On the agenda - SP&F Committee meeting
10 May 2022
Draft Development Contributions Policy to be considered at SP&F Committee meeting
At this Thursday’s Strategy Policy and Finance Committee meeting, elected members will consider a draft Development Contributions Policy for community consultation.
The development of the policy has been flagged in both the 2018 – 2028 Long-term Plan and the 2021 – 2031 Long-term Plan.
The key purpose of development contributions is to ensure the developer that creates the need for growth infrastructure, pays a fair share of the capital cost for new or expanded infrastructure.
As Rotorua grows, so does the need for reliable infrastructure. It is Rotorua Lakes Council’s responsibility to ensure there is sufficient infrastructure to cater for the expected growth.
Council has previously had a Development Contributions Policy. This was adopted as part of its Long-term Plan in 2006.
Following the Global Financial Crisis, the Rotorua economic environment was in a ‘low’ to ‘no growth’ phase, and at this time development contributions were perceived as a disincentive to growth in the Rotorua context.
The Council at the time clearly indicated they were committed to doing what they could to enable investment in Rotorua and the removal of the Development Contributions Policy was undertaken as a special consultative procedure as part of the 2014 Annual Plan process and development contributions were phased out over the 2014-15 financial year.
Over the last five years, due to a wide range of factors, Rotorua has become a destination city. This has led to exponential growth needs across the city. With this demand for growth, the infrastructure that caters for this growth needs to be created. This infrastructure needs to be timely and comes at a cost.
Development contributions ensure the developers are paying their fair share towards the growth related requirements of the district - taking the burden off ratepayers in the district.
On Thursday the Committee is being asked to approve the draft Development Contributions Policy for the purpose of community consultation through a Special Consultative Procedure.
If approved, community consultation on the draft Policy would begin on Monday 16 May and run until 16 June 2022, with 1 September 2022 being the indicative go-live date for the Policy.
View the full report going to the Committee on page 20 of the meeting agenda HERE.
View the Statement of Proposal HERE and the draft Development Contributions Policy HERE.
On Thursday, the Committee will also consider a proposal to use excess reserve sites for housing. Learn more about this HERE.
The Committee will also consider draft Statements of Intent for Council Controlled Organisations for the Year Commencing 1 July 2022.
You can view the full public agenda for Thursday’s Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee meeting HEREon Council’s website.
Thursday’s meeting starts at 9.30am in the Council Chamber and is open to the public to attend. Wearing of masks is required to enter the Council building and while moving around the building.
The meeting will also be livestreamed and you can access livestreaming via THIS LINK on Council’s website or by going directly to Council’s You Tube channel HERE. The full recording will be available via You Tube following the meeting.