On the Agenda
Council to consider proposal to use of identified excess reserves sites for housing
Council will this week consider a recommendation from the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee to consult the community on a proposal to sell identified excess reserve sites and make them available for housing.
It was recommended the community be consulted to assist with decision-making about whether to proceed and how.
It is proposed that if the sale of identified reserve sites goes ahead, the proceeds of sale would be used to improve Rotorua’s reserves network, in the areas where sites are sold, and that this would be by way of improved facilities or purchasing new reserve land in areas where there is currently an under-supply.
The proposal identifies 10 sites – 2 full reserves and 8 parts of reserves – that do not meet the objectives of Council’s Open Space Level of Service Policy and could be used for housing of various types. The sites were identified during a review of urban reserves that was undertaken as part of implementing the open space policy, which was adopted last April following community consultation.
The areas proposed for disposal total approximately 9.5 hectares, about 0.6% of Council’s overall reserves network which currently includes more than 370 individual reserves totalling approximately 1500 hectares.
Two full reserves are identified for potential disposal – Gallagher Street Reserve, which is not used for recreation but for grazing animals; and Lee Road Reserve which has no facilities and is close to other large reserves.
Eight other sites identified for consideration are parts of reserves that fall short of safety design standards and/or have no clear purpose or function and/or are areas where safety is a concern.
The recommendations to the Council from the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee are
1. That the Council notes that the reserves or part reserves for possible revocation and disposal have been identified using the levels of service identified in the Council’s approved Open Spaces Level of Service Policy and the following criteria:
- There is excess reserve provision in the area;
- There is no clear purpose for or function of the reserve;
- The size of reserve significantly exceeds the minimum size identified in the Open Space Level of Service Policy and could be reduced without compromising recreation or open space values;
- The provision of housing on part of the reserve would improve the safety and use of the reserve;
- There are no viable options to improve the reserve to meet level of service standard.
2. That the Council notes the significant housing deficit that exists in the Rotorua urban area (identified in the Housing and Business Capacity Assessment (HBA)), the below average number of transitional and public homes available in Rotorua and significant emergency housing problems.
3. That the Council approve that consultation with neighbours of all reserves proposed and the wider community be undertaken through the distribution of a Statement of Proposal (SOP) document inviting written feedback, for a period of 4 weeks, on the proposals detailed below. That the feedback be used to inform Council’s decisions on:
- Whether or not to proceed with the revocation and disposal of any reserve or part reserve;
- The legal method for revocation and disposal (ie Local Bill or existing Reserves Act process);
- The reserves to be developed or enhanced with funds received from the proceeds of the disposal;
- Any conditions to be applied to housing development by the purchaser.
4. That the Council approve that the following reserves (two full reserves and eight parts of reserves) be proposed for revocation and disposal in the Statement of Proposal:
- Lee Road Reserve
- Coulter Road Reserve (part only)
- High Street Reserve (part only)
- Glenholme Reserve - 117 Clinkard Avenue (part only)
- Gallagher Street Reserve
- Linton Park West - 16 Kamahi Road (part only)
- Wrigley Road Reserve (part only)
- Turner Drive Reserve (part only)
- Park Road Reserve (part only)
- Steeles Lane Reserve (part only)
5. That the Council notes the Statement of Proposal identifies in-principle the preferred legal method for revocation and disposal of reserves be through a Local Bill and notes that all proceeds of land sales will be re-invested in improvements to existing reserves or the purchase of new reserves.
6. That the Council notes that it includes within the Statement of Proposal, that it supports in-principle, a direct sale to Kāinga Ora of the following reserves (or parts of Reserves):
- Lee Road Reserve
- Coulter Road Reserve (part only)
- High Street Reserve (part only)
- Glenholme Reserve - 117 Clinkard Avenue (part only)
- Turner Drive Reserve (part only)
- Steeles Lane Reserve (part only)
And that the sale of those reserves to Kāinga Ora be conditional on:
a. Kāinga Ora and Council reaching agreement on the value of the identified sites; and
b. Kāinga Ora committing to providing mixed model housing developments that includes a mix of social housing and progressive home ownership models and market sale; and
c. Kāinga Ora committing to delivering housing on the identified sites within two years.
