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77E: Local authority may make rule about financial contributions
or “Councils can make rules about money people must pay for certain activities to help the environment.”

You could also call this:

“This section explains important words and ideas used in the law about planning cities and towns.”

In this part of the law, you’ll find explanations for some important terms used in [sections 77G to 77T] and [Schedule 3A].

The “national planning standards” are rules for planning that the Ministry for the Environment created in November 2019. You can find these standards on their website.

An “urban environment” is any area of land that a local council wants to be mostly city-like. It doesn’t matter how big the area is or what boundaries it has. To be called an urban environment, the area needs to be part of a place where at least 10,000 people live and work.

An “urban non-residential zone” is any area in an urban environment that isn’t meant for houses or apartments. This could be places for shops, offices, or factories.

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Next up: 77G: Duty of specified territorial authorities to incorporate MDRS and give effect to policy 3 or 5 in residential zones

or “Big cities must change their rules to allow more homes to be built in neighbourhoods.”

Part 5 Standards, policy statements, and plans
Local authority policy statements and plans: Interpretation of sections 77F to 77T and Schedule 3A

77FInterpretation

  1. In this section, sections 77G to 77T, and Schedule 3A,—

    national planning standards means the national planning standards published by the Ministry for the Environment in November 2019 and available on an Internet site maintained by that ministry

      urban environment means any area of land (regardless of size, and irrespective of territorial authority or statistical boundaries) that—

      1. is, or is intended by the specified territorial authority to be, predominantly urban in character; and
        1. is, or is intended by the specified territorial authority to be, part of a housing and labour market of at least 10,000 people

          urban non-residential zone means any zone in an urban environment that is not a residential zone.

          Notes
          • Section 77F: inserted, on , by section 9 of the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (2021 No 59).