Minutes of Future Napier Committee

Future Napier Committee - 10 September 2020 - Open Minutes

Agenda Items

1. District Plan Review - Policy Approach of Draft District Plan

Type of Report:	Legal and Operational
Legal Reference:	Resource Management Act 1991
Document ID:	957626
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Dean Moriarity, Team Leader Policy Planning

1.1 Purpose of Report

a. The purpose of this report is to follow up on the recent seminars held with Council between July 20^th and August 20^th regarding the review of the District Plan; and

b. For Council to approve the recommended policy approach for specific chapters so that officers can draft plan provisions within an agreed framework.

At the Meeting

The Team Leader Policy Planning spoke to the report noting that the report follows a number of Councillor seminars held this year. The specific topics addressed in this report include Heritage, Character Precincts, Potential rezoning in Ahuriri, Landscapes and Greenfield growth in the hills. An overview of each topic, including the recommendations, was provided.

In response to questions from Councillors, the following points were clarified:

· The new sensitive activities condition for the mixed use zone around Coronation Street, Ahuriri, would likely be applied to a special control area within the specific risk contour. The risk contours would set the limitations of where any specific provisions would apply.

· High impact, low probability events are one in a million statistical events.

· Significant Natural Areas (SNA’s) and Landscapes are their own specific overlays.

· SNA’s relate to indigenous biodiversity. There is a National Policy Statement currently in draft form, and expected to be passed into a Final Policy Statement next year, which is about raising the bar in terms of requiring Council’s to identify and protect significant natural areas. There are ongoing discussions with affected parties in relation to SNA’s and this topic has been pushed out to be dealt with at a later date.

· Heritage classification is a matter of national importance and identifies individual buildings and groups of buildings. Character Precincts is a layer below that and best practice has been to try to preserve those areas and maintain them. This topic will likely be raised and discussed as the Draft District Plan progresses through to the final District Plan.

· The National Policy Statement requires Council to remove all minimum car parking requirements within the next 18 months in order to assist in breaking down the barriers to providing housing in the centre of town as well as encouraging the use of public transport. This will feed into the District Plan.

· The Draft District Plan consultation period has been delayed due to Covid-19 but the intention was to have a Draft District Plan notified by around November this year. This may be impacted further as each stage relies on the previous workstream being completed. Council officers will be looking for a consultation window that is not already occupied by other projects and is cognisant of the LTP demands.

· Council officers advised that it would be unwise to delay the District Plan process due to possible changes to the Resource Management Act, as it could be years before District Plans are replaced altogether. The work that is being done through the District Plan process is still important for Council and the community to consider. At this time, there is still a legal requirement to have a District Plan.

· Oil facilities have health and safety requirements to manage a risk on site but they cannot prepare for everything. Council is required to understand the risks, how they work, and to convey that information to stakeholders that are impacted by it. This work is still in progress.

Committee's recommendation

Councillors Browne / Tapine

The Future Napier Committee:

a. Endorse the recommended policy approach in the report, for preparing the Draft District Plan for the purposes of undertaking consultation and engagement with the Napier community.

Carried

2. Terms of Reference for Ahuriri Regional Park Working Group

Type of Report:	Operational and Procedural
Legal Reference:	N/A
Document ID:	957082
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Yvonne Legarth, Policy Planner

2.1 Purpose of Report

To enable appropriate awareness, questions about implications and feedback about the Napier City Council and Hawkes Bay Regional Council Joint Working Group that focuses in the main on the land administered by the organisations that is adjacent to Te Whanganui-ā-Orotu.

At the Meeting

Deputy Mayor Brosnan invited Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillor Hinewai Ormsby to join her in speaking to this report, as a fellow chair of the Ahuriri Regional Park Working Group, noting that the intention of the Joint Working Group is to strengthen collaboration between Napier City Council (NCC) and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) and also to bring about the step change following on from the Ahuriri Estuary and Coastal Edge Masterplan that was created and endorsed in 2018.

In response to questions from Councillors the following points were clarified:

· Councillor Ormsby confirmed that HBRC officers are following the direction set by elected members. It was noted that the terms of reference provide a really wide scope to bring issues back to both Councils.

· It was confirmed that co-chairs have been appointed to the Joint Working Group.

ACTION: Council officers to consider opportunities for Mana Ahuriri to present to Council regarding their settlement.

