6Subdivision
Background
Subdivisionistheprocessofdividingasiteorabuildingintooneormoreadditionalsites,orchanginganexistingboundarylocation.Subdivisionisfundamentaltoplaceshaping.Itistheprocesswheretherelationshipbetweentheprivateandpublicspaceisdefinedandlandallocated.Thelayout,designandlocationof subdivisionneedstoconsiderthelandusesanddevelopment(s)whichwilloccupythenewsites.Itneedstoconsiderthewaythecommunitywillinteractinthefuture.
Subdivisioncandeliverefficiency,amenityandfunctionalityofsubsequentdevelopment,butitcanalsogeneratesignificantenvironmentaleffects.Thismakesitimportantforsubdividedlandtohavesuitableaccess,adequateservicesandinfrastructure.
ThereareconsistentlyappliedsubdivisioncontrolsacrossAuckland.Therearealsospecificsubdivisioncontrolsforareasthataresubjecttoconstraintsorwhichhavelocalvalueswhichwarrantretention.SuchvariationswillbefoundintheAdditionalSubdivisionControlOverlayorinaprecinct.
TheADMprovidessupplementary,nonstatutoryguidanceonpreparingproposalsfornewsubdivisionbyoutliningoptionstoachievehighstandardsofdesignandlayout.
Urbansubdivision
Subdivisionisessentialtoenablegrowthinourexistingurbanareasandtoestablishthebuildingblocksfornewneighbourhoods.Subdivisionismanagedinaccordancewiththescaleoftheactivity.Ingeneral,subdivisionwillbeassessedasarestricteddiscretionaryactivity.Themattersofassessmentwillvarydependingonthe numberofsitesproposedinanapplication.Wherealargernumberofsitesareproposed,agreateremphasisisneededonplacemaking,gooddesignoutcomesandinfrastructure.Suchsubdivisionneedstoconsideritsrelationshipwiththesurroundingexistingneighbourhood.Newneighbourhoodsshouldcreatetheirown
characterandidentitythroughthelayoutofblocksandopenspaces.Allsubdivisionneedstoconsiderconnectivity,layoutofroadsandblocksaswellasprovisionforpublictransport,walkingandcycling.
TheCentres,MixedUse,TerraceHousingandApartmentBuildingandMixedHousingUrbanzonesare intendedtoenableamoreintensiveformofdevelopment.Withinthesezonesalanduseresourceconsentcanbeapprovedpriortooratthesametimeasthesubdivisionconsent.Withalanduseresourceconsentapproved,amorestreamlinedsubdivisionprocesscanbeenabled.Vacantsitesubdivisionisprovidedforwithasiteshapefactorrequirementtoensuretheproposedsiteswillachievetheoutcomesintendedbythezone.
Ruralsubdivision
Subdivisionislimitedinruralzonesinordertopreserveruralproductivity,ruralcharacterandminimiseadverseeffectsofdevelopment.Ruralsubdivisionismanageddifferentlyfromurbanlandsubdivisionbecause:
•theruralzonesalreadyfeaturealargenumberofsites.Manyofthesesitesdonotcontaindwellings,meaningthereisalreadypotentialforproductiverurallandtobeusedforcountrysideliving.Thisisasignificantthreattolongterm,sustainableproductionfromruralareas
•wherecountrysidelivingisappropriateinruralareas,ithasbeenprovidedforbyzoningthelandCountrysideLivingwithcontrolsthatrecogniselandscapequalitiesandinfrastructurelimitations
•increasingthenumberofvacantruralsites,onwhichdwellingscanbebuilt,islikelytocreateadverseeffectsthatwillhinderruralproductivity.
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However,inruralzonesownersofexistingsignificantecologicalareasaregivenadditionalopportunitiesforsubdivisionthroughtransferablerights.Thisenablessubdivisionrightstobemovedtoareceiverarea,inreturnforlegallyprotectedareasofhighqualityindigenousvegetationthatareassessedaswarrantingprotection.Covenantinganappropriatelylargeareaofindigenousvegetationinthiswayretainsareaswithrecognisedhighbiodiversityvalues.
Atypicalsubdivisionprocess
Obtainingsubdivisionconsentfromthecouncilgenerallyfollowsthe10stepprocessoutlinedbelow.Thismaydifferdependingontheparticularsituation.
