Further submissions invited on urban trees

Further submissions are being invited on new rules for the protection of trees in urban areas of Kāpiti.

A total of 34 submissions were received when the Council notified the Urban Tree Variation (UTV) to the Proposed District Plan (PDP) in November.

The UTV had legal effect from 4 September 2015, following the Council’s decision to give property owners 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 the application is zero.

The 34 submissions have now been summarised by Council officers and a link to the Summary of Submissions will be available from 9 March on the Council’s website at www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/urbantreevariation

Further submissions can only support or oppose existing submissions. Those eligible to make them are people affected by a submission on the UTV or people or organisations representing a particular interest group. Entirely new material cannot be introduced.

Further submissions will close on 24 March, after which they will also be summarised and officers’ final recommendations compiled before the UTV goes to formal hearings in August.

For more information on the Urban Tree Variation, including the proposed new rules, visit www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/urbantreevariation