Takitimu deal in the balance

Tauranga City Council's hopes of selling off parkland beside Takitimu Drive may have been dashed following the publication of a decidedly lukewarm staff report on the proposal.

The expected back-down follows opposition from around 40 residents, who said in July they would strongly oppose the sale. A report for a council meeting on Monday states that the return won't be as large as expected, with the sale process potentially eroding any expected profits.


The sale of parkland alongside Takitimu Drive is now looking unlikely. Photo: File.

Avenues resident Jenny Glausiuss today commended the council for a 'comprehensive and magnificently written” report.

'It brought in the historical background,” says Jenny, 'and also the principle of trying to keep green space. It even talked about the iwi, which was very important when Takitimu Drive was first on paper.

'This is a beautiful gateway into Tauranga, with the Waikareao estuary, the Mount standing proudly in the distance and the green belt stretching right along Takitimu Drive on the right.”

The recommendation for Monday's meeting is for council to retain the properties between Fourth and Eighth Avenues on the basis that the costs of progressing the sales outweigh the potential benefits.

'This is an instance where the likely financial and community cost of the decision may be higher than the opportunity to repay debt or put the proceeds of the sale towards another activity,” says the report.

The hurdles facing a sale process are bureaucratic and legal. Because the eight properties are currently used by the community as parkland, the law requires a public consultation process before council can agree to sell any part of it.

The sale process would have to be advertised, and adjoining landowners served with the notice. Because objections have already been raised, objectors will have to be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard by council.

The authorities are also required to give full consideration to those objections before deciding whether to proceed with the sale. Staff costs and time would be factored into this process.

If council continues to try and sell, a zoning change will be required as only two of the sections are currently zoned suburban residential, namely 121 and 127 Fourth Avenue.

Council has received a petition signed by 1076 people opposing the sale.

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5 comments

POINTY HEADS BACKFLIP

Posted on 18-09-2015 21:56 | By ROCCO

An idiotic proposal to start with probably unlawful undertaken with stealth inviting a petition of 1076 opposing the proposal and the outcome would have been TCC artz would have been nailed to the wall.No wonder the bozos ran for cover.


Who pays?

Posted on 19-09-2015 08:08 | By Robert

Well rate them to cover the expenses. why should someone in Welcome Bay pay for their privilege? Rate according to the cost per area and then we will see if they are so keen for the space and upkeep costs.


dont know

Posted on 19-09-2015 11:21 | By dumbkof2

oh dear it would never do to build in front of the toffs on the hill


Whos in charge

Posted on 19-09-2015 12:13 | By Kenworthlogger

Did the council need public consultation to buy this land? No. Then it should not need it to sell. Get some balls council and sell up all uneeded land. If residents like this land then they can sink their own money into retaining it.


Actually,

Posted on 19-09-2015 20:56 | By The Caveman

If the land was originally purchased under the Public Works Act, and is now found to surplus to requirements, if MUST first be offered back to the owners from who it was purchased.


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