What is a Residential Zone?

Most of the people who live in the South Waikato District, live in the suburbs of Tokoroa, Putaruru, and Tirau that are zoned residential by the operative District Plan.
Living in the residential zones means low traffic volumes, low buildings, low noise, and ready access to parks and reserves.  It also means areas with lots of houses and not very much commercial or industrial activity.  The streets of residential areas are dominated by trees and footpaths, not signs like the commercial or industrial areas of the district.

The Residential zone applies to much of the urban residential area of the District’s townships.  Most of the lots in these areas started out as typical Kiwi quarter-acre sections (or around 1000 square metres in modern terms).  The current plan requires subdivisions creating more than two lots to have lots with an average size of 600 square metres, and an absolute minimum area of 300 square metres.

Some of the matters that may be considered as part of the review include:

• Development pressure and the desire to limit urban sprawl has resulted in many areas having ‘infill housing’, which is where a section that is a minimum of 600m2 is cut in half.  Usually the house on the front has direct access to the street and the house at the back has a right-of-way down the side of the legal boundary.  Do you support infill housing?  Should rules be amended to encourage higher housing densities?  Should the extent of the urban area be adjusted?
• The plan uses rules to constrain the development options within each zone.  Current zoning is likely to continue unless you suggest otherwise.  Do you find some of the current zones or rules confusing, inadequate or no longer appropriate?  Tell us, so that we can improve them.
• How should the plan address safety issues in your community?  Crime, transportation options, natural hazards, building options and air pollution all pose threats to our wonderful quality of life.
• The plan can be used as a tool to help the community implement national sustainability initiatives.  What are your thoughts?