Submissions close on urban trees
A total of 34 submissions have been received from members of the public to the new rules for the protection of trees in urban areas of Kāpiti.
Under the Urban Tree Variation to the Proposed District Plan (PDP), which had legal effect from 4 September, property owners have much more freedom to trim protected trees without the need for a resource consent, as long as work is undertaken by a qualified arborist. Even when a resource consent is required, the cost of it will be zero.
The submissions received are now being summarised by Council officers. Once this is complete, a Summary of Submissions will be publicly notified and made available on the Council’s website. Members of the public can then make “further submissions”. Under the RMA, this means people can support or oppose existing submissions but cannot introduce entirely-new material.
These further submissions will also be summarised and officers’ final recommendations compiled before the hearings on the Proposed District Plan (PDP) begin next year.