Officer’s Recommendation

The Future Napier Committee:

a. That the information be noted.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION

Committee's recommendation

Councillors Brosnan / Crown

The Future Napier Committee:

a. Receives and endorses the terms of reference for the Joint Working Group.

b. Note there may be changes to the terms of reference as it is presented to the other partners in the group including:

1. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

2. Mana Ahuriri

3. Te Komiti

4. Napier City Council Māori Committee

Carried

3. Internal Practice Note for Financial Contributions

Type of Report:	Legal and Operational
Legal Reference:	Resource Management Act 1991
Document ID:	947060
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Fleur Lincoln, Strategic Planning Lead

3.1 Purpose of Report

The purpose of this report is to obtain an endorsement for a new Internal Practice Note to provide guidance to Resource Consent Planners preparing conditions relating to Financial Contributions.

At the Meeting

The Director City Strategy spoke to the report noting that the principle would only apply to existing buildings that are being repurposed for residential. The application of a practice note would guide decision making for officers in situations where it might be appropriate to waive financial contributions.

A number of Councillors requested that other areas of Napier also be considered for inclusion. It was agreed that officers would consider what other areas may be appropriate and bring these back to the full Council meeting for possible inclusion.

In response to questions from Councillors, the following points were clarified:

· It was noted that following the full Council meeting where this matter will be double debated, the practice note would not come back to Council. Council officers will develop the practice note in accordance with the principles set by Council.

· Another instance where a practice note has been developed is for pre-application meetings. This was done in order to formalise Council’s legal responsibilities where a proposed development requires the collaboration of multiple areas of Council.

· The practice note recognises that a ratepayer has already paid for an existing development. In some instances, the services to that property are not being increased therefore it may be appropriate to waive financial contributions.

Officer’s Recommendation

The Future Napier Committee:

a. Endorse the development of an Internal Practice Note for Planners that will provide additional guidance in the assessment and application of Financial Contribution conditions on resource consents applying to residential developments in the city centre.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION

Committee's recommendation

Mayor Wise / Councillor Price

The Future Napier Committee:

b. Note that consideration will be given to other areas of Napier before the final resolution is brought back to Council.

Carried

4. Resource Consent Activity Report

Type of Report:	Information
Legal Reference:	Resource Management Act 1991
Document ID:	951718
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Luke Johnson, Team Leader Planning and Compliance

4.1 Purpose of Report

This report provides an update on recent resource consenting activity. The report is provided for information purposes only, so that there is visibility of major projects and an opportunity for elected members to understand the process.

Applications are assessed by delegation through the Resource Management Act (RMA); it is not intended to have application outcome discussions as part of this paper.

This report only contains information which is lodged with Council and is publicly available.

At the Meeting

The Team Leader Planning and Compliance spoke to the report, providing a brief overview and noted that there has been an increase in applications received in comparison to the same time last year.

In response to questions from Councillors, the following points were clarified:

· The design panel were engaged in relation to West Quay due to the zoning and location, being the waterfront area of Ahuriri. The architects that form the design panel are Jacob Scott and Chris Ainsworth.

· The application for West Quay included archaeological assessments in relation to the cultural significance of that site. This is currently being assessed. Heritage New Zealand also provided comment and proposed conditions to the applicant.

· The variation to the Hospital Hill site was non-notified.

Committee's recommendation

Councillors Crown / Price

The Future Napier Committee:

a. Note the resource consent activity update

Carried

5. UNCONFIRMED MINUTES HAWKE'S BAY CIVIL DEFENCE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GROUP - 8 JUNE 2020

Type of Report:	Operational
Legal Reference:	Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
Document ID:	960285
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Anna Eady, Personal Assistant to the Mayor

5.1 Purpose of Report

To receive the unconfirmed minutes of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group meeting held on 8 June 2020.

At the Meeting

In response to questions from Councillors, the Mayor confirmed that the local civil defence groups were consolidated two years ago under Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has a targeted rate to fund the group.

Committee's recommendation

Councillor Simpson / Mayor Wise

The Future Napier Committee:

a. Receive the unconfirmed minutes of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group meeting held on 8 June 2020.

Carried

The meeting closed at 11.36pm.

Approved and adopted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

Chairperson .........................................................................................................................

Date of approval ..................................................................................................................

Present	Mayor Wise, Deputy Mayor Brosnan (In the Chair), Councillors Boag, Browne, Chrystal, Crown, Mawson, McGrath, Price, Simpson, Tapine, Taylor and Wright
In Attendance	Interim Chief Executive, Director Corporate Services, Director Community Services, Director City Strategy, Manager Asset Strategy, Manager Communications and Marketing, Chief Financial Officer, Team Leader Policy Planning, Team Leader Planning & Compliance, Policy Planner
Administration	Governance Team