This manual has been assembled for Tasman District Council and includes Council Policies and Procedures affecting Council’s Transportation Network.
It is also broken down into chapters below.
This introductory policy outlines Council's management of Tasman Roads. It outlines the key documents, definitions, enforcement requirements, fees, and the scope of activities related to the use and occupation of roads.
This policy outlines the Council's guidelines for safely conducting certain activities and events on or near roads, ensuring they do not cause damage to road infrastructure.
This policy explains how property owners can apply to build driveways (vehicle crossings and accessways) to their properties, for either private or commercial use.
The location and standard of construction of a driveway will be specified by the road controlling authority (Tasman District Council) with an approved permit.
Driveway access can only be constructed by a Tasman District Council approved contractor.
For more information about driveways (vehicle access crossings), please contact the Community Infrastructure Department on 03 543 8400.
This policy states that new open drains in the road margin, including accessway or side culverts, are not allowed without written Council approval.
These drains mainly serve adjacent land, not the road, and are generally not maintained by the Council. Under Council policy and the Land Drainage Act 1908, adjacent landowners are responsible for their upkeep. NZTA and the Council will only fund maintenance in proportion to the road’s benefit. Council may step in if public assets are at risk.
This policy explains the Council’s policy for allowing fencing within road margins under appropriate circumstances.
This policy explains how the Council manages utilities within the road reserve and provide guidance around on the installation of privately owned services in these areas.
This policy explains how Council ensures public safety during special events, maintenance, or unforeseen circumstances on or near the roadway. It protects workers, participants, and passers-by, and maintains emergency access. The Council also requires adequate notice to those affected, and an opportunity for these parties to provide feedback on temporary road closures.
Chapter 7 Temporary Closure of Roads.pdf (pdf 49 KB)
This policy provides guidelines on measures to reduce dust impacts on homes near gravel roads. The Council does not provide dust suppression agents or their application. We do try to use roading metal that is less prone to producing dust. Residents may apply for a permit to use approved dust suppressants, subject to conditions and approval.
This policy outlines that the Council generally does not seal gravel (unsealed) roads at its own expense due to limited funding and the high cost of such works. However, the Council may approve requests from those who wish to seal unsealed roads at their own cost. The Council will approve sealing based on minimising future maintenance costs.
This policy outlines the process for managing public requests to form legal (paper) roads.
This policy explains the Council’s approach to partially formed roads within legal road corridors that it does not maintain. These roads are not regularly inspected. Council may install signs to warn of risks, and users must avoid trespassing on private land. The Council will only provide funds towards upgrades or ongoing maintenance if there is clear public benefit and sufficient funding is available.
Chapter 11 Partially Formed Legal Roads Not Maintained.pdf (pdf 78 KB)
This policy outlines the process for managing public requests to stop sections of legal road. Road stopping is the process of removing a road's legal status and granting freehold title to that land, allowing it to be sold to the adjoining landowner.
This policy explains when the Council may permit gates or cattle stops across roads and outlines the associated process and requirements.
Chapter 13 Gates and cattle stops across public roads.pdf (pdf 52 KB)
This policy explains the importance of keeping road surfaces clear of materials that could compromise safety or reduce the lifespan of the road.
This policy outlines when the Council may permit temporary roadside grazing under appropriate circumstances.
In the case of Type 1 Unformed Roads these are often incorporated into an existing property.
Apply to graze the road margin
If you have any queries regarding grazing the road margin, contact the Community Infrastructure team on 03 543 8400.
This policy states that the Council generally does not allow storage on road margins except in exceptional circumstances. Some private structures, like mailboxes, are usually permitted. Most others – such as rural school, bus shelters or gateway structures require a Licence to Occupy approved by the Council. Encroachments over 20m2 are charged market rental as determined by valuer.
This policy allows rural property owners to apply for a 'no spray' frontage if they manage vegetation to the Council’s satisfaction. In urban and peri-urban areas, adjacent landowners are expected to maintain the road verge, as the Council does not budget for this except in limited garden areas.
Chapter 17 Vegetation Control.pdf (pdf 64 KB)
We are responsible for the chemical and mechanical control of vegetation within the road reserve. The chemical control is split into two main activities, the control of vegetation around roading infrastructure and dealing with invasive pest plant species.
