Natural hazards
The Far North District experiences natural hazards in many different forms. The main areas of effect are slippage and flooding.
Identifying and addressing natural hazards
The Regional Council identifies hazard areas such as coastal hazard, indicative areas of flooding and erosion prone. FNDC has GIS mapping which identifies hazards, suspect ground and known events. Refer to Maps and Aerials for links.
Natural hazards are addressed by a range of regulatory processes, some of which arise under the Building Act 2004.The Building Act defines a 'natural hazard' as:-
- Erosion including coastal erosion, bank erosion, and sheet erosion
- Falling debris including soil, rock, snow, and ice
- Subsidence
- Inundation including flooding, overland flow, storm surge, tidal effects & ponding
- Slippage
FNDC as the Building Consent Authority (BCA) must refuse to grant a building consent for the construction of a building, or major alterations to a building, under Section 71(1)(a) & (b) of the Building Act if:
The land is subject to 1 or more natural hazards or the building work is likely to accelerate, worsen, or result in a natural hazard on that land, or any other property.