Minutes of a meeting of the Environment and Climate Committee

Held in the Council Chamber, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson

On Tuesday 1 December 2020, commencing at 9.08a.m.

 

Present:               Councillor K Fulton (Chairperson), Her Worship the Mayor R Reese, Councillors B McGurk (Deputy Chairperson), Y Bowater, T Brand, M Courtney (Deputy Chairperson), M Lawrey, G Noonan, R O'Neill-Stevens, R Sanson, T Skinner and Ms G Paine

In Attendance:     Group Manager Environmental Management (C Barton), Group Manager Strategy and Communications (N McDonald), Governance Adviser (E Stephenson) and Governance Support (P Boutle and K McLean)

Apologies :           Councillors J Edgar and P Rainey for absence

 

Karakia Timatanga

An opening karakia was given.

 

1        Apologies

Resolved EC/2020/039

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.       Receives and accepts the apologies for absence from Councillors Edgar and Rainey.

 

Sanson/Paine                                                                                    Carried

 

2.       Confirmation of Order of Business

Item 9 – Environmental Management Quarterly Report – 1 July – 30 September 2020 was considered prior to Item 9 – National Policy Statement on Urban Development: Removal of minimum car parking rates from the Nelson Resource Management Plan.

3.       Interests

There were no updates to the Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.

4.       Public Forum

4.1       Forest Committee - Lindy Kelly - Presenting a Petition

Ms Amy Shattock and Ms Lindy Kelly provided a PowerPoint presentation with supporting information (A2532470 and A2532647) and presented a petition from the Nelson Community titled – Nelsonians deserve a say as an affected party in the proposed non-complying development in Enner Glynn (A2537020).

Ms Shattock and Ms Kelly highlighted their concerns regarding the proposed development and its effects on neighbouring properties, including erosion caused by run-off, reverse sensitivities in a rural zoned area and the need to protect that taonga.

Te Atiawa Chief Executive, Harvey Ruru, noted that a Department of Conservation covenant was in place for Kelly’s Conservation Forest. Tangata Whenua had not been consulted.

Following a brief adjournment at 9.28a.m. to consider his request, Mr Murray Leaning, Marketing Manager Mitre 10 Mega Nelson, was granted permission to speak briefly in support of the petition.

Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton, clarified that Elected Members had no opportunity to influence this Resource Management Act regulatory matter and that an Independent Commissioner was in the process of determining the resource consent. It was also clarified that this is not a prohibited activity and Council must process the resource consent.

 

 

 

Attachments

1    A2532470 - Lindy Kelly Public Forum PowerPoint presentation

2    A2532647 - Lindy Kelly Public Forum Tabled Information

3    A2537020 - Lindy Kelly Petition - Save Kellys Forest

 

 

4.2       Nayland College Science Class - Climate Change

Ms Gerd Banke, accompanied by Nayland College Year 9 students, Bob Foy, Josina Frisk, Maggie O’Hara and Zoe Butcher, provided a PowerPoint presentation (A2537052). The students spoke to the presentation which focused on the activities they had undertaken regarding climate change impact on New Zealand, including the effects on animals, ocean acidification, the carbon cycle, the water cycle, the Albedo effect, and the difference between weather and climate.

Ms Banke noted that the students had collaborated with a Danish School and that the Danish climatorium would be opened on 2 December.

In response to questions, the students said that they felt that a Nelson climatorium was a good idea and that educating people regarding climate change was the approach that should be taken for the future.

 

 

 

Attachments

1    2537052 - Nayland College Public Forum PowerPoint Presentation

 

4.3       Lindsay Wood – Resilienz Ltd - the Relationship Between Decarbonisation and Growth

Mr Wood provided a PowerPoint presentation (A2532631) regarding the increasing rates of decarbonisation required and what was necessary to achieve this and levels of growth and GDP. He answered questions regarding absolute emissions/relative emissions and methods of reducing Nelson’s emissions.

 

 

 

Attachments

1    A2532631 - Lindsay Wood Public Forum tabled information

 

5.       Confirmation of Minutes

5.1       22 October 2020

Document number M15214, agenda pages 6 - 10 refer.

Resolved EC/2020/040

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Confirms the minutes of the meeting of the Environment Committee, held on 22 October 2020, as a true and correct record.

