existing processes, procedures, and legislation.

We received 14 responses.

10 respondents supported Council’s proposal to revoke the bylaw and four did not support the proposal.

Respondents who supported revoking the bylaw felt the reasons Council provided (such as there are other methods of dealing with nuisance behaviour) were sufficient. 

Respondents that did not support Council’s proposal included the perception that library staff do not have the means to deal with nuisance behaviour.

Your feedback was presented to the Community and Natural Environment Committee on 22 February 2024. The committee agreed to revoke the bylaw. 

The bylaw will be revoked from 1 May 2024. 

Council will continue to make our Cultural and Recreational Facilities safe for everyone using existing policies and processes. 

Private Plan Change 15 – Tuumata: further submissions

Private Plan Change 15 – Tuumata was open for submission in April and May this year. A summary of submissions and copies of original submissions were made available in June and July. Further submissions for Private Plan Change 15 reopened in October to allow people to submit on an original submission not included in the summary of submissions.

Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) requested a change to Hamilton’s District Plan to rezone about 68ha in Ruakura to allow for housing. Plans have been made for about 1200 homes.

More than a third of the 68ha site will be set aside as wetlands and swales to manage stormwater. Provision has also been made for a shopping centre and a supermarket. The Tuumata block is located between the Fifth Avenue extension and the AgResearch campus.

The proposed changes to the District Plan include:

• Changing the zone from Ruakura Industrial Park to General Residential to provide for a range of housing options.
• Changing the zone from Ruakura Industrial Park to Business 6 to allow for a neighbourhood centre.
• Correcting a zoning anomaly that applies to Council-owned land – a small strip adjoining the area in the south will be rezoned from Ruakura Industrial to Knowledge Zone.
• Incorporation of a new structure plan for the Tuumata Residential Precinct.
• Including additional rules to implement the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS).

Submissions to Plan Change 15 were opened from 18 April to 17 May 2023.

Further submissions to Plan Change 15 were open from 12 June to 10 July 2023 and again between 25 October and 10 November 2023.

We received four submissions and five further submissions. There is now a formal process to follow under the Resource Management Act 1991.

Hearings for Plan Change 15 are due to be held in 2024.

A panel of commissioners will consider all the submissions and make recommendations to Council on the final plan change in 2024.

Keep up-to-date on the plan change here: https://hamilton.govt.nz/property-rates-and-building/district-plan/plan-changes/plan-change-15/