Housing developments may be required to plant trees
PLANTING trees may become mandatory for certain new housing developments under rules being considered by the Dunedin City Council.
New standards would mandate the planting of native trees for every 250sq m of area, and minimum levels of native planting on property boundaries.
A report has been created by council staff ahead of a hearing to consider zoning changes to the 2nd Generation District Plan (2GP).
It revealed several public submissions showing concern that denser housing would lead to a loss of green space and vegetation across the city.
The report acknowledged that increased housing density would reduce the amount of green space on private land, and proposed the new rules to mitigate the potential losses.
While the new standards, if adopted, would only apply to new developments in the newly rezoned areas, it was also recommended that consideration should be given to applying them to developments in all General Residential 2zoned properties as part of a future plan change.
Under the proposed rules new developments in the intensification areas would need to plant one native tree per 250sq m of the site area in question.
Trees would need to be at least 1m tall at planting, capable of growing to at least 3m tall, and set back a minimum of at least 2.5m from all boundaries.
Where properties are next to roads, 50% of road boundaries would need to be planted with native trees, shrubs or ground cover, but not lawns.
However, if there was a driveway on the boundary, the ratio would change to 75% of the remaining boundary area.
The second hearing on Variation 2 of the 2GP will consider submissions on the intensification of existing housing through rezoning, and is scheduled to be held on for November 3.
Parcels of land in Mosgiel, Green Island, Concord, Mornington, Roslyn, Maori Hill, Wakari and Anderson’s Bay are among those being considered for rezoning.