Planning and Environment Committee

MINUTES

 

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee held in the Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers, Dunedin on Tuesday 11 June 2019, commencing at 1.42 pm.

 

PRESENT

 

Chairperson

Cr David Benson-Pope

 

Deputy Chairperson

Cr Damian Newell

Cr Conrad Stedman

 

 

 

Members

Cr Rachel Elder

Cr Christine Garey

 

Cr Doug Hall

Cr Aaron Hawkins

 

Cr Marie Laufiso

Cr Mike Lord

 

Cr Jim O'Malley

Cr Lee Vandervis

 

Cr Andrew Whiley

Cr Kate Wilson

 

IN ATTENDANCE

Sue Bidrose (CEO); Sandy Graham (General Manager City Services); Nicola Pinfold (Group Manager Community and Planning); Adrian Blair (Group Manager Customer and Regulatory Services); Ros MacGill (Manager Compliance Solutions); Simon Pickford (General Manager Community Services); Jessie Wu (Policy Advisor); Neil McLeod (Principal Advisor – Building Solutions); Paul Henderson (Building Solutions Manager); Kathryn Ward (Principal Urban Designer); Richard Saunders (Group Manager Transport); Simon Drew (General Manager Infrastructure Services); Dave Tombs (General Manager Finance and Commercial)

 

Governance Support Officer                  Lauren McDonald

 

1          Public Forum

1.1       Petition to address Port Pollution

 

Cr Hawkins (under Section 16.3 of Standing Orders) presented a petition on behalf of residents concerned about the disruptive vibration and noise from larger ships berthed at Port Chalmers. The petition contained 143 signatures.

 

Cr Benson-Pope introduced Port Otago Ltd CEO, Mr Kevin Winders to the meeting and invited him to respond to the noise complaints.

 

Mr Winders provided background to the cause of the noise complaints by the community and advised that Port Otago Ltd were attempting to meet their obligations.  He outlined the steps that had been taken to address the noise complaints, including reducing the number of days in port for the Rio Class ships (from two days to one day).  He indicated that a trial of a silencer designed for the on-ship refrigeration generator would occur within the next four months. He advised that the Rio Class of ships were not capable of being ‘cold ironed’ while in port, as per the petition request.

 

In response to questions from councillors on Port Otago Ltd’s communications to the public on the noise complaints, Mr Winders advised that communications would be provided once agreement was reached with the shipping company (MAERSK) and the insurers, on the noise control mitigation measures for the Rio Class container ships.

 

The Chair thanked Mr Winders for his attendance and the information provided.

2          Apologies

Moved (Chairperson David Benson-Pope/Cr Aaron Hawkins):

That the Committee:

 

Accepts the apologies from Mayor Dave Cull and Cr Chris Staynes.

 

Motion carried (PLA/2019/019)

 

3          Confirmation of agenda

 

 

Moved (Deputy Chairperson Damian Newell/Cr Mike Lord):

That the Committee:

 

Confirms the agenda with the following alteration:

In regard to Standing Order 2.1, Option C be adopted in relation to moving and seconding and speaking to amendments. 

 

Motion carried (PLA/2019/020)

4          Declarations of interest

Members were reminded of the need to stand aside from decision-making when a conflict arose between their role as an elected representative and any private or other external interest they might have.

 

 

Moved (Chairperson David Benson-Pope/Deputy Chairperson Damian Newell):

That the Committee:

a)         Notes if necessary the Elected Members' Interest Register and

b)        Confirms the proposed management plan for Elected Members' Interests.

Motion carried (PLA/2019/021)

   

 

 

   Part A Reports

5          Planning and Environment Non-Financial Activity Report for the Quarter Ended 31 May 2019

 

The report updated the Second-Generation Plan (2GP) appeals submitted to the Environment Court and the new Building Consents mobility inspection tool.  The report also advised the approved grants from the first round of the Dunedin Biodiversity Fund for 2019, and the grants awarded by the Dunedin Heritage Fund.

 

General Manager City Services, Sandy Graham; Group Manager Community and Planning, Nicola Pinfold and General Manager Customer and Regulatory Services, Mr Adrian Blair spoke to the report and responded to questions from councillors.

 

 

Moved (Chairperson David Benson-Pope/Cr Aaron Hawkins):

That the Committee:

a)         Notes the Planning and Environment Non-Financial Activity Report for the Quarter Ended 31 May 2019.

