Council heritage and planning manager David Campbell said while the 1134-page plan was a large and complex document, it affected everyone in the district and it was important the community took the time to understand it and have their say.
Mr Campbell said the draft plan was a "first cut" — it was not perfect, and the consultation process was an opportunity for people to help shape the proposed district plan, which people would then be able to make formal submissions on.
"The aim ... is to check in with the community to make sure that we are on the right track before we take the next, more formal steps with the notification of the proposed district plan. We want to give people something to think about. [We’re] hoping to achieve a good level of engagement over the next three months, with lots of informed feedback, so people actually understand how it affects them and what concerns them," Mr Campbell said.
Proposed changes include Oamaru’s Harbour precinct, which, in recognition of its special character is a newly defined area, and the council’s list of historic buildings and structures has also been updated, with 106 new buildings and items across the district added for protection.
Some parts of the district have been classified as "outstanding natural landscapes" and "outstanding natural features" and plantation forestry, carbon forestry, intensive farming and planting wilding conifer species would be prohibited in these areas.
Sites and areas of significance to Maori have been mapped, and there are new objectives, policies and rules to support their protection. There are also new rules in place to protect the natural character of the coastal environment, and controls in place for any new buildings being proposed to avoid risks from inundation or erosion.
Light-sensitive environments have also been identified in the updated plan to provide more protection from artificial sky glow. The current district plan does not have any rules to regulate artificial outdoor lighting.
On Wednesday, the council’s online feedback form went live, and it opened a drop-in centre in Steward St which will be open two days a week to allow people to visit, ask questions, or fill in a feedback form on one of the council’s computers.
The council has also planned several community drop-in sessions across the district over the next three months.
The public engagement process runs until August 31.