Figure1:Atypicalsubdivisionprocess
Objectives
1.Landissubdividedefficientlytoreflecttheintendedoutcomesofthezone.
2.Landissubdividedinamannerthatprovidesforthelongtermneedsofthecommunityandminimisesthepotentialimpactsoffuturedevelopmentontheenvironment.
3.Infrastructuresupportingnewdevelopmentisplannedinanintegratedmannerandinplaceatthetimeofsubdivision.
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4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Subdivisioniswelldesignedandprovidesforahighstandardofamenity.
Subdivisionhasalayoutwhichissafe,convenientandaccessiblethroughconnectionswithinthedevelopmentandwiththesurroundingneighbourhood.
Subdivisionmanagesadverseeffectsrelatingtolandscapeamenity,naturalresources,naturalhazardsorhistoricheritage.
Undevelopedruraltitlesareretainedandmanagedtoprovidefortheneedsofruralproduction,rurallifestyleandotherruralactivities.
ThereareincentivestoprotectidentifiedSignificantEcologicalAreas.
ThedemandforrurallifestylesubdivisionisdirectedtoCountrysideLivingzones.
Subdivisionenhancesthenaturalfeaturesthatcontributetothecharacterandamenityvaluesofruralareas.
Thedistinctivelandscapeandspaciouscharacterofidentifiedlocationsaremaintained.
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Policies
Allsubdivision
1.Requiresubdivisiontogiveeffecttoanapprovedstructureplan,frameworkplan,conceptplanand/orprecinctplan.
2.Requireearthworksrequiredbysubdivisionto:
a.managedust,noiseandrunoff
b.provideforbuildingplatformsandinfrastructureatthetimeofsubdivisiontoreducesignificantpostsubdivisionearthworks
c.avoidunnecessarymodificationoflandformsthatcontributetolocalcharacterandidentity
d.ensureretainingstructuresareofanappropriatescale,alloweaseofpedestrianmovementandarevisuallyunobtrusive.
3.Requiresubdivisionstoavoidormitigatenaturalhazardsandprovidesafeandstablebuildingplatformsandvehicleaccess.
4.Subdivisiondesignshouldrespondtothenaturallandscapesby:
a.avoidingbuildingplatformsorinfrastructureonidentifiedordominantridgelinesinRural,LargeLotorRuralandCoastalSettlementzones
b.locatinganddesigningroads,accessandinfrastructureinamannerwhichminimisesearthworks
c.locatingroadsandblockstofollowlandcontours.
5.Requiresubdivisionstobedesignedtorespondtoandretainscheduledfeatures,suchasarchaeologicalsitesandhistoricheritageplaces.
6.Requiresubdivisionstoprovideservicing:
a.inacoordinatedandintegratedmanner
b.sothatthenetworkcanbeexpandedorextendedtoadjacentlandwherethatlandiszonedforurbandevelopment
c.onthebasisthatthecostsofprovidingorupgradinglocalinfrastructurearemetbythedeveloper
d.sothatpowerandtelecommunicationsservicesarereticulatedundergroundtoeachsitewhereverpracticable
7.Requireallsitescapableofcontainingabuilding,inareaswhereserviceconnectionsareavailabletoa
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publicreticulatednetwork,toindividuallyconnecttothefollowingnetworks:
a.wastewater
b.stormwater
c.potablewater
d.electricity.
8.Requireallnewsitescapableofcontainingabuilding,inareaswithnoreticulatedstormwaterorwastewaternetwork,tobeofasizeandshapethatprovidesfor:
a.thetreatmentanddisposalofstormwaterinawaythatdoesnotleadtosignificantadverseoffsiteeffectsincludingdegradedwaterquality,erosion,landstability,creationorexacerbationof
flooding
b.managementofwastewatervia:
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i.
ii.
anonsitewastewatertreatmentsystem,or
approvaltoconnecttoaprivatewastewaternetwork.
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c.potablewater.
9.Requiresubdivisionstobedesignedtomanagestormwater,inamannerthatprioritiseswatersensitivedesign:
a.toprotectlanddownstream,naturaloverlandflowpathsandstreams
b.tomaintainwaterquality
c.tointegratedrainagereservesandinfrastructurewithsurroundingdevelopmentandpublicopenspacenetworkswhereappropriate
d.inanintegratedandcosteffectiveway.
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10.
11.
Recognisetherequirementsofsignificantinfrastructureinsubdivisiondesign.
