13.5-TCZ Town Centre Zone
Issues
The Town Centres for Putaruru, Tirau and Tokoroa are mostly covered by the TCZ, however as there are some objectives, policies and rules that differ between the towns, Precincts have been identified for each town within the zone.
The TCZ in Putaruru defines the heart of the commercial and shopping centre for Putaruru. It provides for pedestrian-oriented shopping with paved footpaths and street furniture providing a high amenity environment for shoppers. The zone covers the Princes Street and Tīrau Street shopping areas, linked together by retail activities and offices in Main Street and Kensington Street. Princes Street is a traditional New Zealand country town “main street” with shops and facilities that cater mostly for local residents. Heritage buildings provide landmarks at either end of this shopping centre.
The pedestrianised portion of Tīrau Street caters mostly for passing State Highway 1 traffic. It is bordered at either end by the Commercial Zone (COMZ) containing mostly vehicle-oriented commercial land-uses including service stations and a supermarket.
Buildings in the town centre are typically single or double storey, with display windows to the street front and footpath, continuous verandah coverage, and relying on kerbside parking or public parking areas nearby for convenience shopping.
The TCZ aims to enable the Putaruru town centre to provide a distinctive, attractive, safe and easily accessible pedestrian environment with a concentration of commercial business and cultural activities. These activities shall aim to provide a wide range of services and facilities for residents and passing travellers and with minimum adverse effects to the safe and sustainable function of the state highway network.
Tīrau’s TCZ is intended to maintain Tīrau’s main street as a high-quality boutique retail centre, catering for both destination shopping and the needs of passing travellers. Some core commercial services are also provided to meet the needs of residents. The zone intends to retain the existing attributes of Tīrau to ensure it remains a pleasant place for people to stop and wander from shop to shop.
The main street of Tīrau is also State Highway 1, and performs a key role in the transportation network of the district and wider region. To recognise this, some specific provisions dealing with car parking and vehicle access have been formulated for the zone, to ensure that a vibrant town centre can successfully co-exist with the need to ensure a safe and efficient state highway through Tīrau.
The Tokoroa TCZ defines the heart of the commercial and shopping centre for Tokoroa. The area provides for pedestrian-oriented shopping with considerable public investment in paved footpaths and street furniture providing a high-amenity environment for shoppers. The area is defined by Leith Place, Bridge Street as far west as Campbell Street, part of Logan Street, part of Mannering Street, Swanston Street and Roseberry Street. The town centre is adjacent to State Highway 1 but is partly screened from view by mature trees along the highway corridor.
Buildings in the Tokoroa town centre are generally single or double storey buildings, with one to five storeys, all with no setback and therefore window frontage to the street, and with continuous verandah coverage along most streets. Kerbside parking or public parking areas nearby provide convenient parking for shoppers. With the town’s development occurring throughout the 1960’s, most commercial buildings are not of an age to have the heritage value found in the other towns in the district.
The main street, Bridge Street was characterised by a planted median of mature deciduous trees extending as far as Campbell Street to provide a high-amenity, visually appealing and pedestrian-friendly environment. The public spaces in the town centre are the focus for the ‘talking poles’ and other art works that reflect the multi-cultural character of the town. A busy market area operates near the town centre on Saturdays.
The town is well laid out as a result of being built to an overall urban design. A network of service lanes mid- block is also a feature of the zone and provides managed access to the rear of buildings for goods delivery and collection. The service lanes reduce on-street traffic conflicts, improve pedestrian safety and amenity values and provide access to staff car parking at the rear of premises.
Objectives
TCZ-O1
To have attractive, functional, safe and thriving townships built on the unique qualities of their people, industries, history and natural strengths.
TCZ-O2
To enable the town centres in Putaruru, Tokoroa and Tīrau to provide distinctive, attractive, safe and easily accessible environments with a concentration of commercial businesses and cultural activities providing a wide range of services and facilities for residents and passing travellers, and with minimum adverse effects on the safe and sustainable functioning of State Highway 1.
