This page is not a current Christchurch City Council document. Please read our disclaimer.
27. 11. 96
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
16 OCTOBER 1996
A meeting of the Environmental Committee
was held on Wednesday 16 October 1996 at 12 noon
PRESENT: Councillor Carole Evans (Chairman),
Councillors Oscar Alpers, Anna Crighton,
Pat Harrow, Lesley Keast, Charles Manning
and Barbara Stewart.
APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received and accepted from the Mayor, Vicki Buck.
Councillor Oscar Alpers arrived at 12.17 pm and was not present for part of clause 2.
The Committee reports that:
PART B - ITEMS DEALT WITH BY THE COMMITTEE AND
REPORTED FOR INFORMATION ONLY
1. BUDGET PLANNING
The Committee considered a report from the Financial Planning Manager on the forthcoming Annual Plan process and the Annual Plan timetable.
The report invited the Committee to note for inclusion in the 1996/97 Annual Plan any performance measures or objectives which it considered should be reviewed or included as a result of the monitoring of corporate plan reports for the year ended 30 June 1996.
The Committee resolved to prepare a list of action points for the 1997/98 Annual Plan as appropriate.
2. CORPORATE PLAN MONITORING REPORTS 1995/96
The Committee considered the monitoring reports for the following Units for the year ended 30 June 1996.
(a) Environmental Policy & Planning Unit
The Environmental Policy & Planning Manager spoke to his report and comments as follows were made by the Committee:
* City Plan
The Committee requested the Environmental Policy & Planning Manager to look at the staffing resources required to ensure completion of the City Plan Hearings by October 1998. Any additional staffing resources required to ensure this should be included in the 1997/98 Annual Plan.
* Regional and District Plans & Policies
It was suggested that when appropriate joint meetings of the CCC/CRC Liaison Committee should be held in a seminar environment rather than in public to ensure full and open discussion (Note: This comment applied specifically to the report on the responsibilities of the CRC/CCC expected for February 1997).
* Neighbourhood Improvement Plans
The present position with regard to Neighbourhood Improvement Plans was discussed and members noted the delays in preparation of Neighbourhood Improvement Plans for the St Albans and Vickerys Road areas.
* City Planning & Development Policy
It was suggested that members of the Committee and relevant staff meet together to consider what improvements should be made to the Resource Management Act.
* Environment Conservation and Open Space Policy
The issue of noxious weeds control was raised in relation to this and it was indicated that it would be appropriate to discuss the matter further in November when the report on Environmental Strategy was to be submitted.
* City Design and Heritage Policy
At the request of Councillor Crighton it was agreed the wording "only one" on page 15 of the report in relation to the ex Kaiapoi Woollen Mill building in Manchester Street would be more appropriately referred to as "one".
In relation to this section members commented on the possibility of including within the report greater emphasis on the list of threatened buildings. In addition the possibility of making submissions to the Government on the Building Act so that development standards were not so stringent and expensive to comply with was also raised.
It was agreed that a report should be brought to the Environmental Committee on:
1. How existing legislation could be strengthened to preserve heritage buildings.
2. On the level of current funding for preservation ie whether the current figure of $500,000 was adequate.
3. On the standards of the Building Act in relation to heritage buildings and whether these could be made less stringent in order to encourage retention.
It was suggested the monitoring report should, as well as containing information on buildings at risk, report on those heritage buildings currently owned by CCC.
* Heritage Retention Fund Administration
In response to questions it was confirmed that provision would be made in the 1997/98 Annual Plan for a feasibility study on accommodation for the Environmental Centre and members were requested to convey any ideas for specific heritage buildings which could be used for this purpose to Mr John Chivers, Senior Planner, Plan & Projects.
(b) Environmental Services
The report for the Environmental Services Unit for the year ended 30 June 1996 was considered and the following comments made:
* Subdivision Consents
Members noted the decrease in subdivision applications in comparison with the previous year and the difficulties being experienced in approval of subdivision applications within the guideline of 20 working days.
In response to questions the Environmental Services Manager advised that the new City Plan made provision for a levy of 0.5% as cash in lieu of reserves. This could not be implemented, however, until the plan became operative.
* Health Licensing
The attention of members was drawn to two new proposed pieces of legislation which have now entered into the final stages. These were the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, and the proposed amendment to the Food Act.
* Land Information Memoranda
In response to questions regarding the level of accuracy of LIMs it was suggested that consideration be given to a performance indicator which would monitor the level of reported errors.
* Animal Control
It was suggested budget figures for this activity should disclose the extent of any cross subsidisation between dog owners and non dog owners.
* Dog Pound
It was suggested a performance indicator be developed related to the number of dogs destroyed at the Dog Pound and the desirability of encouraging rehousing.
3. CITY DESIGN AND HERITAGE : ADELAIDE, MELBOURNE AND SYDNEY
The Committee received a report from Neil Carrie, Senior Planner, (City Design & Heritage) on his recent visit to review City Design and Heritage in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney undertaken in conjunction with the Mall Revitalisation Conference in Adelaide.
Mr Carrie showed a series of slides for the information of members of the design of malls and city squares in the above centres.
The meeting concluded at 2.30 pm.
CONSIDERED THIS 27TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1996
MAYOR