Requiresubdivisionsto:
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a.deliversitesthatareanappropriatesizeandshapefordevelopmentintendedbythezone
b.wherepolicy(a)aboveisnotachievedorforsubdivisionwherethesitesizeandshapeisdependentontheformofdevelopment,alanduseresourceconsentshouldbesoughtfortheintendeddevelopmentpriortooratthesametimeasthesubdivisionconsent.Theproposedsiteshallbeconsistentwiththelanduseresourceconsent.
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12.
13.
14.
Encouragetheretentionofindigenoustreesandvegetationtorecogniseandreflectlandscapeamenity,culturalandecologicalvalues.
Require,whereappropriate,resourceconsentsforsubdivisionforadditionalresidentiallandcapacity,tobegiveneffecttowithinspecifictimeframes,includingthroughstagingprovisionsandlapseperiods.
Requiresignificantphysicalworkstobeundertakenbeforegrantinganyextensiontothelapsedateforanyconsentrelatingtoalargescaleresidentialsubdivision.
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Allurbansubdivision
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15.
16.
Prioritisesharedvehicleaccesstoavoidtheproliferationofvehiclecrossingsthatcouldaffectthesafetyoftheroadandfootpath,limittheopportunitytoplantstreettrees,orprovideonstreetcarparking.
Requiresharedvehicleaccesstoservenomorethaneightrearsitesandtobeofawidth,lengthandformthat:
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a.encourageslowvehiclespeedenvironments
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b.providesforthesafetyofusersoftheaccessandtheadjoiningroadnetwork.
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17.
Requiresubdivisioninbusinesszonestobedesignedtoaccommodatetheanticipatedrangeofactivitiesinamannerthat:
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a.encouragesconnectivity
b.maintainslargersiteswitharoadfrontageforactivitiesintheBusinessPark,HeavyIndustryandLightIndustryzones.Whereafrontagecannotbeachievedasufficientlywideaccessthatisshortinlengthshouldbeprovided
c.enablestheintendedbuiltformforthezone.
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18.
19.
20.
Encouragetheamalgamationofsiteswithappropriateroadfrontagetofacilitateintegratedandcomprehensivedevelopment.
AvoidlowdensitysubdivisionintheTerraceHousingandApartmentBuildingzone.
Requiresubdivisionstocontributetoorcreateasenseofplacethroughadesignthat:
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a.enablesthecreationofdistinctneighbourhoods
b.incorporatesandenhanceslandformsandnaturalfeatures
c.protectssignificantculturalheritage,archaeologicalsitesandotherscheduledfeatures.
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21.
Requiresubdivisiontobedesignedtocreateintegratedcommunitiesandprovideastreetandblockpatternthatsupportstheconceptsofliveable,walkableandconnectedneighbourhoodincluding:
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a.aroadnetworkthat:
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i.
ii.
iii.
iseasyandsafetouseforpedestriansandcyclists
isconnectedwithavarietyofrouteswithintheimmediateneighbourhoodandbetweenadjacentsites
isconnectedtopublictransport,shops,schools,employment,openspacesandotheramenities
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b.limitsculdesacstowheresiteandtopographicalconstraintsinhibitconnections
c.vestsroadsaspublicinfrastructure
d.roadnetworkwhichissetoutinamannerthatsupportstheneedsofthepublictransportsystem
e.incorporatesprinciplesofcrimepreventionthroughenvironmentaldesign.
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22.
Requiresubdivisionapplicationstoanalysethecontextoftheapplicationareaandneighbourhoodthroughadesignstatement,todemonstratehowthesubdivisionpositivelyrespondstoitscontext,therebyenablingahighqualityresponsivedesign.
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Urbansubdivisionofaparentsiteover1hawith15ormoreproposedsites
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23.
Requiresubdivisionstoincludeadesignforroadsandaccesswith:
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a.appropriatestreetwidthsfortheirfunctionandplacemakingrole
b.appropriategradientsforvehiclemovements,pedestrians,cyclistsandonstreetcarparking
c.bermsthatcanaccommodatestreettreesandreticulatedinfrastructure
d.footpathsofappropriatewidthandplacementforeaseofmovementandsafety
e.intersectionswhichprovideforthesafetyofpedestrians,cyclistsandvehicles,andreflectthepurposeoftheroadinthenetwork
f.appropriateprovisionforoverlandflows.
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24.
