Chapter 23 - Subdivision and Development • Provision of public services, roads or utilities; • Creating or improving open spaces, recreation areas and/or amenity areas; and • Creating a financial resource to be used for any of the above purposes. Policy 3.1 Ensure that the acquisition of reserves is undertaken to enhance landscape, conservation and open space amenities, provide recreational areas, enable heritage protection and facilitate public access. Policy 3.2 Ensure that esplanade reserves are taken in order to facilitate public access, promote recreation values, manage landscape characteristics, protect conservation values, and take into account principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Policy 3.3 Ensure that all contributions are directly related to the public costs likely to be generated by the subdivision or development. Policy 3.4 Administer financial contributions in a transparent and effective way. Policy 3.5 Ensure that financial contributions are generally used to benefit the area within which the development or subdivision is located. A portion of reserve fund contributions will be utilised for district facilities and reserves. Policy 3.6 Apply financial contributions in a consistent way to subdivision consents, resource consents for development, and development arising from plan change requests. Policy 3.7 Council will waive or reduce contributions in relation to any particular proposal where the subdivider/developer suggests alternatives to avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of that proposal. The provisions of the Plan relating to financial contributions are aimed at ensuring the public costs of development are contributed to in a fair and reasonable way, by the developer. Two types of contributions are required as a result: i) The vesting of reserves and rights over riparian strips (esplanade strips), and/or payment of reserve fund contributions (including contributions for development); and ii) The vesting of roads and the contribution towards immediate servicing and the related servicing infrastructure. The provision of reserves and open space, along with the maintenance and development of existing reserves, is critical in the Sounds, eg, provision and maintenance of esplanade reserves, which are of district and national importance. The securing of esplanade reserves or strips is incorporated to further improve public access to and along the coast, rivers and lakes. This will contribute to the continued development of walkways in the area. 23 - 5