TCZ-O3
To allow adequate opportunities for businesses to provide a range of employment opportunities for the District’s residents, in a manner consistent with the towns’ existing amenity values without any unnecessary barriers to economic advancement.
Policies
TCZ-P1
Retain the distinctive low-density nature and village character of the built form of Tīrau.
TCZ-P2
Encourage the sustainable development of marae and other facilities required for the cultural needs of Tangata Whenua.
TCZ-P3
Promote affordable, safe, integrated, sustainable and responsive transport networks within and through the towns, with safe pedestrian and cycleway connections linking residential neighbourhoods with public reserves, schools and the town centres.
TCZ-P4
Promote a high standard of urban design for new development, including reflecting the towns’ past and the locality’s Raukawa heritage, and consideration of community safety and CPTED principles.
TCZ-P5
To achieve the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River by managing subdivision and land-use within the district’s towns located within the River catchment in a way that restores and protects the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River, including by managing activities in towns.
Rules PREC1-Putaruru, PREC2-Tirau and PREC3-Tokoroa
TCZ-R1 PER Activities-All PREC’s |
Subject to |
(1) Retail activities |
(a) TCZ-R5(1) to (6) (b) TCZ-6 where relevant
|
(2) Restaurants, bars, and cafes | |
(3) Residential activity above ground floor level | |
(4) Community facility | |
(5) Educational facility |
(a) TCZ-R5(1) to (6) (b) TCZ-R6 where relevant |
(6) Carparks | |
Other PER Activities |
Subject to |
(7) Visitor accommodation within PREC2-Tirau |
(a) TCZ-R5(1) to (6) (b) TCZ-R6 where relevant |
(8) Offices above ground floor level within PREC2-Tirau | |
(9) Modifications, alterations and additions to an existing service station on the same site within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC2-Tirau | |
(10) Recreation and sporting activities on parks and reserves within PREC2-Tirau and PREC3-Tokoroa | |
(11) Offices within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3-Tokoroa | |
(14) Commercial services within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3- Tokoroa | |
(15 Health care services within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3- Tokoroa | |
(16) Veterinary Services within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3- Tokoroa | |
(17) Modifications, alterations and additions to an existing residential unit on the same site within PREC2-Tirau | |
(18) Craft workshops and studios within PREC3-Tokoroa | |
TCZ-R2 RDIS Activities-All PREC’s |
Subject to |
(1) Any activity listed as PER that does not conform to the Standards |
Matters of discretion (a) AA-R3(1) (b) AA-R3(2) |
(2) Within PREC2-Tirau only, Construction or re-construction of buildings that involves an exterior wall facing toward a street boundary |
(a) AA-R3(2) (b) The design and external appearance of proposed buildings and their compatibility with the existing character of the town centre. Ultra-modern or minimalist designs with stainless steel and mirror glass will not generally be accepted |
TCZ-R3 DIS Activities |
Subject to |
(1) In all PRECs, Service stations including motor vehicle repair |
Matters of Discretion (a) AA-R4(1) and (2) (b) TCZ-R5(1)-(6) and TCZ-R6 used as a guide (c) The extent to which the proposal will be screened from adjacent residential activity by landscaping or fencing (d) The effect of any access points on traffic safety and efficiency (e) The extent to which lighting will be managed to avoid nuisance on residential properties (f) Whether vehicle parking and manoeuvring can be accommodated on site (g) The extent to which signs comply with general controls for the zone (h) The adequacy of proposals to collect and deal with potentially contaminated stormwater (i) The extent to which the proposal is likely to have an effect on the amenity values sought by the objectives of the zone (j) In PREC2-Tirau, the impact of removing the site from retail use upon the vitality of the Tīrau town centre and its attractiveness to passing travellers as a place to stop. |
