Frequently asked questions
What’s a Reserve Management Plan?
A Reserve Management Plan (RMP) is a document prepared under the Reserves Act 1977 for land that is managed by Council for open space purposes, such as playgrounds, sportfields, neighborhood parks, coastal and freshwater esplanades, native bush areas and historic reserves.
An RMP captures the community's vision for our reserves and sets out objectives, polices and rules that guide decision making on the use, management, protection and preservation or development of reserves. An omnibus RMP contains objectives and policies for groups of reserves as well as individual reserves.
What’s the purpose of RMPs?
Reserve management plans enable us to establish the desired mix of uses and activities for our reserves, while providing for the enjoyment, maintenance, protection, preservation and development of a reserve. Council’s omnibus RMP will guide Council in the day-to-day and long-term management of reserves.
What does the Reserves Act require Council to do?
Councils’ responsibilities under the Reserves Act are to classify all reserve land for its primary purpose and to manage it accordingly by preparing a management plan. The Act requires us to have RMPs for all types of reserves, except Local Purpose Reserves, but we have decided to include some types of Local Purpose Reserves in our Omnibus RMP so you can tell us your thoughts on their use and management.
How many reserves are there in Kāpiti?
Council administers more than 130 parks and open space reserves totaling around 450ha of land. Currently, many of our parks and reserves have no management plan in place. Of the plans we have, many are 30 years old and need updating.
What reserves will be included in the omnibus RMP?
The omnibus RMP will cover all parks and open space reserves that Kāpiti Coast District Council manages. Land managed primality for infrastructure or utility purposes (such as stormwater or road reserves) are not included in this RMP project. Public land managed by the Department of Conservation, Greater Wellington Regional Council and other Government agencies is also excluded from this project.
What about unclassified Reserves?
A small number of Council reserves are not yet classified for their intended purpose. We still want your feedback on these important reserves while we work through the classification process for them. In the meantime, the RMP will be a non-statutory guidance document for these reserves, until such as time as they are formally classified.
Why are parks and reserves important?
Parks and reserves play a vital role in supporting healthy, connected communities. They provide spaces for physical activity, social connection, mental wellbeing, cultural expression, and everyday enjoyment. Green spaces also contribute to the look and feel of our neighbourhoods and towns. They add beauty, provide places to relax, and enhance the overall quality and character of the district.
How will the Omnibus RMP affect existing activities on reserves?
The RMP will determine what activities can occur on reserves, what can occur under certain conditions or with Council approval and what can’t occur. We will consider existing activities following public feedback as part of preparing the omnibus plan. This is why it’s important we hear from you about what you like or don’t like about the activities that take place at specific sites. This is your opportunity to influence the decisions we make about how these reserves are used, managed and developed or protected.
Will there be activities that cannot be carried out on parks and reserves?
Yes, the Reserves Act contains laws about what activities are (and are not) allowed on a reserve and what are only allowed if they are included in an RMP for the site or if Council issues an authorisation permitting it. The Public Places bylaw declares our Playgrounds as smokefree areas while the dog control bylaw says where you can run your dogs off leash. Similarly, certain activities will not be suitable for specific reserves, or in certain sections of a reserve.
Does the RMP include development plans for parks and reserves?
No, a reserve management plan is not a development plan, but it might identify priorities for the development of certain reserves.