Courtney/Bowater                                                                            Carried

  

 

6.       Environment and Climate Committee Chairperson's Report

The Chair presented her report which was tabled (A2536999) She highlighted the importance of sustainable high quality lives, growing healthy food, a modal shift, CBD activation, urban greening, food production in parks and reserves and waste minimisation.

Questions were answered regarding Council’s vehicle fleet, next steps with the Coastal Inundation maps, carbon accounting for projects and access to a national carbon accounting portal.

Resolved EC/2020/041

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report Environment and Climate Committee Chairperson's Report (A2536999).

 

Skinner/Bowater                                                                               Carried

Attachments

1    A2536999 - Chairperson's Report

  

 

The meeting was adjourned from 10.26a.m. until 10.39a.m.

7.       Port and Harbour Safety Management System

Document number R21423, agenda pages 11 - 92 refer.

Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop, introduced  Harbourmaster, Andrew Hogg. Mr Hogg provided background on the risk assessment being undertaken, noting that the last risk assessment had been over 13 years ago. He answered questions regarding safety management system delineation, significant changes since the previous assessment which had not been captured in the annual self-assessments, the quality of the marine environment and the Regional Council responsibilities of Council.  

Concerns were raised regarding the risk to Council relating to gaps in the process and oversight of ensuring that correct processes were being followed and that documentation was up-to-date.

The meeting was adjourned from 11.09a.m. until 11.11a.m. to consider an additional recommendation to address the risk to Council.

It was noted that, whilst this committee was the correct place to consider navigation safety, that the matter should be referred to the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee to consider the risk aspect and an additional clause (3.) was added to the recommendation to this effect.

 

Resolved EC/2020/042

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report Port and Harbour Safety Management System (R21423) and its attachments (A1418392 and A2474992); and

2.       Notes further updates will be provided to the Environment and Climate Committee as actions are undertaken to address the identified gaps in the Port and Harbour Safety Management System; and

3.     Refers this report (R21423) and resolutions to the Audit Risk and Finance Committee for consideration in the organisational Risk Register.

 

Her Worship the Mayor/Courtney                                                      Carried

 

8.       Environmental Management Quarterly Report - 1 July - 30 September 2020 (Agenda Item 9)

Document number R21402, agenda pages 100 - 167 refer.

Environmental Programmes Adviser, Richard Popenhagen, introduced  Warmer Healthier Homes Nelson Tasman and Marlborough Chairperson, Leeson Baldey. Mr Baldey noted key highlights for the project including achievement of 2000 insulated homes.

Mr Baldey and Mr Popenhagen answered questions regarding the Warmer Healthier Homes Project.

It was agreed to put clause 2. of  the recommendation first.

Resolved EC/2020/043

That the Environment and Climate Committee

2.      Receives the report “Warmer Healthier Homes Nelson Tasman Marlborough Project – Year End Report 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020” (Attachment A2502472).

Skinner/Her Worship the Mayor                                                        Carried

The following officers summarised activities within their areas and answered questions relating to the Quarterly Report:

·        Principal Adviser Environmental Management, Jane Budge

·        Team Leader Science and Environment, Leigh Marshall

·        Team Leader Science and Environment, Stefan Beaumont

·        Team Leader City Development, Lisa Gibellini

·        Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop

·        Project Manager Maitai Ecological Restoration, Susan Moore-Lavo

Attendance: Councillor Sanson left the meeting at 11.52a.m.

Resolved EC/2020/044

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report Environmental Management Quarterly Report - 1 July - 30 September 2020 (R21402) and its Attachments (A2497007, A2508033, A2497431, A2379467, A2505060 and A2502472).

 

Fulton/McGurk                                                                                  Carried

       

 

The meeting was adjourned at 12.47p.m. and reconvened at 1.21p.m. at which time Councillors Lawrey, Sanson and Skinner and Ms Paine were not present.

9.       National Policy Statement on Urban Development: Removal of minimum car parking rates from the Nelson Resource Management Plan (Agenda Item 8)

Document number R21447, agenda pages 93 - 99 refer.

Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton, and Principal Planner, Natasha Wilson, presented the report. Ms Barton explained the rationale to align the National Policy Statement (NPS) and Nelson Resource Management Plan(NRMP). An updated recommendation was tabled (A2531523).

Attendance: Councillor Lawrey returned to the meeting at 1.24p.m.

Attendance: Councillor Skinner returned to the meeting at 1.25p.m.

Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop, Ms Barton and Ms Wilson answered questions regarding the process, and explained that the consequential amendments related to removal of cross references to parking rules.

Ms Barton reiterated that Council had no choice regarding the removal of parking requirements as it had to give effect to the NPS. She noted that leaving the requirements in the NRMP post-January would mean putting developers through a process to obtain a consent when they did not need to. Ms Wilson clarified that developers would still have a choice if they wanted to provide car parks.

Discussion took place regarding the need be clear that Council was not encouraging street permit parking, car park standard sizes and setbacks would remain. Appropriate communication of the removal for parking requirements will be required. Guidance may be required on implications for existing consent conditions.

Concerns were raised regarding effects on street parking.

Attendance: Her Worship the Mayor Reese left the meeting at 1.56p.m.

Councillor Skinner, seconded by Councillor Noonan, moved an alternative to the officer’s recommendation to extend the effective date from 1 January 2021 to 1 September 2021.

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report National Policy Statement on Urban Development: Removal of minimum car parking rates from the Nelson Resource Management Plan (R21447).

Recommendation to Council

That the Council

1.     Agrees that the Nelson Resource Management Plan requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, be treated as removed from the Nelson Resource Management Plan as from 1 September 2021  including consequential amendments in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act.

2.     Delegates to the Chair of the Environment and Climate Committee and the Group Manager Environmental Management, authority to approve the consequential amendments to the Nelson Resource Management Plan that flow from the removal of requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act and to make those amendments as the Nelson Resource Management Plan work programme permits.

 

Councillor Fulton, seconded by Councillor McGurk, moved an amendment to change the effective date to 1 January, which was the officer’s recommendation.

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report National Policy Statement on Urban Development: Removal of minimum car parking rates from the Nelson Resource Management Plan (R21447).

Recommendation to Council

That the Council

1.     Agrees that the Nelson Resource Management Plan requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, be treated as removed from the Nelson Resource Management Plan as from 1 January 2021  including consequential amendments in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act.

2.     Delegates to the Chair of the Environment and Climate Committee and the Group Manager Environmental Management, authority to approve the consequential amendments to the Nelson Resource Management Plan that flow from the removal of requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act and to make those amendments as the Nelson Resource Management Plan work programme permits.

The meeting was adjourned from 2.03p.m. until 2.05p.m.

The amendment was put and a division was called:

For

Cr Fulton (Chairperson)

Cr McGurk

Cr Brand

Cr Courtney

Cr Lawrey

Cr O'Neill-Stevens

Cr Sanson

Against

Cr Bowater

Cr Noonan

Cr Skinner

Absent

Her Worship the Mayor Reese

Cr Sanson

Ms G Paine

 

The amendment was carried 7 - 3.

The substantive motion was put.

Resolved EC/2020/045

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.     Receives the report National Policy Statement on Urban Development: Removal of minimum car parking rates from the Nelson Resource Management Plan (R21447).

 

Fulton/McGurk                                                                                  Carried

Recommendation to Council EC/2020/046

 

That the Council

1.     Agrees that the Nelson Resource Management Plan requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, be treated as removed from the Nelson Resource Management Plan as from 1 January 2021  including consequential amendments in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act.

2.     Delegates to the Chair of the Environment and Climate Committee and the Group Manager Environmental Management, authority to approve the consequential amendments to the Nelson Resource Management Plan that flow from the removal of requirements for minimum on-site parking rates, including rules, assessment criteria, policies or objectives that have the effect of setting minimum parking rates, in accordance with s.55 of the Resource Management Act and to make those amendments as the Nelson Resource Management Plan work programme permits.

 

Fulton/McGurk                                                                                  Carried

Attachments

1    A2531523 - Updated recommendations for the NPS on Urban Development: Removal of mimimum car parking rates from the NRMP

 

 

 

There being no further business the meeting ended at 2.24p.m.

 

Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:

 

 

 

                                                         Chairperson                                    Date