This includes the use of knock-down and residual herbicides to remove problematic vegetation growing in the road reserve and around street furniture. The active herbicides authorised under our resource consent are norflurazon, oryzalin, simazine, terbuthylazine, glyphosate, metsulfuron, haloxyfop, triclopyr and picloram/triclopyr. Methods for treatment are foliar and basal spraying.
Residents can request that their rural or peri-rural property frontage not be chemically sprayed and instead complete the vegetation control themselves. On approval Council will mark the no spray area with red marker pegs.
You can complete this online application form to have your property included on the no spray database.
If you prefer, you can download a copy of the form below. The completed form should be sent to:
Attention: Technical Officer - Transportation
Tasman District Council, Private Bag 4, Richmond 7050.
You can also email the completed form here.
Rural residents who choose the no spray; option must control the vegetation growth along their property frontage to ensure road users are not impeded and all roadside signs and markers are clearly visible. Vegetation height should not exceed 300mm.
Any stormwater drainage ditches need to be kept clear of excess vegetation. At intersections vegetation must be kept well clear to ensure good sight lines for traffic using the intersection.
Contractors employed by NZTA Waka Kotahi undertake an ongoing vegetation control programme to ensure that roadside vegetation does not affect the safety or operation of the regions state highway network.
This programme includes the spraying of chemical herbicides including the following active ingredients: Glyphosate, Metsulfuron, Terbuthylazine and Triclopyr. These sprays are applied from a vehicle via a mechanical arm or boom, or a handheld device.
Persons wishing to register their property as a no-spray zone, which requires a commitment to maintain a property and highways frontage to specifications provided by NZTA Waka Kotahi, may do so by contacting:
Lauran Condon on 03 903 2818 or [email protected].
If you wish to talk to someone at the Council about the no spray list, please contact the Community Infrastructure team on 03 543 8400.
This policy explains the process for residents or organisations to make changes to tree and shrubs on roadsides.
This policy ensures that regulatory, way finding and advertising traffic control devices (signs) are suitable for their location and installed correctly.
This policy outlines the process for managing public requests to install convex mirrors. These devices are considered a last resort and specifies the circumstances under which they may be installed. The Council will accept no liability or responsibility for matters relating to the road mirror.
This policy outlines the criteria and process for installing school and pedestrian crossings, including Kea crossings.
This policy outlines the process for landowners seeking approval to build Coastal Erosion Protection Structures (CEPS) on road reserves or unformed legal roads. Roads are generally unsuitable for CEPS, and public access must be maintained. Proposals must consider cultural and environmental factors, with a preference for soft engineering over hard structures. An expert assessment is required to justify the structure, with all costs paid by the landowner. Council also reserves the right to remove the CEPS if necessary.
We understand that some residents have concerns about blind spots created when vehicles park on the road and ask us to install yellow no stopping lines to prevent this. The safety risk will vary from site-to-site so we need to consider and assess each one. The requests and our assessments are collected and presented to the Operations Committee. The Committee reviews this information and will approve some requests where appropriate.
Once approved, the new yellow no stopping yellow lines are listed in our Traffic Control Bylaw, so they can be legally enforced. Our contractors will then carry out the new line marking as part of their work programme.
If you have concerns about a street in your area and want no stopping lines to be considered, please email us with an explanation of your concern and a map or photo (if possible). We will contact you if any further information is required.
This document sets out Council’s approach to managing town centre parking for cars and other vehicles in Motueka and Richmond.
It focuses on Motueka and Richmond because these are our largest urban areas and parking in these towns is under the greatest strain.
Read the Richmond Motueka town centre car parking strategy here (pdf 2.2 MB).
Delineation is a term used to describe elements that provide guidance to motorists using roads. Such elements include road markings, signage and raised pavement markings. The Road Delineation policy provides guidelines for the consistent use of road markings or devices.
View the Road Delineation Policy (pdf 888 KB)
The council manages the naming of streets throughout the District and endeavours to meet suggested names that are submitted by developers or residents. The use of Māori names is encouraged. Duplication of names within Tasman and Nelson City is discouraged.
Read more about the Road Naming Policy. (pdf 588 KB)
If you wish to apply to name a new road or rename an exisiting road, you can complete this online application form.
