Council decisions
Council today approved a Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee recommendation to dispose of some reserve sites in Rotorua and enable these to be used for housing, with any proceeds to be used for reserves network improvements.
The recommendation from the Committee followed consultation, hearings and deliberations. A number of changes were made to the original proposal following consultation.
SP&F Committee recommendation approved by Council today:
- Coulter Road Reserve (Part) to be retained and staff to work with community to identify opportunities to improve reserve.
- Steeles Lane Reserve (Part) to be retained as likely unfeasible for development.
- Wrigley Road Reserve (Part): Revoke status of part of the reserve and partner with Ko Te Tuara Totara O Fordlands Incorporated Society (KTTToF) to progress housing development (noting this recommendation requires a Local Bill to progress).
- High Street Reserve (Part): Progress process for disposal and development of the reserve working with the kindergarten to explore options for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site that improves outcomes for the kindergarten and the function, quality and accessibility of the reserve, noting that any proceeds of sale will be required to improve the quality of the retained reserve area.
- 171 Clinkard Avenue: Direct sale to Kāinga Ora (noting this recommendation requires a Local Bill to progress). Noting that the proceeds of sale will be used to improve recreation provision on the reserve.
- Turner Drive Reserve (Part): Progress two stage process for disposal and development of part (reduced to 50%) of the site and direct reinvestment into Turner Drive Reserve and Western Heights (noting requires Local Bill to progress)
- Park Road Reserve (Part): Progress two stage process for disposal and development of part of the site (as proposed) and direct reinvestment into Park Road Reserve and Western Heights.
- Linton Park West (Part) – 16 Kamahi Road: Site to have reserve status revoked but decision on disposal or development parked while further investigation and discussions are undertaken with the Linton Park Community Centre, mana whenua and the wider community.
- Gallagher Street Reserve: Progress two stage process for disposal and development of the site with proceeds to be used to improve quality of other reserves in vicinity.
- Lee Road Reserve to be retained
- Chief Executive to pursue a draft local bill that achieves the recommendations for each of the identified reserve sites.
- First right of refusal and subsequent expressions of interest process to be adopted for disposal of sites with criteria to be confirmed in subsequent Council meeting.
The recommendation was taken as a whole and Councillors Tania Tapsell, Sandra Kai Fong, Raj Kumar, Reynold Macpherson and Fisher Wang voted against.
Cr Mercia Yates asked that her opposition to one aspect, being the part of the recommendation relating to Gallagher Street Reserve, be noted.
As the voting was split 5/5, the Mayor, as Chair of the meeting, had to use her casting vote and voted in favour, which meant the recommendation was passed.
Background
Assessment of the city’s reserves was part of implementing the Open Space Level of Service Policy adopted by Council last year and identified reserves and parts of reserves that did not meet the objectives of the policy.
Council subsequently approved work be undertaken to assess whether these sites could potentially be viable for housing to contribute to solutions to Rotorua’s housing shortage.
A proposal was then developed, identifying 10 sites – 2 full reserves and 8 parts of reserves – that could potentially be sold and made available for housing. Revocation of reserve status would be required to enable the sale of the sites and a Local Bill was recommended as the fastest way to achieve revocation.
In May this year Council approved taking the proposal out to public consultation.
This was followed by hearings before the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee which subsequently (11 August 2022) deliberated on the feedback received and made the above recommendation for the Council’s consideration this week.
The report relating to the recommendation considered by the Council today was included in the agenda for the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee meeting held 11 August 2022 and can be viewed via THIS LINK (go to p35). View the presentation to the Committee on 11 August HERE.
Development Contributions Policy adopted
Council has adopted a Development Contributions Policy on the recommendation of the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee which considered feedback following consultation.
Development contributions are charges set out in the Local Government Act, applied to new developments and rejuvenated brownfield developments. They can be applied at any stage in the process (subdivision, building consent or service connection), and can only be used to fund new growth-related infrastructure identified in Council’s Long-term Plan.
Development contributions are different to financial contributions set under the Resource Management Act and most councils in New Zealand now have some type of development contribution charge.
The reintroduction of development contributions in Rotorua is being considered due to the growth the district is currently experiencing (a previous Development Contributions Policy was phased out in the 2014/15 financial year).
The need for development contributions has been signalled in Council’s last two Long-term Plans and between 16 May and 16 June this year Council sought feedback on a draft Policy, with hearings held in July. Consultation aimed to test who the community thought should pay for growth in Rotorua – developers or ratepayers.
A report relating to the above recommendations was included in the agenda for the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee meeting held 11 August 2022 and can be viewed via THIS LINK (go to p29).View supporting documents on Council’s website HERE.
Tarawera sewerage reticulation scheme update
Council today considered recommendations in relation to progressing a previously approved two-stage approach to the Tarawera sewerage reticulation scheme.
The recommendations were dealt with in confidential but the overview was provided in the public section of the meeting at the request of Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, due to the public interest.
It is proposed to progress Stage 1, which involves construction of the sewerage trunk mains and pump stations, while efforts to compress costs for Stage 2 continue. Stage 2 will involve the installation of on-site treatment systems and connection to the mains.
Decisions on Stage 2 will happen in the future but delaying Stage 1 could put at risk $6.5m in Ministry for the Environment (MfE) funding that has been secured but which is contingent on work progressing across the next two years, DCE Infrastructure and Environmental Solutions Stavros Michael explained.
Tarawera is one of the last communities in the Rotorua district to be reticulated and Mr Michael said the cost of reticulation schemes had grown significantly over the years. He said there was a legitimate concern within the Tarawera community about how much cost they would incur as their contribution to the scheme and council staff would continue to engage with the community.
The community recently received an update from the council following approval by Council for a two-stage approach to provide time to compress costs for Stage 2 as much as possible following an unacceptably high estimate that far exceeded previous estimates. Property owners were asked to indicate if they supported the two-stage approach with the majority indicating they did.
Of the 349 responses received, 270 indicated their preference for the two-stage approach with 190 indicating a preference for the other option provided by Council, to delay the entire scheme until cost-compression could be achieved, noting this could put the $6.5m in MfE funding at risk.
There were no responses from 149 property owners and as the council indicated in its letter, no response would be taken to be supportive of progressing.
A new option devised by a resident received support from some in the Tarawera community but contained a number of inaccurate assumptions and inaccurate information and was not an option that had been considered by Council. Mr Michael explained this was not an option that Council could consider today because it would require a change to Council’s current LTP and financial policy and would require community-wide consultation.
Other decisions today
Disposal of surplus property at 283 Clayton Road: Council approved the disposal of the surplus site through an expression of interest process.
Delegation of Authority for the Chief Executive to approve contracts: Council approved delegating authority for the Chief Executive to approve a contract for urban water renewals, and a contract for the design and build of a new reservoir on Tarawera Road to service current and future needs in the city’s eastern suburbs.
Delegations during Interim Election Period: Council approved delegation of Council responsibilities, duties and powers to the Chief Executive, within the limits set out in the Local Government Act 2002. This is a standard delegation of authority which will be in place from the day after election results are declared until the swearing in of the new Council.