Council decisions
13 December 2020
Draft economic development plan for Rotorua identifies focus areas for transformation and impact
Actions plans will be completed with key stakeholders to support key focus areas following approval of a draft Economic Development Strategy Framework.
Intended to support longer term economic development as well as economic recovery, the draft framework identifies actions to encourage investment, leverage Rotorua's strengths, nurture emerging sectors and focus on ongoing development.
Approved by councillors at Friday's final Council meeting of 2020, the framework focuses on priority areas that leverage Rotorua's strengths and are in need of transformation, or where intervention can deliver the most impact.
Relevant stakeholders, including Te Tatau o Te Arawa and delivery partners, will be engaged in the development and progress of key focus areas and action plans within the framework, which will be finalised on completion of these plans. Implementation of actions will be over a three-year period.
It is intended the finalised framework be adopted in June 2021, providing sufficient time to ensure appropriate engagement with stakeholders and build any potential budget implications into Council's 2021-31 Long-term Plan.
Work is already under way in some areas and will continue concurrently with work on the action plans.
The framework does not reference all sectors of the Rotorua economy. It is acknowledged that the district has a diverse economy but the framework looked at priority areas where transformation if needed or there is significant opportunity to have impact, elected members were told.
Background
In April Council agreed to a COVID-19 economic recovery programme that worked with business leaders to develop recommendations for impacted sectors and would support a return to an optimistic business environment. The aim was to identify actions that would encourage investment, position Rotorua to leverage existing strengths, nurture emerging sectors and focus on ongoing development.
This resulted in the establishment of the Whakahouhia te Whare Ohanga (Build Back Better) sector groups and Economic Recovery Taskforce.
The draft economic development strategy framework brings together the recommendations from the sector groups and the taskforce to identify potential responses to the pandemic.
The aspirations, priorities and actions of Te Arawa, expressed in Te Arawa's Vision 2050, and the district's Vision 2030 have also informed the draft framework.
Council decided during the 2020/21 Annual Plan process that the overall direction for the council had not changed (our kaupapa is the same) and that the impacts of COVID-19 just added further challenge to the long term vision.
The draft strategy framework sets out a roadmap to develop actions around three key priority areas to ensure the best outcomes for Rotorua. It is built on a collective approach, recognising the value and contribution of iwi, local business, local providers and government.
The priority areas are
- A place of choice (linked to attracting and retaining people, visitors and investors);
- The future of forestry (linked to opportunities to further Rotorua's strengths in forestry and wood processing and goals of sustainability and emission reduction);
- Ready for business (linked to supporting businesses to grow and thrive through desirable commercial, industrial and housing solutions).
While focusing on three specific areas of opportunity, it is not intended that other key sectors be undermined or not recognised for their contribution to the Rotorua economy. The choices have been based on where it makes sense to intervene and where this will not be a duplication of industry or national initiatives or services.
Where additional resources are required to be invested by Council, more detailed business cases will be developed.
Many of the priority actions identified in the draft strategy can only be undertaken in collaboration with key partners and action planning needs to be a joint activity with partner agencies and local entities. It is considered important, therefore, that the strategy be closely aligned with the agendas of key Central Government agencies, and with other complementary strategies and plans, such as Te Arawa's 2050 vision.
Go to THIS LINK (p12 of the meeting agenda) to view the report on this matter.
Go to THIS LINK to view the draft economic development strategy framework.
Go to THIS LINK to view the presentation slides from Friday's report on this matter.
Significant natural areas to be added to District Plan
Council has approved recommendations from independent commissioners on Plan Change 3 Signficant Natural Areas (SNAs).
The plan change considers more than 50 additional sites for inclusion as SNAs in Rotorua's District Plan, as well as amendments to boundaries of existing SNAs, a report to the Council says. Most of the new sites considered reflect a commitment Council made in 2014 to consider sites identified as potentially significant but requiring further investigations.
Decision-making by the Council follows significant consultation, public notification for submissions and further submissions, and the hearing of submissions by commissioners.
Protection of significant areas of indigenous vegetation or areas that provide significant habitat for indigenous fauna is identified as a matter of national importance under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The functions of councils under the RMA include controlling land use for the purpose of maintaining indigenous biodiversity and District Plans are a key way district councils carry out these functions.
Bay of Plenty and Waikato regional policy statements provide the criteria for identifying SNAs and contain policies and methods to direct the District Plan with respect to protection of these areas.
Existing SNAs in the Rotorua district cover 31,335 hectares of land with special policies and rules I place to manage these areas. The District Plan change proposes the addition of 1350 hectares and the removal of 270 hectares from existing SNA maps. Sites with alternative legal protection were excluded from consideration.
Go to THIS LINK (p24 of the meeting agenda) to view the full report on this matter.
Go to THIS LINK to read the recommendations from the independent commissioners who heard submissions.
Go to THIS LINK to view Friday's presentation slides relating to this matter.
View the full agenda for Friday's meeting at THIS LINK on Council's website
The meeting was livestreamed and you can access the recording via THIS LINK on Council's website, or by going directly to Council's YouTube channel HERE