It is critical to protect Karanui’s unique environment and surrounds today and into the future.
To ensure all residents understand the importance of protecting Karanui’s environment as well as their investment, a number of conditions have been developed to reinforce the role of residents as kaitiakitanga, and to maintain the high value of proper-ties within Karanui.
The council has also imposed on Karanui a number of conditions on housing, landscaping, water, waste, rubbish, maintenance and building re-strictions.
Karanui Residences
To enhance the development of Karanui’s open and inclusive community:
- Fences and barriers near the roadside will be low in height (up to 1m) and open in design, to support a sense of openness throughout the community. Plantings in front yards will also be kept low (up to 1.5m). With a limit of 4 larger specimen trees. Further back, fences, barriers and plantings may be slightly higher (from 1.5-2m) but no high hedges or plantations over 2m.
There are some quality standards for residential buildings within Karanui to ensure the overall ambience of the development is maintained. To achieve sense of community and ensure enjoyment for all residents, along with council requirements the following core building principles apply:
- Buildings can be no larger than 500m2 and up to 6m in height and all buildings on the site are to have roofing of the same structure, form, material and colours as the house itself and walls of the same colour to maintain consistency of design, as well as look and feel. Additional lifestyle buildings that sit behind the centre line of the house, are not required to have the same cladding materials as the home itself but colour should be kept consistent. All buildings will also be kept away from boundaries (3m from side boundary and 1m from rear boundary). On a small number of lots (1-7), we also ask that buildings are connected to the main house.
- The reflective element of building materials and applied finishes for building facades is to be 40% or lower, however this doesn’t apply to smaller architectural elements, such as joinery. For roof surfaces, residential fences and barriers, the reflectance value is to be 30% or lower.
- Residents are also required to screen tanks, to minimise visibility and are required to bury tanks to ensure they are no more than 1.2m out of the ground. Council requires a water supply of at least 25,000 litres and filter to 5 microns but bores are allowed to access the shallow and good quality aquifer below with appropriate consent.
- All buildings will be built of new materials using no low quality cladding. All improvements to be completed within 12 months of construction starting.
- Homes will be for residential purposes only, excluding trading or commercial activity from Karanui without special approval.
- Temporary premises may be erected during the period of construction of permanent buildings, for a period of less than twelve months. Exposed unfinished boats, vehicles or other construction projects will also be completed or removed from the property in less than 2 months.
- Caravans are accepted as a short-term accommodation option for visitors for less than two months in a year.
Vegetation and Riparian Protection
It is important to protect the existing mature indigenous trees within Karanui, which add to the unique character of the community.
This protection also extends to riparian planting, which has been undertaken to enhance the environmental health of the local streams and forests. Riparian areas will also be fenced as needed by the developer to protect these precious habitats from damage. Owners of these areas will be required to maintain weed and pest controls, after Evo Holdings has completed its three year establishment phase.
There are height restrictions for some planting on specific lots where shading of neighbours is of particular concern.
Pest and Predator Control
It is vital to protect the incredible beautiful natural surrounds of Karanui, including the wide range of native flora and fauna that thrive in and around the site. Karanui residents are kaitiakitanga of this precious resource, and will support the wellbeing of the environment in the following ways:
- Each household on lots 1-51 is welcome to have up to two cats and two dogs, lots 52-74 are not allowed cats with all animals spayed, neutered and always identifiable with collars or microchips, to protect local native birds and other wildlife. For this reason, mustelids and rodents are not acceptable pets in Karanui. Dog kennels are to be kept at least 5m from neighbouring properties, and dogs are to be kept securely controlled at all times.
- Residents are free to walk dogs on a leash throughout Karanui’s extensive walkways, while respecting the importance of not taking dogs into the Pukenui Forest, where intensive work is being undertaken to restore the kiwi population. A dog-proof fence has been developed to assist with keeping stray dogs away from the forest.
- Ongoing pest control within Karanui and Pukenui Forest poses a potential risk to wandering pets, so residents are encouraged to know where their pets are at all times, to protect them from this possible threat and owners agree they shall have no right of complaint should stray pets be harmed by environmental protection pest controls.
Roadways
The roadways have been specifically designed to slow traffic movements, for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. For this reason, any activity that causes an increase in heavy traffic is not appropriate, along with the parking of heavy commercial vehicles within Karanui.
To ensure the roadways always look their best, residents will keep tidy the roadside drains and berm in front of their section, along with maintaining any dry stone walls and boundary fences.
All letterboxes will be supplied by the Developer and will be maintained by the owner in same position and style.
Walkways
Extensive paths have been built throughout Karanui, and most will sit under the ownership of a charitable trust to ensure all residents have public access rights and to continue maintenance. Through pasture, walkways will be fenced to protect from stock. These fences along with dog-proof fencing and riparian fencing are to be maintained by the adjoining owner.
Waste
All Karanui residents will be responsible for keeping the community clean and tidy. This means avoiding the accumulation of rubbish on either the property or the adjoining roadside – particularly the swale drainage. Secondary treatment waste water disposal systems are also necessary for every lot to help protect the environment.
Farmed Lots
Great efforts have been made to accommodate small farmlets within Karanui, and in turn these residents will support the community by ensuring stock ratios are low and that cattle are young (under 2 years), with no adult male stock on the farm. If the surrounding residential environment causes concerns for any stock, they will be removed for their own benefit.
Fire fighting water supplies are included on some lots for the use of the fire service. The lot owner tasked with replenishing supply in reasonable time when required.
