Minutes of a meeting of the Environment and Climate Committee

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

On Wednesday 17 February 2021, commencing at 9.07a.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), J Edgar (via Zoom), M Lawrey, G Noonan, R O'Neill-Stevens (via Zoom and in person), P Rainey, R Sanson and T Skinner

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

Apology:             Ms G Paine

 

 

1.       Apologies

Resolved EC/2021/001

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.        Receives and accepts an apology from Ms G Paine.

Sanson/McGurk                                                                            Carried

2.       Confirmation of Order of Business

There was no change to the order of business.

3.       Interests

Councillor Fulton advised of an update to the Interests Register, in that she became a Trustee of the Brook Waimarama Community Gardens in December 2020. No interests with items on the agenda were declared.

4.       Public Forum (via Zoom)

4.1      Friends of the Maitai

Attendance: Councillor Skinner entered the meeting at 9.12a.m.

Attendance: Her Worship the Mayor Reese entered the meeting at 9.16a.m.

Steven Gray, accompanied by Tom Kennedy, on behalf of the Friends of the Maitai, spoke to the presentation (A2575066). Mr Gray answered questions regarding the health of the Maitai river.

 

 

 

Attachments

1    A2575066 Steven Gray public forum speaking notes

5.       Confirmation of Minutes

5.1      1 December 2020

Document number M15310, agenda pages 8 - 17 refer.

Resolved EC/2021/002

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

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

Courtney/McGurk                                                                          Carried

  

6        Chairperson's Report

Councillor Fulton tabled her Chairperson’s Report (A2575231) and spoke to it. 

It was requested that Council’s submission on the He Pou a Orangi report include the need for financial support to deliver on the report’s objectives.

Resolved EC/2021/003

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report Chairperson's Report (A2575231).

Courtney/Skinner                                                                          Carried

 

Attachments

1    A2575231 - Chairperson's Report 17 February 2021

 

 

7.       Environmental Management Activity Management Plan - Levels of Service

Document number R21449, agenda pages 18 - 25 refer.

Two documents were tabled providing the current levels of service and the proposed levels for comparison (A2574569 and A12051681).

Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton, noted that an extra clause had been added to the recommendations, which had been omitted from the agenda. Ms Barton summarised the proposed levels of service and the rationale used in setting them. Along with Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop, Manager Environmental Planning, Maxine Day and Principal Adviser Environmental Management, Jane Budge, Ms Barton answered questions regarding service levels, monitoring, legislation changes, measuring and reporting, regional council responsibilities and frequency of review. She noted that community outcomes had been set through the Long Term Plan process and this was only part of Council’s environmental reporting.

Further questions were answered regarding legislation on environmental outcomes reporting, macroinvertebrate community index (MCI) levels, air quality and noise control breaches, food safety legislation, the City Centre Programme, consent processing fees, the parking review and parking and noise control.

The meeting was adjourned from 10.26a.m. until 10.27a.m.

Resolved EC/2021/004

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report Environmental Management Activity Management Plan - Levels of Service (R21449) and its attachment (A2558804); and

2.    Approves the levels of service for the non-financial performance measures in the draft Environmental Management Activity Management Plan (Attachment A2558804); and

3.    Notes that the Draft Environmental Management Activity Management Plan 2021 -2031 Levels of Service (A258806) will be updated and, the final Activity Management Plan – Levels of Service, approved, after the adoption of the Long Term Plan 2021-2031.

 

McGurk/Brand                                                                              Carried

 

Attachments

1    A2574569 - Comparison with previous 2018 and proposed 2021 Levels of service for Environment LOS review

2    A2574567 - Proposed 2021-31 Levels of Service for Environment LOS review and comparison with 2018 LOS

 

      The meeting was adjourned from 10.31a.m. until 10.46a.m., during which time Councillor Noonan left the meeting.

8.       2021 Environmental Management Fees and Charges review

Document number R21403, agenda pages 26 - 99 refer.

Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop, and Principal Adviser Environmental Management, Jane Budge, spoke to the report.  They answered questions regarding the rationale for the proposed fees and charges and it was agreed that officers would work on a holistic approach on green/sustainable building incentives and engagement on the proposed increase in commercial fees

Attendance: Councillor Edgar left the meeting at 11.10a.m.

The meeting was adjourned from 11.17a.m. until 11.19a.m.

Attendance: Councillor O’Neill-Stevens left the meeting at 11.22a.m. and Councillor Noonan returned to the meeting at 11.23a.m.

Attendance: Councillor Rainey left the meeting at 11.26a.m.

