NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 148
4 NOVEMBER 2010

(e) use the smallest mixing zone necessary to achieve the required water quality in the receiving environment; and

(f) minimise adverse effects on the life-supporting capacity of water within a mixing zone.

(2) In managing discharge of human sewage, do not allow:

(a) discharge of human sewage directly to water in the coastal environment without treatment; and

(b) the discharge of treated human sewage to water in the coastal environment, unless:

(i) there has been adequate consideration of alternative methods, sites and routes for undertaking the discharge; and

(ii) informed by an understanding of tangata whenua values and the effects on them.

(3) Objectives, policies and rules in plans which provide for the discharge of treated human sewage into waters of the coastal environment must have been subject to early and meaningful consultation with tangata whenua.

(4) In managing discharges of stormwater take steps to avoid adverse effects of stormwater discharge to water in the coastal environment, on a catchment by catchment basis, by:

(a) avoiding where practicable and otherwise remedying cross contamination of sewage and stormwater systems;

(b) reducing contaminant and sediment loadings in stormwater at source, through contaminant treatment and by controls on land use activities;

(c) promoting integrated management of catchments and stormwater networks; and

(d) promoting design options that reduce flows to stormwater reticulation systems at source.

(5) In managing discharges from ports and other marine facilities:

(a) require operators of ports and other marine facilities to take all practicable steps to avoid contamination of coastal waters, substrate, ecosystems and habitats that is more than minor;

(b) require that the disturbance or relocation of contaminated seabed material, other than by the movement of vessels, and the dumping or storage of dredged material does not result in significant adverse effects on water quality or the seabed, substrate, ecosystems or habitats;

(c) require operators of ports, marinas and other relevant marine facilities to provide for the collection of sewage and waste from vessels, and for residues from vessel maintenance to be safely contained and disposed of; and

(d) consider the need for facilities for the collection of sewage and other wastes for recreational and commercial boating.

Policy 24 Identification of coastal hazards

(1) Identify areas in the coastal environment that are potentially affected by coastal hazards (including tsunami), giving priority to the identification of areas at high risk of being affected. Hazard risks, over at least 100 years, are to be assessed having regard to:

(a) physical drivers and processes that cause coastal change including sea level rise;

(b) short-term and long-term natural dynamic fluctuations of erosion and accretion;

(c) geomorphological character;

(d) the potential for inundation of the coastal environment, taking into account potential sources, inundation pathways and overland extent;

(e) cumulative effects of sea level rise, storm surge and wave height under storm conditions;

(f) influences that humans have had or are having on the coast;

(g) the extent and permanence of built development; and

(h) the effects of climate change on:

(i) matters (a) to (g) above;

(ii) storm frequency, intensity and surges; and

(iii) coastal sediment dynamics;

taking into account national guidance and the best available information on the likely effects of climate change on the region or district.

Policy 25 Subdivision, use, and development in areas of coastal hazard risk

In areas potentially affected by coastal hazards over at least the next 100 years:

(a) avoid increasing the risk
of social, environmental and economic harm from coastal hazards;

(b) avoid redevelopment, or change in land use, that would increase the risk of adverse effects from coastal hazards;

(c) encourage redevelopment, or change in land use, where that would reduce the risk of adverse effects from coastal hazards, including managed retreat by relocation or removal of existing structures or their abandonment in extreme circumstances, and designing for relocatability or recoverability from hazard events;

(d) encourage the location of infrastructure away from areas of hazard risk where practicable;

(e) discourage hard protection structures and promote the use of alternatives to them, including natural defences; and

(f) consider the potential effects of tsunami and how to avoid or mitigate them.

Policy 26 Natural defences against coastal hazards

(1) Provide where appropriate for the protection, restoration or enhancement of natural defences that protect coastal land uses, or sites of significant biodiversity, cultural or historic heritage or geological value, from coastal hazards.

(2) Recognise that such natural defences include beaches, estuaries, wetlands, intertidal areas, coastal vegetation, dunes and barrier islands.