TOWN PLANNING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5152, 15 July 1927, Page 2

TOWN PLANNING.

DIRECTOR OUTLINES PRINCIPLES.

BOROUGH COUNCIL INTERESTED.

Mr R. B. Hammond, Director of Town Planning, met the Paeroa Borough Council on Wednesday night and explained the principles of the Act governing town planning. His visit was a hurried one, but when the movement had advanced he would again visit the town.

His Worship, on receiving Mr Hammond, said the council was gratified to see him. They were anxious to know how to set about the work. He was sorry he had not had time to go into local matters with Mr Hammond, but these could be left until a later stage. TOWN PLANNING ACT.

Commencing his subject, Mr Hammond said :—

“The Town Planning Act came into force on January 1 last, and imposes an obligation on every city and borough having a population of 1000 and upwards to prepare a town-planning scheme for its district by January .!, 1930. REGULATIONS. “All town-planning schemes will be prepared in accordance with the Town Planning Regulations. These regulation set out the procedure to be adopted with respect to the preparation, submission, and ;>pproval of town-planning schemes.

PREPARATION OF MAPS

“The first step will be to prepare what is known as a civic survey map. This map will show conditions as they exist in your town at the present time. The examination of the map will disclose which developments are on the right lines, and which require alteration and directing into proper channels. “On completion of the civic survey map the council shall prepare a map to be known as the provisional townplanning map and marked ‘Map No. 2,’ on which shall be shown all works proposed for the purposes of a townplanning scheme, including the following particulars: (a) All new streets proposed to be laid out; (b) any proposed widening, deviation, or other alteration of ffny existing street,; (c) the proposed buildinglines. whether in respect of new streets or of the widening of existing streets, or of new buildings to be erected in existing streets;; (d) areas proposed to be reserved for recreation grounds, children’s playing areas, parks, or other open spaces, specifying with respect to each the purpose for which it is proposed to be reserved ; (e) the restrictions, if any, proposed with respect to the use of any land, showing in each case the area to which the restriction relates and the nature of the restriction. Without limiting the generality of this provision, such restrictions may relate to : (1) The character of the building (as, for example, whether dwellinghouses, or shops, or public buildings, or workshops, or factories for inoffensive trades, or factories for noisome or offensive trades, or partly one class of building and partly another class) ; (2) the density of buijdings ; (3) the heights of buildings.

“Summarising these matters, it will be seen that the main essentials to be included in a town-planning scheme as required by the Act are therefore the principal traffic streets, zoning provisions', and open spaces, leaving the framework thus formed to be filled in later as development takes place. All the above particulars will be shown on the map by proper systems of notation.

“There shall also be shown on the provisional town-planning map the contours of such areas where any detail planning is shown for the purpose of the scheme in such manner as may be required. The council shall also prepare a statement setting forth in detail an explanation and description of the general proposals as shown on the -map. “After the council has provisionally approved the scheme in accordance with section 16 of the Act, it shall forward to the board in duplicate: (a) The civic survey map, to be marked ‘Map No. 1’; (b) the provisional town-planning map, to be marked ‘Map No. 2’; (c) a statement jn explanation of the several proposals contained in the, provisional town-planning map ; (d) the by-laws of the council in so far as they may affect the operation of the town-plan-ning scheme, together with any proposal of the council with respect to new by-laws. “When the board has fully examined the plans it may require the council to make any alterations or modifications it considers necessary’, and when this has been done to the satisfaction of the board, the bparti shall provisionally approve the scheme. The provisional approval of ,a scheme by the hoard will not. however, preclude the board from requiring any further alterations or modifications to be made in the scheme before finally approving the same in terms of section 21 of the Act. NOTIFICATION.

“When the scheme has been provisionally approved by the board the council shall advertise the scheme in one or more local newspapers not less than once in each of three consecutive weeks. The council may also notify the scheme by means of posters. A form of notice is set out in the schedule to the regulations. OBJECTIONS. “Objections; may then be made to the scheme by the occupier of any rateable property within the borough as provided for in section 17 of. the Act. The objection Is to be in the form set out in the schedule. The owner of any rateable property who may not be the occupier of such property shall also have the same right of objection. Provision is; also made for persons other than as an owner or occupier of rateable property to make representations to the council in the proper form for the alteration of the scheme, as, for example, persons representing societies or institutions.

SUBMISSION OF OBJECTIONS,

“As soon as convenient after a period of throe months from the time

the 'scheme has been first notified, the council shall send to the board : (a) A copy of each advertisement, poster, or other notification of the scheme ; (b) all objections and representations received in relation thereto ; (c) a report of the council with re'erence to the several objections and representations made in relation to the scheme ;• and any recommendathat the council may have to make for the modification of the scheme. HEARING OF (OBJECTIONS. “The board or a. committee of the board shall fix a ti,me and place for the hearing of objections and the consideration of recommendations in connection with the scheme. The board shall notify the time and place for the hearing of. objections as required. FINAL APPROVAL.

