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CITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
13 FEBRUARY 1996
A meeting of the City Services Committee
was held on Tuesday 13 February 1996 at 4.00 p.m.
PRESENT: Councillor Denis O'Rourke (Chairman),
The Mayor, Ms Vicki Buck,
Councillors Carole Anderton, David Buist,
David Close, Graham Condon, Carole Evans,
Gordon Freeman, Ian Howell and Ron Wright.
APOLOGIES: Councillor David Buist arrived at 4.25 pm and was present for all clauses. Councillors Gordon Freeman and Graham Condon retired at 6.40 pm and were present for all clauses except 9, 10, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 12 and 13. Councillor Ron Wright retired at 6.50 pm and was present for all clauses except 10, 11.7, 11.8, 12 and 13. The Committee reports that: PART A - MATTERS REQUIRING A COUNCIL DECISION
1. CANADA GEESE CONTROL
Officer responsible Author
Waste Manager Mike Bourke, Liquid Waste Manager
Dennis Morgan, Committee Secretary
Corporate Plan Output: Liquid Waste Treatment
The purpose of this report is to consider a request from the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council for a cull of Canada Geese from the Bromley oxidation ponds and farm. Deputations were received from the North Canterbury Fish & Game Council and the North Canterbury Federated Farmers. Mr G Ottman, Fish & Game Officer and Mr I Stokes on behalf of North Canterbury Federated Farmers addressed the meeting. Mr Ottman advised that under the South Island Canada Goose Management Plan (March 1995) the Fish and Game Councils are charged with the responsibility of reducing goose numbers to target levels agreed and ratified by the Minister of Conservation. Although geese numbers are being reduced by approximately 1000 per year on Council controlled land around the oxidation ponds the target population (1500) under the Management Plan is not being achieved with 3043 geese being counted on coastal wetlands at June 1995.
1. Cont'd
Mr Ian Stokes on behalf of the North Canterbury Federated Farmers supported submissions of the Fish & Game Council. He referred to damage geese caused to crops and grassland and through both eating of the grass and droppings. The birds tend to take refuge at the Council's oxidation pond area and nest in farmed areas including the high country. The Liquid Waste Manager reported:
"BACKGROUND
In October 1995 the North Canterbury Fish and game Council wrote to this Council applying for permission to conduct two Canada Goose culls in the Bromley area over the summer. `Canada geese are one of the premier game birds in New Zealand and throughout the world. Unfortunately they also can pose threats to crops and grasslands. In 1994 the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council, the Minister of Conservation and Federated Farmers signed the Canada Goose Management Plan, a co- operative management agreement. The plan establishes new lower maximum target levels which are to be reached by June 1998.
Most of the Canada Geese in the North Canterbury District lie in the "Coastal Wetlands" area. This area runs from SH1 to the coast, between the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers. At present Canada goose numbers in the Coastal Wetlands area are well in excess of the target level. Our trend count in June 1995 found 17,638 geese in the Coastal Wetlands area; our target is 8,000. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done.
The Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Bromley Sewage Farm population is one of many targeted for control work this summer. These birds are especially troublesome because there is very little opportunity for hunter control due to the proximity of Christchurch City.
I wish to apply for permission to conduct two Canada goose culls in the Bromley Sewage Farm area over the summer.
Two culls are planned:
1. Egg-pricking of nesting birds (mid-November). This involves injecting the eggs of nesting birds with formalin. One egg is always left alive to prevent the parent from immediately re-nesting. It is hoped to inject all nests found.
2. Moult cull (early January). This involves rounding up birds during the moult when they are unable to fly, loading them into stock trucks and transporting them to a kill site. It is hoped to remove as many geese as possible from the farm and estuary area.
1. Cont'd
All efforts will be made to minimise public exposure to the cull operations. It is for that reason that birds will be transported away rather than being killed on site during the moult cull. Permission will be sought from the Department of Conservation due to the wildlife refuge status of the area.
