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23. 7. 97
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
10 JULY 1997
A meeting of the Environmental Committee
was held on Thursday 10 July 1997 at 4.00 pm
PRESENT: Councillor Carole Evans (Chairman), Councillors Anna Crighton, Pat Harrow, Lesley Keast and Charles Manning.
IN ATTENDANCE: Councillors Carole Anderton, David Buist, David Cox (to 5.45 pm) and Ron Wright (from 5.25 pm).
APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Councillors Oscar Alpers, Newton Dodge and Barbara Stewart.
The Committee reports that:
PART A - MATTERS REQUIRING A COUNCIL DECISION
1. PROHIBITED DOG AREAS AND RESTRAINED DOG AREAS UNDER DOG CONTROL BYLAW RR 5577
| Officer responsible | Author |
| Environmental Policy and Planning Manager | Terence Moody, Principal Environmental Health Officer |
| Corporate Plan Output: Environmental Health Policy Vol II P.7.2.text.12 |
The purpose of this report is seek a Council resolution under the provisions clause 8 of the Christchurch City Dog Control Bylaw 1997 to declare certain public places prohibited or restrained dog areas.
INTRODUCTION
The Council at its meeting on 23 April 1997 adopted a Dog Control Policy for the City of Christchurch under section 10 of the Dog Control Act 1996 and in compliance with the Special Consultative procedure of the Local Government Act 1974. This policy remains in force until amended through a similar consultative procedure as occurred in its formation. The Council at a meeting on 23 June 1997 confirmed the Christchurch City Dog Control Bylaw 1997 to come into force on the 1 July 1997. The bylaw enables the Council, by resolution publicly notified in at least one newspaper circulating in the city, to declare any public place to be a prohibited dog area, or restrained dog area, or a dog exercise area.
The Dog Control Policy adopted by the Council specified a number of areas to be "prohibited dog areas" and a number of areas in which dogs may only be taken while under effective control at all times by means of a leash. The latter areas are termed restrained dog areas in the bylaw.
Any changes to the prohibited dog areas or restrained dog areas specified in the Dog Control Policy must be made by way of formal amendment to the Dog Control Policy in the manner prescribed in section 10 of the Dog Control Act 1996. That is by way of the special consultative procedure specified in that Act.
Recommendation:
1. That the Council resolve, pursuant to clause 8(1) of the Christchurch City Dog Control Bylaw 1997, that each of the areas described in Schedule 1 attached to this report be a prohibited dog area.
2. That the Council resolve, pursuant to clause 8(1) of the Christchurch City Dog Control Bylaw 1997, that each of the areas described in Schedule 2 attached to this report be a restrained dog area.
PART B - REPORTS FOR INFORMATION
2. DEPUTATIONS BY APPOINTMENT
(a) SUSTAINABLE CITIES - ORGANIC CHRISTCHURCH CAMPAIGN
Messrs Mark Prain and Paul Honeybone representing the Sustainable Cities Trust outlined the progress that had been made on the Organic Christchurch Campaign project, which had been supported by Council funding.
Following initial research to the status of organics in Christchurch, an advisory group had been formed, which later led to the holding of an organic workshop. The success of this workshop resulted in the formation of the Organic Garden City Trust. The principal aim of the Trust is to promote sustainable organic living in Christchurch.
The Committee next heard from Jenny Henderson and Felix Dawson, representing the newly formed Organic Garden City Trust, who through a series of overhead transparencies detailed the Trust's:
The continued support of the Council was sought.
The Committee decided that the Environmental Committee support an application to the Metropolitan Funding Sub-Committee for a seeding grant of $5,000, to assist the Trust in achieving its objectives.
(b) OURUHIA RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION - OURUHIA RADIO TOWER
The Committee heard from Messrs Mike Mora, Riccarton/Wigram Community Board member, Dr Neil Cherry and two representatives of the Association, Mrs Sophie Hargreave and Mrs Tammy Wells. Mr Mora advised that the matter of magnetic field exposure had been around for some time and research carried out linked the exposure to a number of illnesses suffered by residents close to power lines.
He was asking the Council to carry out a survey on the effects of people's health living close to power lines, radio transmitters etc.
Dr Neil Cherry referred to the health studies carried out by Auckland University. These indicated the closer a person lived to high tension power lines, the higher the risk was on a person's health.
Under the provisions of the Resource Management Act there was a requirement for adverse effects to be dealt with. He recommended an approach to Dr Gillian Durham of the Ministry of Health.
Sophie Hargreave, a physiotherapist living in the Lower Styx Road, urged the Council to undertaken research into the matter, as people and animals near the transmitter site were suffering various forms of illness.
Health and safety concerns arising from new technology had largely gone on unnoticed by the communications industry and utility operators.
