Setting the scene: plans and consents
City, district and regional councils create district plans and regional plans to set out how they will manage the environment. These plans contain rules that control what people can do in the environment.
Regional plans tend to concentrate on particular parts of the environment, such as the coast, soil, a river or the air. District plans contain the objectives, policies and rules a council will use to manage the use of land in its area.
Some activities can be done as of right, but others need permission from the local council. This permission is called a resource consent. If you are involved in a resource consent you need to read 'An Everyday Guide to the RMA' booklet 3.3 Appearing at a Resource Consent Hearing.
Sometimes a council wants to change or vary a district or regional plan to allow for development, or to protect the environment. It might even want to create a whole new plan or policy statement. Private individuals can also ask for an operative plan to be changed (known as a 'private plan change'). All plan changes and variations are required to be publicly notified. This enables people to make written submissions on the proposals.
Publicly notifying a new plan, plan change or variation to a plan means the council advertises it in the paper, and calls for submissions. Sometimes a council also directly contacts people who might be affected.
Written submissions
A written submission is a statement that explains why you support or oppose a proposed plan, plan change or variation or provides information you think the council should be aware of in making its decisions. It also states whether you want to speak at a hearing if the council holds one.
A plan change is a change to a plan that's already in fully operative. A plan variation is a change to a proposed plan - a plan that's yet to be fully operative.
After receiving all the written submissions, council officers prepare a summary of submissions and send notice of it to everyone who made a submission. You can then make a further submission either supporting or opposing someone else's submission.
Councils usually prepare a report (called an officer's report) about the submissions received on the proposed plan, plan change or variation. This report may include recommendations which the hearing committee can use in making its decision. The hearing committee is not required to follow the recommendations, but can use them as a guide.
Make sure you state in your written submission if you want to speak at a council hearing. If you don't state in your written submission that you want to speak at the hearing, you won't be told that the hearing is on, and you may not be able to speak at the hearing.