Although it is intended to remove as many birds as possible from the area there is no doubt that it will receive some level of re-population very quickly from the nearby Lakes Ellesmere and Forsyth.' A further letter of 24 January 1996 has been received from Federated Farmers supporting a culling operation. DISCUSSION
In a reply to the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council the request to carry out egg pricking in the area was granted but permission to carry out a moult cull was declined. This was declined on the basis that the proportion of Canada Geese in the area compared to the total numbers was low (7.5%) and did not warrant the risk of the very likely public outcry that would result from what would be a very visible round up even though slaughter and disposal was to be off site. Under the South Island Canada Goose Management Plan (March 1995) the Fish and Game Councils are charged with the responsibility of reducing goose numbers to target levels agreed and ratified by the Minister of Conservation and then maintaining numbers below those target levels. For example the target number for the North Canterbury area is 10,500 (June 1995 count - 22,503), of which the target numbers for the Canterbury Coastal Wetland areas is 8,000 (June 1995 count - 17,638). The June 1995 count for the Heathcote Estuary area was 1,690 birds, with most of the rest of the coastal numbers counted at Lake Ellesmere (14,595). It is accepted that the Fish and Game Councils are required to control Canada Goose numbers and that if agreed target numbers are not maintained by the usual seasonal hunting, other methods of control will need to be employed. Other methods employed so far such as egg pricking have had only very limited success, rounding up during the January moult which has proved very successful, and shooting from a helicopter which has also proved very successful although expensive. The latter two methods always attract intense public reaction. It was for this reason that staff declined to give permission for a moult cull; however the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council have made further representations to the Mayor and Councillor O'Rourke to have the matter discussed in order to establish a suitable basis for achieving and maintaining control of Canada Goose numbers on Council controlled land. The birds only moult in early January so the opportunity of a moult cull has passed for this year but the request to cull on Council controlled land will be made next year and probably in subsequent years depending on geese numbers."
1. Cont'd
In summing up the discussion the Chairman, Councillor Denis O'Rourke commented that the Council was being asked to assist in achieving the Management Plan objectives and had a responsibility to participate in sustainable management of the birds. There was a significant degradation of water quality entering the estuary from the oxidation ponds which was attributed to the Canada Geese population in the area. Banks of the ponds had been damaged by the birds. The Council's programme of reducing the population by 1 000 birds per year was not enough to achieve the objective of the Management Plan. The reduction of geese numbers would give protection to indigenous species living in wetland areas. Recommendation: That a 1996/97 summer moult cull be permitted on the Bromley farm/oxidation pond area under the following conditions: 1. That culling at Bromley occurs only if the annual 1996 June count is at least 5% above the target population in the Management Plan. (Note: This will have the effect of giving preference to culling in other areas as the numbers get close to the target population. 2. That written permission is obtained by the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council from the Minister of Conservation to carry out a cull on the Wildlife Refuge area. 3. That following the annual count in June 1996 the Fish and Game Council advise this Council of the results of the count and their intentions for the proposed 1996/97 summer control activities including details of methods for roundup and kill. 4. That the Fish and Game Council be responsible for adequate advanced public notification concerning the proposed summer cull programme including any necessary follow up of public relations and that the Fish & Game Council advise the City Council of its public relations proposals at least one month before the cull takes place. 5. That if a 1996/97 summer public liaison and cull is carried out successfully this Council will consider favourably requests for culls in future years. 6. That prior to 30 June 1996 the Fish and Game Council advise this Council of their investigations into the opportunities for beneficially reusing the culled carcases.
1. Cont'd
(Councillors Carole Anderton, David Buist, David Close and Gordon Freeman requested that their votes against the recommendation be recorded.)
2. 1996/97 DISTRICT LAND TRANSPORT PROGRAMME
Officer responsible Author
Roading and Traffic Manager Chris Kerr, Road Planning and
Asset Engineer
Corporate Plan Output:
The purpose of this report is to set out the Draft 1996/97 District
Land Transport Programme for Christchurch.INTRODUCTION
As in previous years the Council has been required to compile its 1996/97 District Land Transport Programme (DLTP) for amalgamation into firstly the Regional Land Transport Programme and finally the National Land Transport Programme. Details for compiling the DLTP were received rather late from Transit New Zealand which did not allow earlier reporting. The DLTP is made up of construction, safety, cycleway and safety study projects. Because of the significant number of carry forward projects, and because of delays caused through the City Plan notification process, a relatively small programme of new works has been submitted. DISTRICT LAND TRANSPORT PROGRAMME
The most significant project submitted is the Woolston/Burwood Expressway which, after further research, now has a tangible benefit/cost ratio of 4.1 and an intangible benefit/cost of 0.4 equating to a ranking benefit/cost of 4.5. However Transit New Zealand are now using a new method of determining national priorities called `The First Year Rate of Return'. This system calculates the return likely from the project in the first year for the Woolston/Burwood Expressway this equates to a ranking benefit/cost of 2.5 which means that it is unlikely to receive funding given similar funding levels as in previous years. The cycleway projects submitted have been supported by the local Transit staff following consultation with Council staff. Of the projects scheduled below the McLeans Island Road project is unlikely to receive funding with the ranking benefit/cost approved only being 2.0.
