17 Tokoroa Town Centre Zone
Table of Contents
17.1 Zone Statement
The Tokoroa Town Centre Zone 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 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 is 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 are also a feature of the zone and provide 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.
17.2 Anticipated Environmental Results
The Tokoroa Town Centre Zone is intended to achieve the following anticipated environmental results:
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
The town centre provides an attractive/visually appealing, safe and easily accessible environment for residents, passing travellers and pedestrians
Public spaces provide a lively atmosphere where residents and shoppers can meet
Mixed use activities characterise building occupancy with offices and other commercial service activities, and residential accommodation occupying upper floors
Continuous verandah coverage is maintained on buildings on nominated street frontages to provide year round protection from the weather for shoppers
The cultural heritage of the town is celebrated through art displays in public places
The demand for pedestrian based retail activities is catered for in the town centre
The character and amenity of the residential areas adjacent to the town centre is maintained through appropriate controls on building bulk, location and landscape treatments.
The Tokoroa Town Centre Zone is a method to implement the objectives and policies contained within Chapter 4 (Objectives and Policies for the District’s Towns).
17.3 Activities
17.3.1 Permitted Activities
The following are permitted activities in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone provided they comply with the Performance Standards set out in Rule 17.4 below.
b)
Restaurants, bars and cafes
e)
Education and childcare facilities
h)
Craft workshops and studios
i)
Residential accommodation above ground floor level
k)
Recreation and sporting activities on parks and reserves
17.3.2 Restricted Discretionary Activities
The following are restricted discretionary activities in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone:
i)
Any activity listed in Rule 17.3.1 that does not conform to the Performance Standards in Rule 17.4.
The specific matters where discretion is reserved are identified in Rules 8.3.3 and 8.3.4 and shall be used when considering a resource consent application for a restricted discretionary activity in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone.
17.3.3 Discretionary Activities
Activities that are not permitted, controlled, restricted discretionary or non-complying will be discretionary activities in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone.
The following are also discretionary activities in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone:
b)
Service stations including motor vehicle repair.
The assessment criteria contained in Rule 8.4 shall be used when considering a resource consent application for a discretionary activity in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone, with the Performance Standards in Rule 17.4 used as a guide for assessment purposes.
17.3.4 Non-Complying Activities
The following are non-complying activities in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone:
The objectives and policies contained within Chapters 3, 4, and 7 shall be used when considering a resource consent application for a non-complying activity in the Tokoroa Town Centre Zone, with the Performance Standards in Rule 17.4 used as a guide for assessment purposes.
17.4 Performance Standards
The following Performance Standards apply to all activities specified in Rule 17.3.1 (permitted activities), and to restricted discretionary activities in the zone if granted. Failure to comply with one or more of the performance standards results in that activity being a restricted discretionary activity.
17.4.1 Building Setbacks
(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 Tokoroa Residential Zone where a setback of five metres is required.
17.4.2 Site coverage
The maximum extent that buildings can cover a site is 100%, subject to compliance with any setback requirements in Rule 17.4.1.
17.4.3 Parking
Provision of on-site car parking, loading spaces and vehicular access shall be in accordance with Chapter 11 Parking, Loading and Access.
17.4.4 Height
(a)
Maximum Building Height - 15 metres
(b)
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:
An elevation of 3 metres at the boundary of the Tokoroa Residential Zone, or
An elevation of 10 metres at any road boundary.
17.4.5 Signage
a)
There is no size limit on signs on, or attached to and within the physical building dimensions of, the walls or fascias of the building. Signs on verandahs shall not exceed 12m2 in area or 2m in height
b)
The sign must advertise the name of a business located on the property or otherwise relate to activities located on the property
c)
Signs shall not detrimentally affect traffic safety by creating a visual obstruction or by causing confusion to motorists
i)
A sign must not mimic the design, wording, graphics, shape or colour of an official traffic sign
ii)
A sign may not prevent the driver of a vehicle from having a clear and unobstructed view of official traffic signs or signals, approaching or merging traffic or any corner, bend, intersection or vehicle crossing.
d)
Illumination of signs is permitted, including flashing or other movement
e)
The owner of a sign shall be responsible for ensuring that it is well maintained
f)
The minimum lettering size and maximum number of words on signs shall meet the standards in Rules 12.4.3 e) and f).
ADVISORY NOTE: This plan does not restrict sandwich board signs on footpaths, which are subject to Council’s Public Places Bylaw.
17.4.6 Verandah Provision
All buildings (including new buildings) on nominated street frontages (see Fig.17.1) 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.
17.4.7 Noise, Vibration and Glare
a)
Noise, vibration and glare from any activity in the zone shall comply with the rules in
Chapter 15b)
Residential accommodation above ground floor level – The total internal noise level in any habitable room shall not exceed 35dB LAeq(24 hours) while at the same time complying with the ventilation requirements of Clause G4 of the NZ Building Code. The total noise level shall include all intrusive noise and mechanical services.
In determining the external noise level, it shall be assumed that the noise incident upon the noise-sensitive facade is from at least three separate activities simultaneously generating the maximum allowable noise level for that zone.
Compliance with the above must be confirmed in writing by a suitably qualified and experienced acoustic consultant.
17.4.8 Hazardous Substances
Storage or use of hazardous substances shall comply with Appendix G (Hazardous Substances).
17.4.9 Screening
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 Tokoroa Residential Zone.
17.4.10 Scale of Activity and Access
a)
No new direct vehicle accesses onto the state highway shall be created
b)
Activities accessing a state highway shall not result in an increase in traffic that exceeds 100 vehicle movements in any given peak hour
c)
Activities accessing a local road shall not result in an increase in traffic that exceeds 200 vehicle movements in any given peak hour
17.5 Other Rules
The following chapters may also be relevant:
Chapter 10 (Subdivision) in respect of the subdivision of land
Chapter 12 (Temporary Activities) in respect of events, temporary structures and temporary signage
Chapter 13 (Network Utilities and Infrastructure) in respect of construction and maintenance of network utility structures.
ADVISORY NOTE: Council’s Code of Practice for Subdivision and Development contains standards for building projects that involve earthworks.
Fig.17.1 Provision of Pedestrian Shelter - Tokoroa Town Centre
------- Frontage of properties where verandah cover is required – Tokoroa