Volume Two 1. Introduction 1. Introduction Volume 2 of the Marlborough Environment Plan (MEP) contains rules that control activities occurring in the Marlborough environment. The rules are a combination of district-wide rules and zone-based rules. In some cases, rules also apply as a result of specific management overlays. Volume 2 also contains a definitions section that defines the words, terms and phrases used in the MEP. General duty to comply All rules within the MEP have the force and effect of a statutory regulation, which means they are legally binding. Compliance with rules of the MEP does not remove the need to comply with any other relevant Act, regulation, bylaw or rule. It is the resource user’s responsibility to identify and understand all requirements they are required to comply with. Conversely, activities that may be allowed or permitted under other regulatory requirements, such as the Building Act 2004, may still require resource consent. Under Section 17 of the Resource Management Act (RMA), every person has a general duty to avoid, remedy, or mitigate any adverse effect on the environment arising from an activity carried on by or on behalf of the person, whether or not the activity is carried out in accordance with existing use rights under the RMA (Sections 10, 10A, 10B, and 20A) or a national environmental standard, a rule, a resource consent, or a designation. Activities One of the Council's functions is to implement rules in order to achieve the sustainable management purpose of the RMA. The rules are intended to implement the objectives, policies and methods of Volume 1. The matters on which rules can be applied are outlined in Sections 30 and 31 of the RMA. They include the following: • to manage the effects of land use and development; • to encourage the efficient use and development of natural and physical resources; • to maintain and enhance the quality of the environment; • to allocate public resources; • to ensure appropriate development on land subject to natural hazards; • to control the subdivision of land; • to control the emission of noise and to mitigate the effects of noise; • to maintain and enhance amenity values. Activity status The rules determine whether a proposed activity is permitted (and therefore does not require resource consent to undertake the activity) or whether a person needs to apply for a resource consent to authorise the proposed activity. The rules also make some activities prohibited. The RMA classifies activities into the following types: • permitted activities • controlled activities 1 – 1