“When all objections have been heard and determined the .council shall prepare an amended map, to be known as the ‘approved town-planning map and marked as ‘Map No. 3,’ which, together wtih a final statement of proposals, shall be sent to the board for final approval. “As soon as a scheme has been finally approved, then it becomes the duty of the council and others to give effect to it, and all work thereafter undertaken must be in conformity with the approved scheme. This does not mean to say, however, that a scheme once approved cannot be altered. Section 23 of the Act enables a council to alter or modify the scheme from time to time on application to the board.

“A scheme having been prepared and approved, a Borough Council is given general authority to enforce it, notwithstanding that to give effect to some of the approved matters 'may be beyond its general powers. “The carrying-out of the provisions of a town-planning scheme is declared to be a public work within the meaning of the Local Bodies Loans Act, thus conferring on the local authorities concerned the necessary power, in compliance with the terms of that Act, to obtain the funds required for the purpose. “Provision is made for the .payment of compensation in cases where property is injuriously affected by town planning or regional schemes*. All claims for compensation are dealt with as provided by the Public Works Act. No compensation will be paid, however, in respect to the following matters : Regulating the space about buildings, or limiting the number of buildings that'may be erected within any area, or prescribing the . height and character of buildings. “Betterment is provided for in the Act, and will be used largely as a setoff against compensation. The most obvious claim for betterment will be where properties have been given a frontage to new roads and in some cases new parks. Landowners are required to pay to the local authority one half of any increase in the value of their property that is due to the approval of a town or regional planning scheme, or to the carrying out of. any work authorised by the scheme. Such increase is to be determined by a Compensation Court under the; Public Works Act. 1908, and is to be paid in equal instalments over a period of 20 years. Any application to determine the amount of. any betterment increase must be made within 12 months after the completion of any work authorised by a scheme, or within five years from the final approval of a scheme.

“While it is recognised that both compensation and betterment are mattefs that will require considerable thought, they nevertheless belong to the later stage of the preparation of a scheme, and therefore I do not think it necessary at the present time to enter upon a detailed explanation of the clause. “The Act also makes; provision for regional planning schemes for rural areas, whereby County Councils may be required, pursuant to Order-in-Council, to co-operate with Borough Councils, apd to produce for the district under their jurisdiction, or for defined portions of those districts, a modified scheme known in the Act as a ‘regional planning scheme’ (clause 24). Apart from this modified requirement, the Act has no compulsive application to County Councils. COMBINED SCHEMES. "Power is also ‘given for two or ■more local authorities, having jurisdiction over adjoining districts and bound to prepare town-planning schemes in accordance with the compulsory provisions of the Act, to unite for the purpose of. preparing a combined scheme. In such cases a committee wlli be appointed, and when approved by the board, shall be the responsible authority for the combined area. TEMPORARY PROVISIONS. “The Act also provides for certain matters to be dealt with prior to the approval of a; scheme. Section 33, for instance, confers on local authorities power to approve plans of subdivision, notwithstanding that any street or building lines shown on the plan are not in conformity with the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, if there is endorsed on the plan the certificate of the Director of Town Planning to the effect that compliance with the requirements of the Municipal Corporations Act is not in the circumstances necessary or advisable, and that the plan is in all respects in conformity with recognised and approved principles of town-plannings. Thus streets may be reduced in width where they serve purely residential areas and are not required for traffic. In such cases, however, the building line must be fixed well back from the street boundary so that proper air space and amenity may be secured. Section 34 of the Act gives a specific power to local authorities pending the preparation of a scheme to refuse to permit .the erection of buildings or undei takings that would contravene; the principles of town-planning. This might be termed ‘primary zoning,’ and would; allow local authorities to control, for instance, the erection of undesirable buildings in residential areas.” INFORMAL DISCUSSION. Replying to a question with reference to zoning, Mr Hammond said

that in New Zealand zoning had not hitherto been attempted, but in New York it had been gone into very thoroughly indeed. It would, of course, take many years to complete bho scheme, but already they had gone so far as to classify areas for offices, factories, etc., and had the scheme working. It would be impossible to draw up a scheme tp-day to stand for. all time. Circumstances w’ould alter, and so the scheme would have to be altered.

Dealing with the betterment clause, he said that the' council had to keep in mind the possible claims for compensation. He would, however, like to see a. broad view taken of townplanning. They were not planning for just a day or two, but for all time. If the council found at any time that the compensation would be too much it could modify the scheme.’ The council could, of course, zone the whole area of the borough without compensation.

In discussing the fixing of the building line in streets, the Mayor thought that in Paeroa. owing to the fact of many of the sections being so narrow, it would be rather a difficult proposition, but Mr Hammond said, that difficulties would be overcome if the council was' firm. He thought that the greatest value; in zoning was the preservation of the residential area. The council already had power to prevent undesirable buildings in residential areas.

In returning thanks to Mr Hammond the Mayor expressed the council’s appreciation, and he moved: “That this council place on record and extend to Mr Hammond our thanks for his address and assistance.” Continuing, Mr Marshall said the council appreciated vary much the informal discussion, and no doubt as time went on, he felt assured, they would always receive help and encouragement from Mr Hammond.

Mr Hammond said it was a. great pleasure to meet a council so enthusiastic about their town. He could not make comparisons, but said that that meeting showed him that the Paeroa councillors were far more serious about their town than were councillors of the majority of other places. It would be his greatest pleaure to help all he could.