Possible structure for a single-topic regional plan

(Example for Water)

Structural component	Comments
Frontispiece Official name or title of plan Date notified / made operative Declaration as to being a true copy and being operative [as appropriate] Signatures of Mayor / Chairperson and Chief Executive Council seal [if appropriate]	Single page at very front of plan carrying information on what the plan is to be called, information as to which version or the plan the document is, and the legal status of the plan. The reverse side could carry publishing information and references to other key documents.
Contents Page	Key navigational tools for the plan, need to be easy to find so they are placed upfront.
Plan Purpose Legislative requirement (mandate) for the plan Functions of regional (or unitary] councils under the RMA (types of matters covered by the plan) Strategic overview and linkages to other planning documents	Provides the reader with a quick explanation as to the mandate for the plan, what it can cover by law, and how it fits in with other documents (LTCCP, RPS, other plans, section 32 reports, monitoring reports). This section is considered useful but is not mandatory.
Definitions Glossary [optional - see note as to status]	Definition of key terms used in the objectives, policies and rules of the plan arranged alphabetically. A glossary of terms defined in legislation may precede or follow the definitions section. If a glossary is included, be clear that it does not have the status of being part of the plan but is a resource provided for the benefit of readers (ie, explanatory).
Issues Overview: Description of resource [optional] Distribution of issues around region or district [optional] Cross-boundary issues [optional] Relationships between issues	Short section outlining the origin of issues in the plan and how they interrelate. This section is considered useful but is not mandatory.
[Tangata Whenua] [World View] [Issues] [Objectives] [Policies]	Optional separate chapter for those councils that have chosen to have a chapter dealing specifically with tangata whenua values and concerns. This chapter could include either an overview of tangata whenua values and concerns that contains details as to how the plan manages these, or a more fulsome policy framework.
Region-wide issues, objectives and policies: Issue 1: Use of water adversely affecting ecosystems Objective 1.1: Maintenance of biological diversity Objective 1.2: Enabling sustainable use of water resource Policy 1.1.1 Discharges into water Policy 1.1.2 Minimum flows Issue 2: Structures in waterways exacerbating or causing hazards	This section contains the policy framework for issues that are found throughout the region. The issues and provisions shown are for example purposes only and do not represent either the content required or the way provisions should be worded.
Issues, objectives and policies related to certain districts, specific zones or areas Issue 3: Adverse effects of nutrient levels in Lake Paraharaha Objective 3.1: Improving water quality in Lake Paraharaha Policy 3.1.1 Capping of phosphorous levels Issue 4: Water takes for horticulture in the Wherowai Water Management Area	This section contains the policy framework for issues that are limited in their geographic distribution and impact to discrete and identifiable areas of the region. The areas are arranged in alphabetical order.
Region-wide Rules Permitted Control of invasive aquatic plants Discharge of stormwater Controlled Alterations to course of river with flow up to WWW Utility structures on river or lake beds. Restricted discretionary Flood protection works Taking of ground water Discretionary Alterations to course of river with flow exceeding WWW Dams with a storage capacity exceeding XXX Prohibited Discharge to water from nuclear processing facilities.	This section of the plan contains rules for managing the issues that apply across the city or district. Rules are arranged by activity class and then under issue or topics alphabetically for ease of reference. Cross-references within rules link back to issues, objectives and policies as necessary.
District/ Zone / area-specific Rules Rules for Lake Paraharaha Permitted Controlled Restricted Discretionary Discretionary Non-complying Prohibited Rules for the Wherowai Water Management Area Permitted Controlled Restricted Discretionary Discretionary Non-complying Prohibited	Zone or area-specific rules are grouped according to each geographic area they are specific to. Each zone or area is listed in alphabetical order to enable them to be found easily in tables of contents etc. The names shown in this document are examples only. Councils should select those that best reflect their region or district. Within each zone or area rules are set out according to the hierarchy of activity classes. Cross-references within rules link back to issues, objectives and policies as necessary.
Schedules (or Appendices] Schedule One: Minimum flows and Allocation Tables Schedule Two: Natural Values For Surface Water Schedule Three: Wetlands of Significance Schedule Four: Statutory Acknowledgements	The schedules [or appendices] contain information that is too large for, or would interrupt, the flow of provisions if placed into policies and rules. As with other provisions of the plan, they are arranged in alphabetical order as much as practicable. Those shown here are for example purposes only. It is expected that councils will choose their own on an 'as needed ' basis.

Structural component

Comments

Frontispiece

Official name or title of plan
Date notified / made operative
Declaration as to being a true copy and being operative [as appropriate]
Signatures of Mayor / Chairperson and Chief Executive
Council seal [if appropriate]

Single page at very front of plan carrying information on what the plan is to be called, information as to which version or the plan the document is, and the legal status of the plan. The reverse side could carry publishing information and references to other key documents.

