District-wide matter: Noise and vibration

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District Plan Review consultation now closed.

Initial public consultation on key draft changes to the current Selwyn District Plan closed on Monday 8 October 2018. Thank you to everyone who let us know what they thought of the review so far.

What’s next?

Following this initial public consultation on the District Plan Review, the Council will consider all feedback and start developing detailed provisions for the Proposed District Plan. Please note that a summary report on the initial public consultation will be made available on Your Say Selwyn website at www.selwyn.govt.nz/districtplanreview.

It’s expected the Proposed District Plan will be

District Plan Review consultation now closed.

Initial public consultation on key draft changes to the current Selwyn District Plan closed on Monday 8 October 2018. Thank you to everyone who let us know what they thought of the review so far.

What’s next?

Following this initial public consultation on the District Plan Review, the Council will consider all feedback and start developing detailed provisions for the Proposed District Plan. Please note that a summary report on the initial public consultation will be made available on Your Say Selwyn website at www.selwyn.govt.nz/districtplanreview.

It’s expected the Proposed District Plan will be notified in early 2020 for formal public consultation. The longer timeframe is due to the local government elections at the end of 2019 and ensuring the newly elected Council endorses the Proposed District Plan before it gets notified.


We want to know what you think about the draft changes to noise and vibration related rules and policies in the current District Plan. These draft changes have been endorsed by the Selwyn District Council for further development as part of its District Plan Review.

How can I have a say?

To give us your feedback on the draft changes , you can:

There will be many consultation opportunities for feedback at different stages of the District Plan Review and this is the first such opportunity. It’s expected that the new District Plan will be notified in early 2020 and be fully in place, subject to any Environment Court appeals, in March 2022.

Background

Noise in the current District Plan

The current District Plan controls noise by specified noise limits in each zone ie residential, business and rural. Different noise limits also apply during day time and night time (less noise is allowed during night time hours). Currently the period when the day time noise limits apply across the whole district is from 7.30am to 8pm and the night time period is from 8pm to 7.30am. If an activity complies with the limits within the specified timeframes, it is permitted, ie no resource consent is required.

A number of activities also have specific noise limits rather than having to comply with the zone noise limits. These activities include: temporary military training, aircraft movements, audible bird scaring devices, blasting and powered watercraft.

A number of activities are currently exempt from needing to comply with noise limits. In the residential zones these activities include residential, spiritual, education activities and warning devices associated with emergency service facilities. The Rural Zone also contains a number of exemptions such as activities of a limited duration required by primary production activities including agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture and forestry; warning devices for emergency services; and noise from any motor vehicle or any mobile machinery (including farm machinery and stationary equipment not fixed to the ground).

There are also noise rules relating to the Christchurch International Airport and state highways which restrict new sensitive activities (eg residential houses, schools or tourist accommodation) within the airport noise contours and near state highways.

Vibration in the current District Plan

There are few rules within the current District Plan that manage vibration. In the Rural Zone there is a rule which manages vibration from blasting near sensitive activities, and a separate rule manages vibration from any other activity except blasting.


  • Key draft changes for the future District Plan

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    The Council’s District Plan Committee has endorsed the following draft changes for further development, which we’re now consulting on:

    In relation to noise:

    • Update references to outdated NZ Noise Standards.
    • Amend the day time and night time hours associated with zone noise limits to 7am-10pm and 10pm-7am.
    • Consider amending the rules so that the noise limits are determined by the zoning of the site receiving the noise and not the site generating the noise.
    • Further consider changes so that noise limits don’t apply at the boundary between a site and the road corridor, and how noise outside of the rail corridor should be managed.
    • Increase the night time noise limit in residential zones from 35 dB LAeq to 40 or 45 dB LAeq.
    • Reduce the day time noise limit in the Rural Zone from 60 dB LAeq to 50 or 55 dB LAeq.
    • Further consider amending current specific noise limits and rules for the following activities: temporary training activities, powered watercraft, audible bird scaring devices and aircraft movements.
    • Consider new specific noise limits and rules for the following activities: rifle ranges, quarrying (gravel or hard rock quarrying), frost fans, powered motorsport and any other activities identified by other topics.
    • Consider the limits and how they can be applied between zones, especially between industrial and rural zones, and business and residential zones, and how to manage noise and reverse sensitivity effects, for example through buffer zones.
    • Review all exemptions from the noise limits and confirm whether or not they continue to be appropriate.
    • Review noise rules relevant to Christchurch International Airport and the state highways which restrict new sensitive activities.

    In relation to vibration:

    • Consider a package of complementary rules such as vibration limits for certain activities (eg construction and blasting) and other rules such as noise and setback provisions to manage vibration.




  • Summary of key issues with the current District Plan

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    As a result of the review of current policies and rules specific to noise and vibration, we’ve identified the following issues with the current District Plan:

    In relation to noise

    • Current rules aren’t up to date with regulatory standards and international guidelines.
    • The night time period for noise limits in Selwyn is longer than most other districts across New Zealand and is not consistent with regulatory standards.
    • Noise limits are determined by the site generating the noise rather than the site receiving it, which is an unusual approach and not consistent with the approach of other districts.
    • Noise limits apply to the road and rail corridors which is impractical.
    • The night time maximum noise limit is too restrictive for the residential zones and is inconsistent with regulatory standards, international guidelines and other districts.
    • The day time maximum noise limit is too lenient for the Rural Zone and is inconsistent with regulatory standards, international guidelines and other districts.
    • The specific noise limits which currently apply to particular activities aren’t as effective as they could be and require amendment (eg temporary military training activities and aircraft movements). Also there are currently no specific rules to manage activities such as rifle ranges, quarrying, motor sport and frost fans (used in horticulture).
    • There is a need to better manage noise between incompatible activities and zones, and reverse sensitivity effects (the effect that a new development may have on activities already occurring in an area). For example, where industrial land adjoins rural or where commercial land adjoins residential.
    • Some of the current exemptions to the noise limits aren’t considered appropriate.
    • The noise provisions relevant to the Christchurch International Airport and state highways require updating.

    In relation to vibration

    • The current rules refer to outdated standards, guidelines and methods for managing vibration effects from road and rail networks, construction and demolition activities.
    • The vibration effects from common industrial activities including quarrying and mining need to be considered further. For example, should they rely on noise and other reverse sensitivity rules (eg setbacks) to provide a buffer from vibration effects and/or comply with particular vibration limits set by international standards.