Resolved EC/2021/005

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report 2021 Environmental Management Fees and Charges review (R21403) and its attachments (A2551172, A2554483, A2565321, A2563976, A2554765 and A2564096); and

2.    Agrees the preferred option is to increase Resource consent fees and charges to recover 45% of Council costs for these services; and

3.    Adopts the Statement of Proposal for the Amendments to the Charges under the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 commencing 1 July 2021  as detailed in Attachment 1 (A2551172) to Report R21403; and

4.    Agrees a summary of information contained in the Statement of Proposal Amendments to the Charges under the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act 2013 is not necessary to enable public understanding of the proposal; and

5.    Agrees the preferred option is to increase Food Act fees and charges to recover 48% of Council costs for these services; and

6.    Adopts the Statement of Proposal for the Proposed Food Act 2014 fees and charges as detailed in Attachment 2 (A2554483) to Report R21403; and

7.    Agrees a summary of information contained in the Statement of Proposal for the Proposed Food Act 2014 fees and charges is not necessary to enable public understanding of the proposal; and

8.    Agrees the preferred option is to increase Building Act fees and charges to recover 71% of Council costs for these services; and

9.    Adopts the Statement of Proposal for the Building Act 2014 and Property Information  fees and charges as detailed in Attachment 3 (A2565321) to Report R21403; and

10.  Agrees a summary of information contained in the Statement of Proposal for the Building Act 2014 and Property Information  fees and charges is not necessary to enable public understanding of the proposal; and

11.  Agrees the preferred option is to increase Environmental Health fees and charges as proposed in Attachment 4; and

12.  Adopts the Statement of Proposal for the Proposed Environmental Health fees and charges as detailed in Attachment 4 (A2563976) to Report R21403; and

13.  Agrees a summary of information contained in the Statement of Proposal for the Proposed Environmental Health fees and charges is not necessary to enable public understanding of the proposal; and

14.  Notes the increases for the Dog Control fees and charges, that do not require public consultation, identified in Attachment 5 of Report R21403 (A2554765) will take effect from 1 July 2021; and

15.  Notes no change will be made to the discretion to lower the rating of particular activities under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act; and

16.  Approves the consultation approach (set out in section 7 of this report) and agrees:

a) the approach includes sufficient steps to ensure the Statements of Proposal will be reasonably accessible to the public and will be publicised in a manner appropriate to its purpose and significance; and

b) the approach will result in the Statements of Proposal being as widely publicised as is reasonably practicable as a basis for consultation.

17.  Approves commencement of the Special Consultative Procedures, with the consultation period running from 16 March to 16 April 2021.

 

Courtney/McGurk                                                                          Carried

 

9.       Biosecurity Annual Review

Document number R21465, agenda pages 100 - 110 refer.

Environmental Programmes Adviser, Richard Frizzell, and Team Leader Science and Environment, Leigh Marshall, spoke to the report, noting the review would begin as soon as possible. They advised that officers were compiling a table of pests, and answered questions on pest control in the Nelson and Tasman regions, in particular regarding Taiwan Cherry.

Attendance: Councillor O'Neill-Stevens returned to the meeting at 11.37a.m.

Resolved EC/2021/006

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report Biosecurity Annual Review (R21465) and its attachments (A2262413, A2504242, A2504241, and A2486628).

 

Fulton/McGurk                                                                              Carried

Recommendation to Council EC/2021/007

 

That the Council

1.    Approves the Operational Plan 2020-21 for the Tasman-Nelson Regional Pest Management Plan (A2486628), specifically as it relates to Nelson City Council’s area.

 

Fulton/McGurk                                                                              Carried

10.     Submission to the Marlborough Environment Plan - Variations 1 and 1A

Document number R22605, agenda pages 111 - 117 refer.

Manager Environmental Planning, Maxine Day, presented the report and answered questions regarding space for aquaculture. Following discussion it was agreed that there would be a minor change to the submission to make it clear that Nelson City Council had not formed a view on aquaculture at this stage, with the wording to be approved by the Chairperson.

Resolved EC/2021/008

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report Submission to the Marlborough Environment Plan - Variations 1 and 1A (R22605) and its attachment (A2562993); and

2.    Approves the amended submission attached to report R22605 for release to Marlborough District Council.

Noonan/Skinner                                                                            Carried

 

11.     Environmental Management Quarterly Report - 1 October 2020 - 31 December 2020

Document number R22560, agenda pages 118 - 152 refer.

Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton, answered questions regarding the Spatial Plan timeline, coastal inundation information availability, native forestry, litter trap trials, and a permanent location for the Pop Up Park.

Attendance: Councillor Rainey returned to the meeting at 12.13p.m.

Further questions were answered regarding Jobs for Nature funding, an explanation on the changes to LIM notations and the draft Emissions Reductions Action Plan.

Resolved EC/2021/009

 

That the Environment and Climate Committee

1.    Receives the report Environmental Management Quarterly Report - 1 October 2020 - 31 December 2020 (R22560) and its Attachments (A2563404, A2548631, A2559930, A2553113, and A2497431).

Skinner/Brand                                                                              Carried

       

 

 

There being no further business the meeting ended at 12.32p.m.

 

Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:

 

 

 

                                                       Chairperson                                     Date