2. Cont'd
The projects submitted are as follows :
Work type Project Benefit/cost Ranking Budget
benefit/cost
Safety (1) Aldwins/Harrow 706.0 706.0 $116,000
Safety (1) Orchard/Wairakei 13.2 13.2 $63,300
Safety (1) Stanmore/Draper/Swanns 10.9 10.9 $16,000
Safety Study Crash Site - 10.0 $21,000
Investigations
Safety Lowther/Racecourse 7.2 7.2 $35,000
Lighting Roads
Cycleways Ilam Cycle route - 7.0 $15,000
Cycleways Somerfield Cycle route - 7.0 $20,000
Cycleways Ferrymead Cycle route - 7.0 $39,500
Cycleways Papanui Cycleway - 7.0 $20,000
lighting
Safety (1) Burnbrae/Eastern/Tenny 6.2 6.2 $22,700
son
Cycleways Prestons Rd Stage 1 - 6.0 $65,000
Cycleways Prestons Rd Stage 2 - 6.0 $74,500
Safety New Brighton Road 5.6 5.6 $148,500
Lighting
Safety Maidstone Road 5.5 5.5 $33,000
Lighting
Safety Dyers Pass Road 5.0 5.0 $58,000
Lighting
Cycleways Wairoa Street - 5.0 $46,000
Construction Woolston/Burwood 4.1 4.5 $3,200,0
Expressway 00
Cycleways McLeans Island Road - 2.0 $75,000
(1) These projects are not currently included in the Draft 1996/97 Roading Programme and are being submitted to Council for funding through the Unspecified Sum. The national threshold for funding of new works has been at benefit/cost = 5.0 for the last two years. Confirmation of the above programme for Transit New Zealand financial assistance is now sought. Final confirmation of the Council's commitment to the projects is, as usual, subject to the Annual Plan and Budget process. The Committee was advised that subsequent to the preparation of the report by the Road Planning and Asset Manager that the benefit/cost of the Woolston/Burwood Expressway project had increased to 5.1. The Roading and Traffic Manager was requested by the Committee to investigate the option of developing the section of the Woolston/Burwood Expressway from Burwood Road through Travis Road to Frosts Road and Barkers Road as a separate project. Recommendation: That the 1996/97 District Land Transport Programme as set out above with the amendment of the benefit/cost of the Woolston/Burwood Expressway to 5.1 be confirmed. 3. CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE
FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY
Officer responsible Author
Roading and Traffic Manager Road Safety Co-ordinator, Susan
Cambridge
Corporate Plan Output: Road Safety page 9.6 text 8
The purpose of this report is to give information on the last meeting
of the Traffic Safety Co-ordinating Committee and on the road safety awareness
campaigns run by the Council.
Reports were submitted on the urban speed campaign and the Safe Cycling
Feasibility Study.
The Police Commissioner, Richard MacDonald attended the December meeting of
the Traffic Safety Co-ordinating Committee. Various issues were discussed with
him including the possibility of additional speed cameras. The conspicuousy of
the Police vehicles and the possibility of producing breathalisers that drivers
can use to test themselves. The Police Commissioner expressed the commitment
of the Police to road safety and commented on the downward trend of the road
toll. He presented a certificate and plaque to Councillor Fahey in recognition
of his work in road safety over many years.
Arising from discussion on this clause Committee members expressed concerns
about the announcement that speed cameras had been adjusted and that no action
would be taken to apprehend the drivers travelling at up to 114 km/hr on
the open road. Committee members are also concerned that the public are
informed of the location of speed cameras.
Recommendation: That the Council write to the Minister of Police and
the Commissioner of Police seeking increased enforcement of speed limits with
particular emphasis on speed cameras.
PART B - ITEMS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE AND REPORTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY
4. GLASS WASTE/REUSE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION REPORT
Officer responsible Author
Waste Manager Waste Manager, Mike Stockwell Sarah Gordon,
Recycling Development Officer
Corporate Plan Output: Waste Management, Recycling, Research p
9.2.35
The Committee received a report about waste glass collection in the
South Island and a re-use options study being co-ordinated and funded by
the Council's Waste Management Unit. The principal glass manufacturer in
New Zealand is ACI Glass Manufacturers NZ whose factory is in Auckland.
