Volume One 13. Use of the Coastal Environment [C] Policy 13.10.14 – A jetty shall be used to facilitate access between a vessel and the land. A jetty shall not be used for storing boats, boating equipment, marine farming equipment or other gear. The primary purpose of a jetty is to provide access between a boat and the land. A jetty should not be used for any other purpose. Where storage for boats, boating equipment or other gear is required, this should occur on private land or, if the circumstances are appropriate and have regard to the policies, in a boatshed. [C] Policy 13.10.15 – Reduce the visual impact of jetties on the coastal environment by: (a) limiting the width of jetties to two metres; (b) where practicable, using floating jetties, which tend to have a lower profile than fixed jetties and provide easier access to the shore; (c) limiting the size, colour and height of mooring piles associated with the jetty; (d) discouraging the use of jetties (or parts of jetties) that run parallel to the shore, as they can cause greater visual impact than jetties perpendicular to the shore; (e) avoiding the use of boatlifts alongside jetties for boat storage; (f) avoiding locating lights on jetties (other than those required to facilitate access); (g) encouraging new jetties, link spans and piles to be built from materials that are non-reflective or painted in non-reflective colours; (h) avoiding the use of highly-coloured fenders; and (i) avoiding signs on jetties other than those assisting emergency services. As jetties can have an impact on visual amenity and landscape values, this policy sets out matters that can help to reduce these impacts. Decision makers should therefore have regard to these matters, including consideration of the scale of a jetty in relation to the proposed location. [C] Policy 13.10.16 – Reduce impacts on public use and access to, within and along the coastal marine area, along the foreshore and on navigational safety, by; (a) considering whether the jetty can be sited at one end of a beach rather than in the middle, having regard to land ownership; (b) requiring the provision of public access around the landward end of the jetty; and (c) requiring the jetty to be made available for public use. The rocky nature of the Marlborough Sounds foreshore makes public access along the coast difficult at many locations. Structures such as jetties, which are built to connect to the land, can inhibit public access and the policy directs that this be considered. Conversely, jetties do have the ability to enhance public access to the foreshore, which is consistent with Section 6(d) of the RMA. This, along with other public access policy in the MEP, states that coastal permits will be conditioned to require jetties to be available for public use. [C] Policy 13.10.17 – Avoid the construction of jetties that effectively create a marina type berth, i.e. a structure that runs along both sides of a boat. With the use of a jetty having been described in Policy 13.10.13 as for embarkation and disembarkation purposes between a boat and the land and not for providing berthage for boats, 13 – 29