We are now onto day 2 of the marathon Auckland Council Governing Body meeting that is voting on the recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel on the Unitary Plan.
The meeting is currently on a lunch break and will resume at 1.10pm. Check back at various points this afternoon, as I am planning to update this post after key votes occur.
For a rundown of yesterdays proceedings see yesterdays post, as well as reports in The Spinoff and Radio New Zealand.
Key issues this morning including the Rural Urban boundary, mangroves and various Regional Policy Statement issues.
Major decisions made this today so far include:
- Accepting the panels recommendation to shift the Rural Urban boundary from the Regional Level to the District Level, which makes it possible for private developers to propose changes. See coverage from the herald here. Council officers claimed that protections in the policies will help ensure growth is well managed.
- A more restrictive approach for removing mangroves
- Recommendations on Ports of Auckland rules accepted
- Fascinating debate over minimum apartment sizes. Council officers suggested reinstating a minimum size of 35m2 in the city centre zone. Cathy Casey & Linda Cooper called for minimum sizes, & made arguments that everyone should have the room for a pet. Dick Quax, Arthur Anae and Penny Webster made good arguments in favour of not having minimum sizes. They noted that people could make their own decisions, and some would want to live in micro apartments of 20 -30 m2, noting that the city centre allows for a range of different lifestyle choices. In the end the motion to reinstate minimum apartment sizes was passed 17 – 3, with Dick Quax, APenny Webster & George Wood as dissenting voices. However the officers did note that applicants could apply for a Resource Consent to go lower and show the apartment was designed well.
Issues for discussion this afternoon include residential rules (minimum apartment sizes outside the CBD & resource consent thresholds), design standards & assessments and potentially residential zoning if time permits.
Vote on resource consent required to remove mangroves that have appeared since 1996 – Passed by division #UnitaryPlan
— Reginald McGruffin (@R_McGruff) August 11, 2016
George Wood is fervently arguing we need 422,000 more houses in Auckland and he won't accept less. What world is this?
— Hayden Donnell (@HaydenDonnell) August 10, 2016
Cr Quax "House prices are an economic and social disaster for Akl" – supporting sprawl #UnitaryPlan
— Reginald McGruffin (@R_McGruff) August 10, 2016
Rejection of the watering down of integrated transport policy has passed into the #UnitaryPlan
— Reginald McGruffin (@R_McGruff) August 10, 2016
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Huh.. dick quax, in favour of no minimum apartment size, and favour of no minimum parking. Dick Quax for mayor?
Yes, but just not anywhere near him.
Key and co been in his ear?
There’s only one Dickie Quax….
The chant goes up
Perhaps he’s calculated that being world famous for Quaxing is equivalent to a superdelegate’s worth of the fearful exurban vote
and brewer thinks that council bureaucrat should decide minimum apartment sizes rather than buyers and sellers.
Well an interesting day of discussion. Is there anywhere that all the votes are recorded? i.e. a list of the motions and who voted for/against.
Well done Councillor Hulse. Followed where the evidence led and left grandstanding, and hollow unsubstantiated ideology at the door. Champion.
He is inspired by the Olympic ideal and has risen to the occasion to claim gold
Glad to see this Council getting all functional with the finish line in sight. It is encouraging for the next Council, which will at least be sans Brewer and Wood.
I did call that last Feb would be the high tide of the NIMBY revolt, and am very relieved that seems to be the case, certainly in terms of Council influence.