Reserve management plans

Council manages and maintains over 130 parks and reserves on your behalf – from playgrounds and sportsgrounds, to esplanades and scenic and native bush reserves.

Reserve Management Plans guide how we use our parks and reserves

Reserve Management Plans guide the Council in the management and development of our parks and reserves, and reflect what the community values and how they like to use these spaces. They guide decisions for the reserve(s) by setting out objectives, policies and sometimes rules for how the reserve(s) are used, managed, protected or developed.

We’re reviewing and preparing reserve management plans

Government’s Reserves Act 1977 requires councils to ensure their reserves have fit-for-purpose management plans. Of the 130 parks and reserves council manages, most have no management plan in place and many of those that do are outdated.

We’re drafting an ‘omnibus’ plan that will cover all our open space reserves and meets our Open Space Strategy vision and priorities.

It will be easy to maintain and refer to and will be continually reviewed to reflect community needs and legal requirements.

Phases of the review

1. Notify intent to develop/review a Reserve Management Plan
2. Seek community and stakeholder feedback on the use, management and development of reserve/s
3. Prepare draft omnibus Reserve Management Plan 
4. Publicly notify and invite submissions on the draft plan
5. Analyse submissions
6. Hold a hearing of submissions
7. Decisions made on submissions
8. Implement approved Reserve Management Plans.

How you can get involved

Council ran a preliminary consultation on the Reserve Management Plan update from August to October 2025. This provided valuable feedback and insights that will help shape the development of the draft Reserve Management Plan.

The next opportunity to have your say will be when the draft Reserve Management Plan is prepared. This phase is the formal consultation under the Reserves Act 1977. Council calls for public submissions on the draft plan. Those wishing to speak to their submission may do so at a hearing. Following that, a final plan will be prepared and put to Council.

We aim to have the draft plan ready for submissions by the end of 2026.

To be notified directly about this project:

• Sign up for public notices
• Register to have your say
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter Everything Kāpiti for all Council updates and news. 

Current Reserve Management Plans