Franklin District Council is responsible for implementing the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and we do this primarily through implementing and applying the Franklin District Plan.
Growth and development are constant activities in the Franklin District. These activities place more and more demands on our physical resources such as land, transport, housing, commerce and industry, food and energy production. In turn, this growth also places increasing demands on our natural and cultural environments.
In order to direct this growth and development, the Franklin District Plan has rules which either allow or prohibit certain types of land use activities in certain areas.
National environmental standards for telecommunications facilities
The national environmental standards for telecommunications facilities came into force on 9 October 2008. The regulations will substitute existing district plan rules that address the same subject material.
In essence, the standards say:
- An activity (such as a mobile phone transmitter) that emits radio-frequency fields is a permitted activity provided it complies with the existing New Zealand Standard (NZS2772.1:1999 Radio-frequency Fields Part 1: Maximum Exposure Levels 3kHz-300GHz).
- The installation of telecommunications equipment cabinets along roads or in the road reserve is a permitted activity, subject to specified limitations on their size and location.
- Noise from telecommunications equipment cabinets located alongside roads or in the road reserve is a permitted activity, subject to specified noise limits.
- The installation of masts and antennas on existing strctures alongside roads or in the road reserve is a permitted activity, subject to specified limitations to height and size.
- The national environmental standards are regulations made under the Resource Management Act 1991. Activities that do not qualify as permitted activities under the regulations will continue to be managed by local councils through the existing rules in their district plans under the Resource Management Act 1991.
You can learn more about this by clicking on the link below. Please note that it will take you away from Council's website:
Why different areas can do different things.
The District Plan acknowledges that there are locations and areas where particular resources and activities occur. There are also areas where the environmental features are more important than in other areas. For this reason areas in the district are zoned differently and the status of an activity may be different in different areas. For example, you are not able to keep pigs in an urban zone, you can keep 15 pigs on a property zoned rural by right, but if you want a pig farm you have to apply for resource consent.
Along with zoning there are also special zones and policy areas that may influence how the land use activity you are planning is classified in the area you are planning it.
The Five Categories
Land use activities in the district as classified as either being:
Permitted
Controlled
Discretionary
Non-complying
Prohibited
Permitted activities are allowed by right, and do not require a Resource Consent.
Controlled activities are allowed (i.e. cannot be declined) but conditions may be imposed on the consent by Council.
To establish a discretionary or non-complying activity you must apply to Council for a resource consent. Such applications will be considered by Council, and will either be granted with or without conditions, or refused consent.
If consent is granted, then you can establish the activity you applied for. If your consent is granted with conditions, these must be complied with. If they are not, enforcement action will be undertaken by Council.
Beginner’s Guide to Resource and Building Consent Process
The beginner’s guide to resource and building consent processes is a colour brochure for members of the public who are considering a building activity which may require both a building consent and resource consent.
It outlines the requirements of, and relationship between, the Resource Management Act and the Building Act. Jointly produced by the Department of Building and Housing and the Ministry for the Environment, it also shows where to get more detailed guidance on both Acts.
You can get it free from Franklin District Council Offices or on the Department of Building and Housing website -