Motion carried (PLA/2019/022)

 

6          Food Grading Policy Review

 

Ms Ros MacGill, Manager Compliance Solutions spoke to the Corporate Policy and Customer and Regulatory Services report which detailed the review of the Council’s Food Grading Policy 2015.  Ms MacGill advised that minor updates were proposed to align Council policy with the Food Act, which took effect on 1 March 2016, and that no changes were proposed to the substance of the policy.

 

Moved (Chairperson David Benson-Pope/Cr Mike Lord):

That the Committee:

a)         Adopts the updated Food Grading Policy 2019.

Motion carried (PLA/2019/023)

 

7          DCC Submission on the Building System Legislative Reform Programme

 

The Community and Planning and Customer and Regulatory Services report sought approval of a Dunedin City Council (DCC) submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on the Building System Legislative Reform Programme. The reform programme proposed changes to five key areas to improve building laws and address long-standing issues with the building sector.

 

Principal Advisor Building Solutions, Mr McLeod and Building Solutions Manager, Mr Henderson spoke to the report and responded to questions from councillors.

 

Mr McLeod was requested to include a generic comment about the of use by date materials as a potential future issue to be addressed in the DCC’s submission.

 

 

Moved (Cr Mike Lord/Cr Doug Hall):

That the Committee:

a)         Approves the DCC submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on the Building System Legislative Reform Programme.

Motion carried (PLA/2019/024)

 

8          Central City Plan: Retail Quarter - George Street Concept Design

 

The City Development and Transport Report outlined the preliminary concept design for George Street, based on the key objectives of the Central City Plan and the universal design best practice of the Global Street Design Guide adopted by Council in 2018

 

Principal Urban Designer, Ms Kathryn Ward and Group Manager Transport, Mr Richard Saunders presented the preliminary concept design and responded to questions from councillors.  The presentation included:

·         Summary or work completed to date and currently underway for the Central City Plan

·         Summary of the consultation process with the community and stakeholders

·         Retail Quarter challenges for George Street (including traffic management, pedestrian movement and climate conditions)

·         Outline of the design principles

·         Creating a sense of Place Dunedin/Ōtepoti

·         Greening the City – benefits to health.

·         Streets as Places - destination for events

·         The Heart of the City – where community come together

·         Shared spaces

·         Visualisations shown for the streetscape of each block in the Central City Plan (including green spaces, café areas on footpaths, parklets, traffic flow changes).

·         Improving intersection spaces

·         Carparking

·         Timeline - outline from the preliminary/ concept design, developed design, technical design, construction and practical completion (February 2019 through to November 2022)

·         Activity Plan

The presentation concluded with the next steps being outlined including: public life assessment; economic audit; accessibility audit; environment and parking study; ongoing provision of developing concept drawings/visualisations, and the procurement process.

Discussion was held on future proofing of the design space, development of shared and ‘green’ spaces, impact on retailers and residents on George Street, public communications, successful redevelopments in other comparable cities in New Zealand and Australia, traffic movement  and provision of carparking.

 

In response to a question on a central city bus loop in relation to the Central City Plan, Mr Saunders advised that a feasibility study would take into account the future design for George Street.

 

 

Moved (Deputy Chairperson Damian Newell/Cr Aaron Hawkins):

That the Committee:

a)         Endorses the preliminary design for the George Street – Central City Plan project

b)        Notes the Activity Plan being developed by staff to encourage activation of George Street prior to and during the construction period

 

A Division was called

That the Committee

Votes by division.

For:          Crs Rachel Elder, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Aaron Hawkins, Marie Laufiso, Mike Lord, Jim O'Malley, Damian Newell, Conrad Stedman, Andrew Whiley, Kate Wilson and David Benson-Pope (12).

Against:     Cr Lee Vandervis (1).

Abstained: Nil

The division was declared CARRIED by 12 votes to 1

 

Motion carried (PLA/2019/025)

 

9          Items for consideration by the Chair

 

The General Manager City Services, Ms Sandy Graham was requested co-ordinate staff responses on the following matters:

·         An update on the status of the review completed on the commercial use of footpaths.

·         An update on the timeline for surface repairs in the Exchange area due to slumping.

·         Central City Plan design team to consider provision of bike racks within the design.

          

 

The meeting concluded at 4:27pm.

 

 

 

 

..............................................

CHAIRPERSON