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Kaikoura – Our Town, Our District
The Kaikoura District spans from the Haumuri Bluffs in the south to the Kekerengu valley in the north, covering 2,048 square kilometres of diverse landscape. The inland boundary of our District is the Clarence River and Inland Kaikoura Range, climbing 2,885 metres and snow covered for much of the year. The spectacular coastline provides excellent fishing, sporting and recreation for Kaikoura’s population of 3,483 (Census 2001). The Kaikoura Canyon, at around 1,300 metres deep, provides the natural habitat for the sperm whale, and is also host to over 200 species of marine life.
The Township is situated on a Peninsula protruding from this rugged coastline. Maori legend tells that it was from this Peninsula that Maui fished up the North Island from out of the ocean. Maori history and culture is an integral part of Kaikoura, and there is evidence of Maori settlement in the area up to 1,000 years ago.
Historically the District has thrived in the fishing, farming and dairy industries. Today Kaikoura is a world-class tourism destination, yet still maintains its fishing and farming heritage. The District boasts award-winning restaurants, café’s and accommodation facilities, a winery, and a modern small boat facility.
More recently, Kaikoura has set the stage as a leader in environmental awareness, having imposed a zero waste policy, and making huge inroads into recycling innovation.
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A Green Globe Community
In November 2004 Kaikoura attained Green Globe community certification, making us the first local authority in the world to achieve this status. The road towards certification also included our being benchmarked for two years – the only NZ community to do so.
What is a Green Globe Community? Well it’s an international system tourism operators and destinations use to improve their environmental impact and work towards sustainability. Kaikoura’s environment is important and attracts large numbers of tourists so we need to look after it, for the tourists, the current generation and our children to enjoy.
In becoming a Green Globe community Kaikoura first measured its environmental impact, called benchmarking, and second adopted and implemented strategies to improve its impact, called certification.
To achieve certification, we measured our performance against 11 environmental indicators as follows; energy use, greenhouse gas production, water conservation, water quality, air quality, waste production, biodiversity, the number of travel and tourism operators with an environmental accreditation, the number of truck accidents on the state highway involving chemical spills and resource conservation (for Kaikoura District Council only), we also need an environmental and social sustainability policy in place. We also measure 1 social indicator looking at the health and well being of the community.
To get involved, find out more, or to comment in any way about Green Globe please contact Ian Challenger, council’s Environmental Development Officer and he will be pleased to help you.
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Public Consultation
We welcome your opinion on what is going on in your community. Many of the decisions Council makes will affect a variety of people across the district. Your opinion does make a difference.
There were a total of 46 submissions to the Draft Annual Plan 2005/2006, two of these included submissions on the proposed amendments to the Long Term Council Community Plan 2004-2014. Six submitters wished to be heard in support of their submission, and Council considered all submissions at its Hearing on Wednesday 22nd June in the Supper Room.
Forty-two of the submissions received related to support for Council increasing the tourism and development funding budget to $100,000, to provide for the employment of a tourism marketing person to promote Kaikoura nationally and internationally. These submissions required no changes to be made to the draft Plan.
Two submissions were in relation to the application of rates to their properties. As a result of these submissions, a paragraph explaining the definition of a rating unit has been included in the Funding Impact Statement on page 27.
As a result of one submission, Council has resolved to include a $5,000 grant funding for Te Rununga O Kaikoura to assist with costs relating to producing their Iwi Management Plan. The effect of this addition is that the general rates requirement will increase to provide for this grant.
One submission recommended that Council consider funding dog control from rates as well as, or instead of, dog registration fees. Council will consider the funding of dog control when it reviews its Revenue and Financing Policy this financial year.
The final submission included support for the desludging of the oxidation ponds and support for Council developing a structure plan for Kaikoura to guide the future growth of the township. No changes were made to the plan as a result of the submission as it was considered that the submission points were being catered for both within the Annual Plan and the Long Term Council Community Plan.
No other changes were made to the Draft Annual Plan, nor to the Long Term Council Community Plan, as a result of submissions.
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