7. That the Council notes, subject to consultation, that remaining identified reserves (or parts of reserves) be sold via market sale or directly to a community housing provider where appropriate, conditional on the purchaser committing to delivering housing within two years.
You’ll find the facts about the proposal at THIS LINK on Council’s website. This includes maps showing the identified sites.
Also on the agenda . . .
Proposal to revoke reserve status of holiday park land
Council is being asked to approve progressing the process to revoke the reserve status of land under the Thermal Holiday Park adjacent to Toi Ohomai, as set out by the Reserves Act 1977.
The recommendations include that Council note that all fair and reasonable steps have been taken to meet the conditions agreed as part of Council resolution in August 2017 to return part of the reserve to Ngāti Whakaue.
The recommendations also include that Council note that, given the land in question is recreation reserve, the effect of the resolution to revoke reserve status will involve a statutory process under the Reserves Act and a decision by the Minister of Conservation.
A report to Council’s Operations & Monitoring Committee earlier this month notes the land was originally gifted to the Crown by Ngāti Whakaue for public recreation purposes and was designated as a recreation reserve. It was later vested in Council by the Crown as recreation reserve under the provisions of the Reserves Act 1977. As such the underlying ownership of the land lies with the Crown.
In 1993 the Crown entered into a partial settlement with Ngati Whakaue (Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust) and pursuant to that agreement, the Crown committed to investigating the return of gifted reserves to Ngāti Whakaue if the land becomes surplus or if there is a change of use. Upon removal of the recreation reserve designation, the land will revert to Crown ownership and thereby extinguish Council’s role as the administering body of the reserve.
The land is leased by Council to Toi Ohomai with a 33-year lease term and a right of renewal for a further 33 years from July 2027.
Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust has been fully involved in discussions to return the land Toi Ohomai is supportive of the return. Both parties have demonstrated a desire to renegotiate the lease on commercial terms upon the return of the land.
The revocation of a reserve classification is governed by the Reserves Act 1977 and requires that Council follow a specific process that involves a resolution by Council to effect the revocation which then triggers a Crown-led process which includes a public consultation process.
Return of the land has been discussed between Council and Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust in the forum of the Ngāti Whakaue Gifted Reserves Protocol for some time. There have also been discussions with the Crown.
Go to p53 of the Operations & Monitoring Committee meeting agenda HERE to see the full report on this matter.
Extraordinary vacancy on Council
The Council must consider the action to be taken following the recent resignation of Cr Peter Bentley, whose formal resignation was received by the council’s chief executive on 2 May 2022.
The formal resignation created an extraordinary vacancy and as the resignation occurred less than 12 months before the next triennial election, to be held 8 October 2022, Council must determine to either appoint a person qualified to be elected as a member or to not fill the vacancy. The latter is recommended.
A report to the Council notes that with just three rounds (June, July and August) of Council meetings left before the 2022 Local Elections there would not be sufficient time to provide an adequate induction programme for an appointed member.
If Council resolved to fill the vacancy by appointment, it must establish the process or criteria to be used in making an appointment, requiring a report and recommendation for the June 2022 Council meeting. Once an appointment were made, public notice of the resolution for the appointment and the process or criteria by which the person named in the resolution was selected for appointment would be needed, requiring a report and recommendation for the July 2022 Council meeting. With August the last round of Council meetings, if the vacancy were filled by appointment, there would be just one Council meeting to attend before the Local Election.
See the full agenda for this week’s Council meeting HERE on Council’s website.
The meeting, which is being held in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre and starts at 9.30am on Thursday [26 May] is open to the public. The meeting is also being livestreamed and can be watched live or later via Council’s YouTube channel HERE.