Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan The maintenance and development of utility networks can have adverse land stability, water quality and visual effects. Some utility network structures, such as transmitters and masts, need to be sited in prominent positions in the landscape in order to fulfill their function. The essential nature of utility services, the specificity of site suitability, and the adverse effects of their prominence all need to be taken into consideration. Adverse visual effects tend to be the most obvious and persistent while land disturbance and adverse water quality effects are generally related to construction and maintenance and tend to be short-term. Other adverse effects can include noise, electro-magnetic radiation and interference between similar electrical and telecommunication equipment. 20.3 Objectives and Policies Objective 1 The continued operation, maintenance and development of essential utility networks necessary to sustain people and communities in the Plan area. Policy 1.1 Enable utility operators to maintain and develop reticulated utility networks throughout the Plan area. Policy 1.2 Enable individuals to contribute to or provide their own utility needs in appropriate areas. Policy 1.3 Ensure that utility infrastructure is programmed to have capacity to accommodate future developments of serviced settlements. Policy 1.4 Ensure Plan provision for sustainable management of utilities and planning certainty for utility operators. Policy 1.5 Enable buildings, structures and equipment necessary or ancillary to utility networks to be established throughout the Plan area. Policy 1.6 Provide a fair and reasonable means of financing extension of community utility networks without placing an unfair burden on the general community, which may include total funding by the developer. Policy 1.7 Assess proposals for new utilities by acknowledging the necessary roles, and the locational and operational constraints they experience. Objective 2 Establishment and operation of utility networks in a way that avoids, remedies and mitigates the adverse effects of those networks on the environment. Policy 2.1 Require use of construction and maintenance practices, associated with utility management, which avoid, remedy and mitigate land disturbance, including disturbance of archeological sites. Policy 2.2 Ensure that utility network construction, maintenance and operation avoids adverse effects on water quality. 20 - 2