Mixed Use Zone — Whangārei
Objectives
| Objective | Description |
|---|---|
| MUZ-O1 | Accommodate a range of activities that do not undermine the strength, vibrancy and viability of the City Centre or Waterfront Zones |
| MUZ-O3 | Promote residential activities and manage activities which would unreasonably detract from residential amenity. Development achieves high quality urban form that is safe and positively interacts with the public realm and is sympathetic to the surrounding environment |
| MUZ-O5 | Prioritise pedestrians and improve walkability within the Mixed Use Zone. Avoid or mitigate adverse effects in relation to amenity, noise, sunlight access, visual dominance and traffic on adjacent Residential Zones and Open Space and Recreation Zones |
Policies
| Policy | Intent |
|---|---|
| MUZ-P1 | Recognise the character and amenity values including: active urban environment; medium to high scale of built development with narrow building and site frontages; moderate levels of daytime noise; moderate access to sunlight; active building frontages at ground floor; on-street parking with limited off-street parking; high presence of pedestrians and cyclists |
| MUZ-P2 | Enable economic growth and employment opportunities while protecting walkability and the vitality and viability of the City Centre, Waterfront and Local Centre Zones |
| MUZ-P4 | Encourage and provide for residential units by enabling medium to high density residential activities. Maintain and enhance residential amenity by avoiding industrial and rural production activities, managing non-residential activities generating high noise/traffic, requiring sufficient internal space and outdoor living spaces, and managing building scale to limit shading and dominance |
| MUZ-P5 | Maintain and enhance residential amenity and active frontages by sensitively designing ground floor residential units with regard to outlook, outdoor living courts, private entrances, noise, and light exposure |
| MUZ-P6 | Mitigate adverse effects on residential amenity by providing communal outdoor living spaces where individual outdoor living courts are not practicable |
| MUZ-P8 | Maintain amenity in adjacent Residential Zones and Open Space and Recreation Zones by managing built form and requiring landscaping along shared zone boundaries. Safeguard esplanade areas and waterfront walkways by avoiding impervious areas adjacent to Mean High Water Springs and river banks |
| MUZ-P9 | Enhance walkability by managing and avoiding new vehicle crossings, implementing traffic calming activities, and providing bicycle parking facilities |
| MUZ-P10 | Achieve active frontage at ground floor and enhance walkability by designing subdivision to limit creation of rear sites, provide multiple narrow site frontages, and enable larger site frontages on corner sites |
| MUZ-P12 | Enable higher building densities and varied setbacks where active frontages or pedestrian connectivity are enhanced or residential activities are provided. Reduce threats to personal safety by utilising urban design and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles |
Building Standards
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum building height | 16m above ground level | Permitted activity |
| Maximum building height (Controlled) | 16.01m–21m above ground level | If 2+ residential units or through-site-link provided on-site |
| Height in relation to boundary | 4m + shortest horizontal distance to Residential/Open Space and Recreation Zone boundary | Permitted standard |
| Building setback from Residential or Open Space and Recreation Zone | 3m | Minimum |
| Building setback from Mean High Water Springs or river top (width >3m) | 20m | Excluding bridges, culverts, fences |
| Front yard setback | 1m from road boundary for at least 75% of site frontage | Permitted activity; exceptions apply for strategic road protection areas |
| Front yard exceptions | Up to 3m setback (max 2.5m width) for recessed pedestrian entrance; up to 6m setback (max width) for through-site-link adjacent to side boundary | Permitted |
| Ground floor glazing (general buildings) | At least 65% clear glazing | All site frontages |
| Ground floor glazing (grocery stores) | At least 25% clear glazing | Of total building frontage |
| Above ground floor glazing | At least 25% clear glazing | For general buildings; except grocery stores |
| Principal public entrance | Must face road | For buildings on front sites |
| Roller doors and grilles | Not permitted along site frontage | Exception: emergency services; security grilles allowing street views permitted |
| Impervious area setback | At least 5m from Mean High Water Springs or river top (width >3m) | Permitted standard |
Residential Units
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Net floor area (1 habitable room) | 35m² minimum | Standard Mixed Use Zone |
| Net floor area (more than 1 habitable room) | 45m² minimum | Standard Mixed Use Zone |
| Net floor area (Hīhīaua Peninsula Precinct, 1 bedroom) | 45m² minimum | PREC4 |
| Net floor area (Hīhīaua Peninsula Precinct, 2 bedrooms) | 70m² minimum | PREC4 |
| Net floor area (Hīhīaua Peninsula Precinct, 3 bedrooms) | 90m² minimum | PREC4 |
| Net floor area (Hīhīaua Peninsula Precinct, 3+ bedrooms) | 90m² + 12m² per additional bedroom | PREC4 |
| Outdoor living court (1 bedroom, standard) | 4m² minimum, 1.5m depth minimum | Standard Mixed Use Zone |
| Outdoor living court (2+ bedrooms, standard) | 8m² minimum, 2.4m depth minimum | Standard Mixed Use Zone |
| Outdoor living court (1 bedroom, Hīhīaua Precinct) | 4m² minimum, 1.5m depth minimum | PREC4 |
| Outdoor living court (2+ bedrooms, Hīhīaua Precinct) | 8m² minimum, 2.4m depth minimum | PREC4 |
| Ground floor residential units | Not permitted | Standard in Mixed Use Zone; permitted in Hīhīaua Peninsula Precinct |
| Residential unit location | Must be above ground floor | Standard Mixed Use Zone |
Parking and Vehicle Access
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car parking location | Not permitted between building frontage and road boundaries | Exception: grocery stores >450m² net floor area |
| Emergency vehicle access | Permitted where required by emergency services | Vehicle access provision allowed |
Storage and Stockpiles
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor storage/stockpile screening | Must be screened from view from adjacent public places and surrounding sites | Complies with MUZ-R3, R4.2, R5 |
| Construction materials storage | Permitted for maximum 12 months per 10-year period from 26 August 2021 | Without screening requirement |
Landscaping and Screening
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Landscaping (site boundaries adjacent to Residential/Open Space zones) | Trees or shrubs minimum 1.8m height, minimum 1m depth | Applies to primary and ancillary activities |
| Landscaping near road boundaries | Maximum 1.2m height within 5m of road boundary | For landscaping on residential/open space boundaries |
Food and Beverage Activities
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum gross floor area | 250m² | Permitted activity |
| Operating hours | 07:00–22:00 Monday–Friday | Permitted activity |
Commercial Activities (Scale Limits)
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum business net floor area | 600m² | For certain retail and service activities |
Subdivision Standards
| Rule | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rear site creation | To be limited | Policy MUZ-P10 |
| Multiple narrow site frontages | To be provided | Policy MUZ-P10 |
| Corner site frontages | Larger frontages enabled | To better emphasise future developments |
Activity Status
| Activity | Status | Conditions/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permitted activities (general) | Permitted | Resource consent not required; |