Contents Page

Key navigational tools for the plan, need to be easy to find so they are placed upfront.

Plan Purpose

Legislative requirement (mandate) for the plan
Functions of regional (or unitary] councils under the RMA (types of matters covered by the plan)
Strategic overview and linkages to other planning documents

Provides the reader with a quick explanation as to the mandate for the plan, what it can cover by law, and how it fits in with other documents (LTCCP, RPS, other plans, section 32 reports, monitoring reports).

This section is considered useful but is not mandatory.

Definitions

Glossary [optional - see note as to status]

Definition of key terms used in the objectives, policies and rules of the plan arranged alphabetically. A glossary of terms defined in legislation may precede or follow the definitions section. If a glossary is included, be clear that it does not have the status of being part of the plan but is a resource provided for the benefit of readers (ie, explanatory).

Issues Overview:

Description of resource [optional]
Distribution of issues around region or district [optional]
Cross-boundary issues [optional]
Relationships between issues

Short section outlining the origin of issues in the plan and how they interrelate.

This section is considered useful but is not mandatory.

[Tangata Whenua]

[World View]

[Issues]

[Objectives]

[Policies]

Optional separate chapter for those councils that have chosen to have a chapter dealing specifically with tangata whenua values and concerns. This chapter could include either an overview of tangata whenua values and concerns that contains details as to how the plan manages these, or a more fulsome policy framework.

Region-wide issues, objectives and policies:

Issue 1: Use of water adversely affecting ecosystems

Objective 1.1: Maintenance of biological diversity

Objective 1.2: Enabling sustainable use of water resource

Policy 1.1.1 Discharges into water

Policy 1.1.2 Minimum flows

Issue 2: Structures in waterways exacerbating or causing hazards

This section contains the policy framework for issues that are found throughout the region. The issues and provisions shown are for example purposes only and do not represent either the content required or the way provisions should be worded.

Issues, objectives and policies related to certain districts, specific zones or areas

Issue 3: Adverse effects of nutrient levels in Lake Paraharaha

Objective 3.1: Improving water quality in Lake Paraharaha

Policy 3.1.1 Capping of phosphorous levels

Issue 4: Water takes for horticulture in the Wherowai Water Management Area

This section contains the policy framework for issues that are limited in their geographic distribution and impact to discrete and identifiable areas of the region. The areas are arranged in alphabetical order.

Region-wide Rules

Permitted
- Control of invasive aquatic plants
- Discharge of stormwater
Controlled
- Alterations to course of river with flow up to WWW
- Utility structures on river or lake beds.
Restricted discretionary
- Flood protection works
- Taking of ground water
Discretionary
- Alterations to course of river with flow exceeding WWW
- Dams with a storage capacity exceeding XXX
Prohibited
- Discharge to water from nuclear processing facilities.

This section of the plan contains rules for managing the issues that apply across the city or district. Rules are arranged by activity class and then under issue or topics alphabetically for ease of reference. Cross-references within rules link back to issues, objectives and policies as necessary.

District/ Zone / area-specific Rules

Rules for Lake Paraharaha
- Permitted
- Controlled
- Restricted Discretionary
- Discretionary
- Non-complying
- Prohibited
Rules for the Wherowai Water Management Area
- Permitted
- Controlled
- Restricted Discretionary
- Discretionary
- Non-complying
- Prohibited

Zone or area-specific rules are grouped according to each geographic area they are specific to. Each zone or area is listed in alphabetical order to enable them to be found easily in tables of contents etc. The names shown in this document are examples only. Councils should select those that best reflect their region or district.

Within each zone or area rules are set out according to the hierarchy of activity classes.

Cross-references within rules link back to issues, objectives and policies as necessary.

Schedules (or Appendices]

Schedule One: Minimum flows and Allocation Tables
Schedule Two: Natural Values For Surface Water
Schedule Three: Wetlands of Significance
Schedule Four: Statutory Acknowledgements

The schedules [or appendices] contain information that is too large for, or would interrupt, the flow of provisions if placed into policies and rules.

As with other provisions of the plan, they are arranged in alphabetical order as much as practicable. Those shown here are for example purposes only. It is expected that councils will choose their own on an 'as needed ' basis.

Maps and Structure Plans

Plan index map
Large-scale maps
- Aquifer protection areas
- Catchment boundaries
- Lake Paraharaha Management Area
- Statutory acknowledgement boundaries
- Wherowai Water Management Area
Small-scale maps
- CMA boundaries at river mouths
- Wetlands of significance.
Special policy areas [optional]
- Taipu River gravel extraction area
Index of main streets, roads, rivers, streams, lakes, and other key landmarks (text of names with map and grid reference numbers)

Maps are in a separate volume to allow them to open alongside plan provisions and printed on paper of a different size.

Maps are arranged so that the largest-scale and more general maps are placed first and the smaller-scale and more detailed maps toward the back.