16 February 2023
Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: Cycle Gabrielle's impact in the district and how housing decisions are made
Enquiry
I have some cyclone-related questions for each of you.
- Some people may question why the council would approve building homes in coastal and clifftop areas. How do you determine whether a place is suitable for building or not in light of homes being built on the coast, or in low-lying areas and at risk of flooding or other severe weather events?
- What influence, if any, will Cyclone Gabrielle have on the council’s future decision-making regarding consent for homes planned to be built in such areas?
- And how will this impact the need to provide more housing?
- What impact, if any, have these back-to-back storms had on the council’s ability to deliver on its core services and facilities? (kerbside collection comes to mind)
Obviously, I'll welcome any additional comment you feel would be important to include.
Response
Re impact on district: from Stavros Michael, DCE Infrastructure & Environmental Solutions:
Staff and contractors have been very busy responding to and investigating the instances of localised surface flooding affecting private properties but there has been no impact on 3-waters service delivery. Transport services were temporarily disrupted by very localised surface flooding and road obstructions from fallen trees and debris but those were dealt with relatively quickly. This work has diverted resources away from routine maintenance for a few days, but this should not result in any noticeable impact on service delivery.
Processing plant closures in Auckland meant that kerbside recycling was unable to be collected on Tuesday and Wednesday. This service will return to normal from Thursday (16 February) onwards.
Re housing decisions: from Jean-Paul Gaston, DCE District Development:
The Resource Management Act 1991 and the Building Act 2004 are national legislation that guides the way Council manages building and resource consents within Rotorua
Nationally, significant events such as flooding, fires or earthquakes can trigger changes to legislation. Council is in the process of developing a Future Development Strategy to manage growth over the next 30 years. The strategy will ensure growth happens in the right way and in the right places, and will take into consideration the natural risk areas and the impacts of climate change.