(2) Visitors’ accommodation within PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3-Tokoroa |
(a) AA-R4(1) and (2) (b) TCZ-R5(1)-(6) and TCZ-R6 used as a guide (c) The effect of vehicular access and parking upon pedestrian safety and the continuity of retail frontage, and the extent to which accommodation units can be designed and acoustically insulated to provide a reasonable level of aural privacy. |
(3) Offices at ground floor level within PREC2-Tirau |
(a) AA-R4(1) and (2) (b) TCZ-R5(1)-(6) and TCZ-R6 used as a guide (c) The impact of removing the site from retail use upon the vitality of the Tirau town centre and its attractiveness to passing travellers as a place to stop. |
(4) Health Care Services within PREC2-Tirau | |
(5) Veterinary services within PREC2- Tirau | |
(6) Commercial services within PREC2-Tirau | |
(7) Service industry within PREC2-Tirau | |
TCZ-R4 NC Activities |
|
(1) Industrial Activities – All PRECs |
Matters of Discretion (a) TCZ-R5(1)-(6) used as a guide |
(2) Service Industry in PREC1-Putaruru and PREC3-Tokoroa | |
(3) Outdoor Storage - All PRECs |
TCZ-R5 Standards for Town Centres identified as Precincts
R5(1) Height
(a) PREC1-Putaruru and PREC2-Tirau - Maximum height – 8 metres
(b) PREC3-Tokoroa
(i) Maximum Height - 15m
(ii) Height to boundary - No part of any building shall protrude through (whichever is the lesser of) a plane rising at an angle of 45° commencing at:
(iii) An elevation of 3m at the boundary of the GRZ, or
(iv) An elevation of 10m at any road boundary.
(c) All PRECs
Parts of buildings that may protrude through the height control lines are chimneys, flues and similar projections, television, and telecommunication aerials and dishes, rainwater tanks, domestic scale renewable energy devices, and in addition on commercial and industrial buildings, lift machinery, air-conditioning and heating plants; all attached to the building and projecting not more than 3m above the building height standard for the zone, and less than 4m2 in area.
R5(2) Building Setbacks
PREC3-Tokoroa
(a) Buildings must be set back from the front boundary - Nil
(b) Buildings must be set back from the side and rear boundaries - Nil, unless adjoining the GRZ where a setback of 5m is required.
R5(3) Building Coverage
(a) PREC1-Putaruru - The maximum extent that buildings can cover a site is 100%.
(b) PREC2-Tirau - The maximum extent that buildings can cover a site is 80%.
(c) PREC3-Tokoroa - The maximum extent that buildings can cover a site is 100%, subject to compliance with any setback requirements in Rule R5(2)
R5(4) Verandah Provision
(a) PREC1-Putaruru
All buildings on properties indicated in Figure 11 will be required to provide a verandah along the full width of the building and set back 0.5m from the kerb line, regardless of how far the building is set back from the road frontage. Verandahs must be of a height that relates to their neighbours, to provide continuity of cover. Verandahs shall also be provided with adequate under-verandah lighting to Council’s standard.
Figure 4 - Provision of Pedestrian Shelter – Putaruru Town Centre
________Frontage of properties where verandah cover is required – Putaruru
(b) PREC2-Tirau
All buildings that had a verandah over any part of the legal road on 7 November 2012 shall continue to provide at least equivalent pedestrian shelter. Any redevelopment of the site, including new buildings, shall provide verandahs at least as extensive as existed on that date.
(c) PREC3-Tokoroa
All buildings (including new buildings) on nominated street frontages (see Figure 5) shall provide pedestrian shelter along the full width of the building, and set back 0.5m from the kerb line, regardless of how far the building is set back from the road frontage. Verandahs must be of a height that relates to their neighbours, to provide continuity of cover. Verandahs shall also be provided with under-verandah lighting to Council’s standard.
Figure 5 - Provision of Pedestrian Shelter - Tokoroa Town Centre
________Frontage of properties where verandah cover is required – Tokoroa
R5(5) Screening
(a) A close-boarded fence at least 1.8m in height shall be provided along the full length of any boundary with a property within the GRZ.
