Property owners updated on flood information this week

13 November 2012

Around 28,000 property owners will this week receive letters updating them on flood hazard information for their property, with around 22,000 learning their properties are not considered affected at this time.

Since April, when flood hazard letters were first sent to property owners, Hamilton City Council has been working to refine its information. Following this detailed work now only around 6,700 properties are identified as affected by a low, medium or high flood hazard in the event of an extreme 1 in 100 year flood event.

The flood hazard work is required by the Government and mandated by law.

The detailed flood refinement work has been undertaken on those areas of the city with the highest number of potentially affected properties. It relates to flood hazards related to the Waikato River and other areas of the city where flood water could pond or flow overland.

As a result, now only properties which would have flood waters above 10cm flowing over part of it are considered flood hazard areas. In the coming years this more detailed work will be done across the rest of the city, with property owners advised as the work is completed.

Property owners with affected properties will receive maps and fact sheets with their letters, and if they need further information can:

• Go online (from 14 December) www.hamilton.co.nz/districtplan/flood
• Email floodenquiries@hcc.govt.nz
• Phone Council’s helpdesk 07 838 6412
• Meet face to face at drop-in sessions on 21 (11am-2pm), 22 (5-8pm), 27 (11am-2pm), 28 (5-8pm) November at Council’s Reception Lounge, Civic Square.

Property related flood hazard information will be noted on Land Information Memorandums (LIMs) requested only for affected properties. The new flood hazard information will also be included in the city’s Proposed District Plan. It will be used by Council around land use management and new subdivisions to make sure flood risk is not made worse where development is occurring.

Under the Proposed District Plan, the floors of new buildings and extensions to existing buildings would need to be a minimum height above floodwater level. This does not apply to existing buildings.

District Plan Steering Group chairperson Cr Pippa Mahood said: “Much work has been done over the last six months to refine the flood hazard information and I’m pleased that now less than a quarter of properties initially identified are considered affected at this time.

“I would encourage all property owners who receive updated flood hazard letters to have a read, and if they need more information to go online or contact us further - we’re here to help.

“This work in identifying natural hazards such as flooding, for inclusion in our city’s ‘development blueprint’ or Proposed District Plan, is a legal requirement of all Councils. It’s one aspect of the Plan, which governs everything about the way Hamilton looks and feels and how and where it grows.”

The Proposed District Plan, which was approved by Council today, will be notified for formal consultation on 10 December. Submissions close on 1 March 2013.

ENDS

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