Due to recent imports of cheap glass from overseas (eg. Spain) ACI have a
reduced need for clean sorted coloured glass from the South Island. 4. Cont'd It was resolved that the Waste Management Unit keep the Committee updated on the project and report back when Stage I of the study is completed.
5. CITY COUNCIL COMPOST FACILITY - GENERAL ROUNDUP REPORT
A report on the current status and the future development of the City Council's composting facility was presented. The refuse stream reduction to date has been around 12% at the Metro Station and 7% at Styx Mill Road. The business plan target is a 20% reduction and an updated business plan for 1996 will address this issue together with other key matters such as sales marketing and financial plan. The compost facility is a success, the public having enthusiastically accepted the environmental concept, and the demand for product is greater than is being produced. It was resolved: 1. That the information be received. 2. That an updated business plan for 1996 be prepared and brought back to this Committee for review around June 1996. 3. That the Waste Management Unit report compost throughput and sales statistics to this Committee three monthly.
6. ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT
A timetable for asset management plan development for the remaining major Council infrastructure assets was adopted. The asset areas are liquid waste, water supply, land drainage and parks. It was resolved that the Committee support a joint meeting format with the Parks & Recreation and the Environmental Committees.
7. CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDE OF DRIVERS TOWARDS PEDESTRIANS
The Roading & Traffic Units proposed campaign to change the attitude of drivers towards pedestrians was outlined in a report to the Committee. The report resolved to adopt the programme subject to budget approval and further resolved that the programme be part of a wider programme to encourage a better road safety culture in Christchurch to be progressively developed. 8. SPEED LIMIT REVIEW
The Roading & Traffic Manager submitted proposals for the review of speed limits in the city. A timetable for the review was adopted by the Committee and Council in December 1995. The Committee supported an increase in the enforcement of speed limits to assure road users, residents and other interested groups that raising (or lowering) speed limits on certain roads and highways will benefit rather than be detrimental to road safety. It was resolved that: 1. Following a satisfactory technical review of the proposals for changes to existing speed limits on roads and highways in the city, the schedules appended to the report be considered by Community Boards in March. Thereafter the Committee will distribute the schedules (incorporating any modifications decided by the Committee resulting from consideration of Community Board recommendations) for public consultation as set out in the flow charts. 2. Officers investigate the purchase and operation of a speed camera to assist with enforcement on specific projects.
9. RICCARTON ROAD TRAFFIC CONGESTION
A report was submitted by the Roading & Traffic Manager examining ways to improve the public transport in Riccarton Road. The report provided information on the existing level of service and suggested various options that could be pursued. It was resolved:
1. That further investigations with Community Board input, including public consultation, continue on all bus lane options for Riccarton Road. 2. That Georgie Pie Management be encouraged to keep both drive through lanes open at all times. 3. That adjustments of bus stops at Clarence Street/Riccarton/Straven Roads (south side) St James Church (south side) and Darvel Street (north side), to facilitate better egress and merging back into the traffic stream be further investigated, including public consultation. 4. That a Subcommittee of Councillors O'Rourke, Buist and Close conduct the necessary investigations and consultation and report by 31 March 1996.
10. CONTRACT NO. 95/96 - 209
WHITMORE STREET RESTRUCTION
It was resolved that the tender of Blair Construction Ltd for the sum of $424,600 be accepted.
11. ITEMS RECEIVED The Committee received the following reports: 11.1 The programme for Solid Waste Seminars and Committee reports for early 1996. 11.2 Resolutions of The New Zealand Local Authority Traffic Institute following a conference and executive meeting in December 1995. 11.3 A report on traffic volumes to the city centre from the south of Christchurch. 11.4 Information on the way cyclists are catered for on roads in the city. 11.5 An update on the new school crossing point trials and future options for introducing part time crossings outside schools in the city. 11.6 A report on action being taken in response to a recent petition presented to the Council from the Fendalton Primary School. 11.7 The six monthly report on traffic control in the Christchurch Police district. 11.8 Drink/drug driver strategies being introduced by the New Zealand Police.
12. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC The Committee resolved that the draft resolution to exclude the public set out on page 40 of the agenda be adopted. CONSIDERED THIS 28TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1996
MAYOR