R5(6) Scale of Activity and Access
(a) PREC1-Putaruru, PREC2-Tirau, PREC3-Tokoroa
(i) No new direct vehicle accesses onto the state highway shall be created
(ii) Activities accessing a state highway shall not result in an increase in traffic that exceeds 100 vehicle movements in any given peak hour
(iii) Activities accessing a local road shall not result in an increase in traffic that exceeds 200 vehicle movements in any given peak hour
TCZ-R6 Other Plan Matters
The following may also be relevant:
(1) Section 7.1 Energy, 7.2 Infrastructure, 7.3 Transportation
(2) Section 8.1 Contaminated Land, 8.2 Hazardous Substances, 8.3 Natural Hazards
(3) Section 9.1 Historic Heritage, 9.2 Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori
(4) Section 10.1 Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity, 10.2 Natural Character, 10.3 Natural Features and Landscapes, 10.4 Public Access
(5) Chapter 11 Subdivision
(6) Section 12.1 All Activities
(7) Section 12.2 Activities on the Surface of Water, 12.3 Air Emissions, 12.4 Earthworks, 12.5 Financial Contributions, 12.6 Light,12.7 Noise, 12.8 Signs, 12.9 Temporary Activities
(8) Part 3- Any relevant overlay
TCZ- Principal Reasons
TCZ-PR1
The attributes for the Tirau Town Centre are based on a streetscape consisting of mainly small single-storey shops (rather than nationwide corporate chains), a range of boutique retail stores presenting an attractive built form to the street, with space and scope for entertainment and street-activities along the paved and grassed frontages of the main thoroughfare. The distinctive corrugated iron signage, the unusual buildings, and the quality of retail premises are important parts of the success of Tīrau as a boutique retail centre. An attractive green streetscape is intended to be fostered, based upon retaining the existing trees such as the rhododendron bank on High Street, enhancing plantings and street furniture. Activities on the side streets such as Okoroire Street and Rose Street support and complement those on Tīrau’s Main Street, with activities such as craftsperson’s studios and visitor accommodation.
TCZ- Anticipated Environmental Results
PREC1-Putaruru
TCZ-AER1
The town centre provides a vibrant, fully developed and tenanted retail and commercial area, meeting the demand for pedestrian-based retail activities
TCZ-AER2
An attractive/visually appealing, safe and easily accessible town centre for residents and passing travellers
TCZ-AER3
Public spaces provide a lively atmosphere where residents can meet
TCZ-AER4
Continuous verandah coverage is maintained on specified road frontages to provide year-round protection from the weather
TCZ-AER5
The water resources and cultural heritage of the town are celebrated through art displays in public places.
PREC2-Tirau
TCZ-AER6
A ‘country village’ character, rather than a slice of ‘big city’
TCZ-AER7
A bustling and vibrant place with no empty shops, and high pedestrian counts
TCZ-AER8
Pleasant sunlit places for people to sit and enjoy
TCZ-AER9
Adequate parking, with staff parking sited behind shops, and customer parking primarily located out front or in well-signposted and convenient public parking areas
TCZ-AER10
Provision of pedestrian and cycle facilities, along with adequate access for people with disabilities
TCZ-AER11
Re-development of commercial properties is achieved in a manner that is sympathetic in scale and design with the existing town centre, and that enhances the amenity values of the village as a place to live and visit
TCZ-AER12
Consistent use of theme, currently corrugated iron/cabbage trees in Tirau, but scope for reinvention
PREC3-Tokoroa
TCZ-AER13
The town centre provides a vibrant, fully developed and tenanted retail and commercial area that serves the needs of the town and surrounding rural area
TCZ-AER14
The town centre provides an attractive/visually appealing, safe and easily accessible environment for residents, passing travellers and pedestrians
TCZ-AER15
Public spaces provide a lively atmosphere where residents and shoppers can meet
TCZ-AER16
Mixed use activities characterise building occupancy with offices and other commercial service activities, and residential activities occupying upper floors
TCZ-AER17
Continuous verandah coverage is maintained on buildings on nominated street frontages to provide year-round protection from the weather for shoppers
TCZ-AER18
The cultural heritage of the town is celebrated through art displays in public places
TCZ-AER19
The demand for pedestrian-based retail activities is catered for in the town centre
TCZ-AER20
The character and amenity values of the residential areas adjacent to the town centre is maintained through appropriate controls on building bulk, location and landscape treatments.