Tammy Wells referred to the dangers of exposure the transmitter represented to a person's health. There was a danger from a wide range of equipment emanating electromagnetic emissions and where there was an alternative, then the alternative should be used. Questions continually needed to be asked and she urged that the Council undertake the necessary research.
It was noted that the issue was related to the report in the agenda on the effects on health of electric and magnetic fields associated with transmission lines.
Councillors Buist, Keast and Cox, as the no 2 City Plan Hearing Panel, attended as observers, with Councillor Keast leaving the table for the two items, plus that of the Sumner Telecom cell phone transmitter item.
(c) BILL JARMAN - BROMLEY TREATMENT PLANT
Mr Jarman tabled a report on the issue together with a copy of a letter to the Council from the Public Health Service, as to Mr Jarman's complaint of sludge being dropped on roads by trucks crossing the road at the Bromley Treatment Works.
Mr Jarman's report dealt with the application of sewage sludge to the land, the danger the sludge on the roads presented to motorists and children cycling to school.
His report also dealt with the heavy metal composition of sewage sludge and the risk this posed to the food chain as well as the other bacteria and viruses the sludge contained and the further risk these represented.
In summary he was concerned with:
The Committee decided that reports be prepared by the Waste Management Unit on:
1. The response to Mr Jarman's complaint on the dropping of sludge from disposal trucks on to public roads and the means of overcoming this.
2. The environmental effects of sludge continued application to the land at Bromley and that of market gardens, detailing levels of contamination and its corresponding effects, chemical analysis of effluent being applied etc.
3. PETITIONS
SUMNER RESIDENTS - SITING OF TELECOM CELL PHONE TRANSMITTER ON RSA SITE AT SUMNER
The Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board at its meeting of 2 July 1997 received a petition signed by over 800 people, deploring the siting of a Telecom cell phone transmitter on the RSA site in Sumner and calling on the parties to this decision to annul it.
The Community Board had resolved to refer the petition to the Environmental Committee for consideration.
The Committee decided that the petition from Sumner residents be received.
Kathy Clutterbuck and Roger Carter representing Sumner residents, addressed the Committee on the issue.
Kathy Clutterbuck requested that the Environmental Committee and the City Council reconsider their decision to allow the construction of the transmitter, as the local public and residential neighbours were never consulted or notified at any time regarding the issue. She questioned why there should not be a consistent procedure for all cell site resource consent applications. A letter signed by two children was read to the meeting referring to the Council's Children's Strategy study report and seeking the removal of the cell phone tower.
Roger Carter considered that would have been prudent for the Council to inform the local community of the plans for the transmitter, including what he considered were affected parties living in the surrounding residential area.
He also drew attention in the report he tabled to a second cell phone tower in Sumner being that located in Nayland Street.
In response the report from the Environmental Services Manager (RR 5625) had been earlier circulated to members. The report advised details of the resource consent issued for the cellular radio base station in Sumner and provided advice on whether it is possible/appropriate to apply for a judicial review.
The procedures available to residents, should they wish to take the matter further, were also outlined.
The Committee decided:
1. That an independent legal opinion on whether a judicial review would be justified or not, be obtained.
2. That a letter be written to Telecom requesting that if the Environment Court in its decision on the Shirley cellular tower resource consent matter, concludes that there is an adverse health effect from the tower, then it review the suitability of the proposed Sumner site.
4. ISSUES AFFECTING THE CITY'S RIGHTS TO TAKE WATER FOR MUNICIPAL SUPPLY RR 5587
The Committee received a report from the Water Services Manager updating the situation on the issues that will affect the city's resource consents to the taking of water for municipal supply purposes.
The Committee decided that the information be received and the Canterbury Regional Council be asked to hold a further workshop session, at a more appropriate date.
5. EFFECTS ON HEALTH OF ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSMISSION LINES RR 5578
This report had been referred to in the discussion that took place on the Ouruhia radio tower.
The report was prepared to discuss the matter of possible effects on the health of persons living close to major electricity transmission lines and to determine the action the Council could take to verify these and, if found to be certain, the action needed to remove the risk to health.
The Committee decided:
1. That a letter be written to the Director of Public Health requesting she provide guidance to the Council in the heath risk matter and also that the support of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment be sought to assist with this.
2. On receipt of the response from the Director of Public Health, Councillors Evans and Crighton seek representations with the Minister of Health, if required, as the matter is considered to be one of relevance to all New Zealand.
6. ENVIRONMENT COURT DECISION - KENNEDYS BUSH RR 5570
The Senior Planner, Planning Policy was present to outline the outcomes of the Environment Court decision resulting in the rezoning of 23 hectares of land at Kennedys Bush from Rural to Living.
The meeting concluded at 6.10 pm
CONSIDERED THIS 23RD DAY OF JULY 1997
MAYOR