Requiresubdivisionstobedesignedtoachieveahighlevelofamenityandefficiencyforfutureresidentsby:
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a.aligningroadsandsitesformaximumsunlightaccess
b.aligningsitestotheroadtomaximiseopportunitiesforbuildingsfrontingtheroad
c.limitingrearsitestoplaceswheretopography,existingboundariesornaturalfeatureswouldpreventfrontsites
d.providingarangeofsitesizesanddensities
e.providingforhigherhousingdensitiesinlocationswheretheyaresupportiveofpedestrians,cyclists,publictransportandtheviabilityandvibrancyofcentres.
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25.
26.
Largescalesubdivisionshouldprovideadequatepublicopenspacetomeettherecreationandamenityneedsoftheirresidents.
Requiresubdivisionstoprovidefortherecreationandamenityneedsofresidentsbyproviding:
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a.publicopenspaceswhichareprominentandaccessiblebypedestrians
b.thenumberandsizeofpublicopenspacesinproportiontothefuturedensityoftheneighbourhood
c.passivesurveillanceofpublicopenspacesandensureallpublicopenspacesarefrontedwithroads
d.pedestrianand/orcyclelinkages.
Ruralsubdivision
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27.
AvoidnewsubdivisionanddevelopmentforrurallivingwithintheRuralProduction,MixedRural,RuralCoastalandRuralConservationzones,exceptwhere:
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a.itprovidesfortheprotectionofexistingidentifiedSignificantEcologicalAreas
b.theresidentialdevelopmentpotentialoftheruralsiteistransferredintoCountrysideLivingzonesorservicedruralorcoastaltownsorvillagesidentifiedasareceiverarea.
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28.
29.
RetainadiversityofsitesizesintheRuralProduction,MixedRuralandRuralCoastalzonestoaccommodatearangeofruralproductionactivities.
Encouragetheamalgamationofruraltitlesandthetransferoftheirresidentialdevelopmentpotentialoutof:
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a.areasofeliteorprimeland
b.SignificantEcologicalAreas
c.areasofOutstandingNaturalCharacter
d.areasclosetoquarries,statehighways,heavyhaulageroutesandothersimilarareaswheresignificantreversesensitivityproblemsexistandintoidentifiedtransferablesitereceiverareas.
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30.
IdentifyappropriatereceiverareaswithintheCountrysideLiving,RuralProduction,andMixedRuralzones,andruralandcoastalvillages,wherethelandscapeandinfrastructurehaveadequatecapacitytosupportadditionaldwellings.Anappropriatereceiverareashould:
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a.beabletoprovidebuildingplatformswhichcanaccommodatepermittedactivitiesanddevelopmentwhichcomplieswiththerelevantAucklandwide,zoneandprecinctrules
b.beabletoprovideaccessanddrivewaysthatwillnotresultinsignificantlanddisturbanceorvegetationremoval
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c.avoidadverseeffects,includingreversesensitivityeffects,ofsubdivisiononexistingruralusesandidentifiedmineralresources
d.considertheneedforsetbacksorbuffersbetweenpracticablebuildingplatformsandsurroundinglanduses,otherdevelopments,ornaturalfeatures
e.beabletoprovideadequatestormwaterandwastewatercollection,treatment,anddisposal
f.protectorenhancenaturalareasorfeatureswithappropriateprotectionandmonitoringmechanisms
g.protectorenhancearchaeologicalsitesandculturalresources
h.avoidadverseeffectsofthesubdivisiononthearea’sindigenousvegetation,landscapesensitivity,andnaturalandruralcharacter
i.beabletoprovidemitigationorenhancementplanting
j.demonstratehowthepotentialeffectsofnaturalhazardswillbeavoidedormitigated.
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31.
32.
33.
34.
ManageboundaryadjustmentstofacilitatemoreefficientuseofthelandforruralproductionactivitiesandavoidcreatingadditionalrurallivingsitesoutsideofCountrysideLivingzones.
Requiresubdivisiontonotadverselyaffectthecharacterandamenityvaluesofruralorcoastallandscapes.
Avoidsubdivisionthatcreatesribbondevelopmentadjoiningformedpublicroadsandmultipleaccesspointsthatadverselyaffectthecharacterandamenityvaluesofruralroads.
