resource consent process

1 files changed, 52 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/assignment3/background.tex b/assignment3/background.tex
index afffc09..1704a4d 100644
--- a/assignment3/background.tex
+++ b/assignment3/background.tex
@@ -1,3 +1,34 @@
+\section{The resource consent process in a nutshell}
+
+In New Zealand development activities are regulated through regional
+and district plans.  These plans are prepared by the regional and
+district councils in a long process that provides ample opportunity
+for consultation with the public and industry representatives
+alike \parencite{miller2010implementing}.  For any activity not
+explicitly permitted by the plans and policy statements a resource
+consent must be obtained.  Any activity that claims to have
+significant positive impacts on the region---the type of activity
+that this analysis focuses on---is very likely to also require
+resource consents.
+
+After checking the appropriate district or regional plans to confirm
+whether a resource consent is required, the applicant is to prepare a
+thorough assessment of environmental effects (AEE). Although it might
+be benefitial to consult with possibly affected people and interested
+members of the general public at this stage, consultation is not a
+general requirement under the RMA.  After the application is lodged
+and the AEE submitted, the council will process it.  If the AEE is
+considered lacking, the council may ask the applicant to provide
+further information; inadequate applications that are unlikely to be
+improved significantly may also be rejected altogether.
+
+% TODO: what percentage of applications is rejected at this stage?
+% majority of rejected applications are made by private people.
+
+An application that has passed the council's review ...
+
+
+
 \section{Consultation and participation in EIA and the RMA}
 
 - EIA in NZ differs from international best practice, because
@@ -8,6 +39,21 @@
 
 - any results of consultation must be included in the AEE
 
+%While councils usually engange the public during the consultation
+%phases of the plan formation process, the picture on the resource
+%consent level is a different one.  According to the 2010/11 survey of
+%local authorities the New Zealand \textcite{rma-survey} carries out
+%every two years, only about six per cent of all resource consents in
+%the two-year period were notified in some way, with only four per cent
+%being publicly notified (``poor provision of information''). Hence,
+%although the public can influence the framework relative to which
+%resource consents are evaluated, there is limited opportunity for the
+%public to affect the outcome of the actual decision-making process;
+%this situation may result in reduced willingness to participate in
+%areas where public participation is still possible (``failure to
+%influence the decision-making process'').
+
+
 refer to http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/everyday/consent-consultation/
 
 
@@ -15,6 +61,11 @@ refer to http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/everyday/consent-consultation/
 
 - council reviews AEE and decides whether to notify or not
 
+%beyond the requirements of the Fourth Schedule,
+%however, there are few guidelines to assess the quality of an
+%AEE \parencite{miller2010implementing}.
+
+
 - this is the point that Grinlinton is talking about. If the councils
 don't review dilligently enough, proposals with incomplete or
 misleading data are not challenged and pass through to a decision (for
@@ -54,5 +105,4 @@ on submissions, the AEE and additional evidence provided by the
 applicant. The report is hence strongly influenced by the applicant's
 input.
 
-% TODO
-
+% TODO
\ No newline at end of file