Key decisions from today’s Council meeting [28/2/13]
Thursday 28 February 2013
Key decisions from today’s Council meeting
Christchurch City Council met today (Thursday 28 February), with the key decisions made outlined below:
Council revises social housing closure
threshold
The Council agreed to revise its
threshold for closing buildings after receiving the results
of a Detailed Engineering Evaluation (DEE). Under the
revised new criteria, social housing residential buildings
that have a seismic capacity of 33 per cent or less can
continue to be occupied unless they have significant damage
or have an identifiable brittle collapse mechanism.
In addition, the Council agreed that buildings that have not suffered damage but have a seismic capacity of 17 per cent or less will not be occupied.
Temporary repair
of Centennial Recreation and Sports Centre
The
Council voted not to proceed with the investigation of
repairs to the Centennial Recreation and Sports Centre. They
also voted that the Council meet with the Minister of
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery to discuss how the playground
planned for Centennial site through the Central Christchurch
Recovery Plan could incorporate an aquatic area or
pool.
Damage was estimated at $9.5M, with an expectation this could increase once further work was done to establish the full extent of the damage and the remedies needed.
Sumner Surf Lifesaving Club toilets to
be demolished
The Council approved the
demolition of the toilet block which is joined to the Sumner
Surf Lifesaving Club.
Both the surf club and the toilet were significantly damaged in the 22 February 2011 earthquake. It is expected that the toilet block will be demolished at the same time as the main surf club building, although a timeframe for the demolition is still to be confirmed.
Central City Living Zones
Review
The Council approved a report prepared by
staff for the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery on
proposed changes to the Central City Living Zone provisions
in the operative Christchurch City District Plan.
The report will be delivered to the Minister tomorrow, with a recommendation from the Council that he undertake further public consultation on the proposed changes. Council also recommended that the Minister instruct them on any changes needed to the City Plan after he reviews the report and carries out the additional consultation.
Proposals to improve the
Earthquake-Prone Building System in New
Zealand
The Council resolved to make a
submission to the Ministry of Earthquake, Business and
Innovation’s Building Seismic Performance consultation.
The Council’s submission includes support for owners submitting plans for strengthening or demolition within 12 months of assessment, a national publicly accessible register and building rating system, exemption for some low risk buildings, prioritisation of some critical buildings and greater Central Government support for local authorities and building owners.
Upper Styx set for
residential redevelopment
Council approved the
Planning Committee’s recommendation to publicly notify
Plan Change 71 and 72, from the Upper Styx Future Urban
Development Area and Outline Development Plan. These plan
changes include the rezoning of rural land for residential
purposes, and provides the framework for the progressive
urbanization and future development of the Upper Styx area,
in an effective and ordered manner.
Greenfield Sites to be developed in Belfast,
Hornby and Hornby West
Council has approved to
initiate an Outline Development Plan for the Greenfield
Business Areas in Belfast, Hornby and Hornby West.
Comprising of 98 Hectares in Belfast and 171 Hectares in
Hornby and Hornby West, plans will take into consideration
the stormwater management requirements and the appropriate
usage of open space in these areas.
Victoria
Clock Tower to be fully restored
The Environment
and Infrastructure Committee’s recommendation that the
Victoria Clock Tower be restored to full working order has
been carried by Council. This means that all the Clock faces
will be repaired and restored to full working order, and
none of the clock faces will remain at 12:51pm in
remembrance of the February 22
earthquake.
Road widening proposals for the
Opawa Road and Port Hills Road
Council will make
formal recommendation New Zealand Transport Agency for the
road widening requirements for the Opawa Road and Port Hills
Road (State Highway 73), from Brougham Street to the Port
Hills Road/Tunnel Road (State Highway 74).
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