Requirethelocation,design,andsuitabilityofsitesandspecifiedbuildingareasto:
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a.integratedevelopmentwiththeexistinglandscapetomaintainandenhancetheoverallruralcharacter,and
b.ensuretheruralamenityandcharacterofadjacentsitesandtheareaarenotcompromised.
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35.
Subdivisionshouldresultinsiteboundariesandspecifiedbuildingandaccessareasthat:
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a.recognisetopographyincludingsteepslopes,naturalfeatures,ridgelines,aspect,watersupplies,andexistingvegetation
b.avoidinappropriatelylocatingspecifiedbuildingareasinhighlyprominentlocationsasviewedfrompublicplaces
c.reduceorconstrainaccesstolandandsoilresources(particularlyeliteorprimeland)ontheremainderoftheproperty
d.arenotlocatedonorcutoffaccesstoeliteorprimeland,andarelocatedonlandwithmoderatetolowproductivepotential
e.aresufficientlylargethattheymaintainandenhancetheabilityofthesiteandbalanceareatosupportruralproductionactivities,andavoidfragmentationofexistingruralactivities
f.donotsubdivideparcelsofeliteland
g.recogniseandprovideforexistingandproposedbuildings,developments,driveways,accesssites,rightsofwayandeasementsorencumbrancesofanytype
h.aresetbacksufficientlytoavoidadverseeffectsontheriparianmarginsandprotectednaturalfeatures
i.avoidsplittingprotectedfeaturesorareasbetweensites
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j.inthecaseofaccessways,publicwalkwaysandroads,areofadesignthatmaintainsandenhancesruralandcoastalcharacterandenhancespublicaccess.
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36.
Requiresignificantecologicalareas,scheduledareas,featuresandscheduledsitesandplacesofsignificanceforManaWhenuaidentifiedintheUnitaryPlan,andriparianandcoastalmarginswithinasitebeingsubdivided,tobepermanentlyandlegallyprotectedatthetimeofsubdivision.
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Esplanadereserves
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37.
38.
Requireesplanadereservesonthesubdividedlandadjoiningthecoastandotherqualifyingwaterbodies.
Avoidthereductionofthewidthofanesplanadereserveorstrip,orthewaivingoftherequirementtoprovideanesplanadereserveorstrip,exceptwhere:
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a.safepublicaccessandrecreationaluseisalreadypossibleandcanbemaintainedforthefuture
b.thefollowingwillnotbeadverselyaffected:
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i.
ii.iii.iv.
themaintenanceandenhancementofthenaturalfunctioningandwaterqualityoftheadjacentsea,riverorotherwaterbody
thelandandwaterbasedhabitatsonandadjoiningthesubjectlandareathenaturalvalues,geologicalfeaturesandlandscapefeatures
anyhistoricorculturalheritageplaceorMāoriculturalvalues
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c.itcanbedemonstratedthatanesplanadereserveorstripwillnotbenefitthemanagementofnaturalhazardsorthemaintenanceofcharacterandamenityofthecoastalenvironment
d.areducedwidthincertainlocationscanbeoffsetbyanincreaseinwidthinareaswhichwouldresultinpositivepublicbenefit,intermsofaccessandrecreation
e.restrictionsonpublicaccessarenecessarytoensurealevelofsecurityforbusinessactivitiesinlimited circumstances
f.directaccesstotheseaorotherwaterbodyisrequiredforabusinessactivityinlimitedcircumstances.
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39.
Avoidtheestablishmentofanesplanadestripinsteadofanesplanadereserve,exceptwherethe:
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a.landhaslimitedconservationandrecreationalvalue
b.conservationandhistoricheritagevaluesthatarepresentcanbeadequatelyprotectedinprivateownership
c.opportunitytoacquireanesplanadereserveisunlikelytoarisebutcontinuityofaccessisdesirable
d.creationofesplanadestripscansecurepublicbenefitsandresourcemanagementobjectiveswithoutalienatinglandfromprivateownership
e.landisnotsubjecttonaturalhazardsorstabilityissues.
Placebasedsubdivision
ThelocationsoftheplacebasedpoliciesareidentifiedbytheAdditionalSubdivisionControlsoverlay.
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40.
41.
Maintaintheexistingpatternanddensityofsubdivisioninidentifiedlocationstoprotecttheirlowdensitycharacter.
Avoidsubdivisionthatdetractsfromthenaturallandscapequalitieswhicharedefinedbythelow
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densitysettlementpattern.
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