Volume One 9. Public Access and Open Space (h) taking an esplanade reserve or esplanade strip would not enhance public access to or along the waterbody over time. Under the RMA (Section 230), esplanade reserves 20 metres wide are required where any allotment of less than 4 hectares is created when land is subdivided adjacent to the coast, lakes and rivers. The Council has the discretion to waive or vary the requirement for esplanade reserves or strips. The policy identifies those circumstances where in public access terms, a waiver or reduction in width may be appropriate. Regard should also be had to the special circumstances identified in policies in Chapter 8 – Indigenous Biodiversity, Chapter 11 - Natural Hazards and Chapter 15 - Resource Quality (Water, Air, Soil). There are some locations adjacent to waterbodies in urban areas, for which there has been a practice adopted to reduce the width of esplanade reserve or esplanade strip. These include adjacent to waterbodies in urban areas where an 8 metre wide reserve or strip has been taken. This is because a 20 metre wide esplanade reserve or strip could effectively render any future development of an urban property impossible, as urban properties are generally smaller than rural properties. Impacts on public access [C, D] Policy 9.1.13 – When considering resource consent applications for activities, subdivision or structures in or adjacent to the coastal marine area, lakes or rivers, the impact on public access shall be assessed against the following: (a) whether the application is in an area identified as having a high degree of importance for public access, as set out in Policy 9.1.1; (b) the need for the activity/structure to be located in the coastal marine area and why it cannot be located elsewhere; (c) the need for the activity/structure to be located in a river bed and why it cannot be located elsewhere; (d) the extent to which the activity/subdivision/structure would benefit or adversely affect public access, customary access and recreational use, irrespective of its intended purpose; (e) in the coastal marine area, whether exclusive rights of occupation are being sought as part of the application; (f) for the Marlborough Sounds, whether there is practical road access to the site of the application; (g) how public access around or over any structure sought as part of an application is to be provided for; (h) whether the impact on public access is temporary or permanent and whether there is any alternative public access available; and (i) whether public access is able to be restricted in accordance with Policies 9.2.1 and 9.2.2. These criteria provide a framework to assist decision makers in assessing the effects on public access to and along the coast, rivers and lakes arising through resource consent applications for subdivision, activities or structures. [C, D] Policy 9.1.14 – Where existing public access to or along the coastal marine area, lakes and rivers is to be lost through a proposed use, development or structure, alternative access may be considered as a means to mitigate that loss. In some cases public access may be lost as a consequence of a particular use or development. Where it is not possible to avoid this loss, environmental benefits may be obtained by imposing 9 – 7