A $1.7 million Matapihi sewerage scheme is being presented to council this week.
Tauranga City Council wants to go to public consultation on connecting the two marae, the school, kohanga reo and about 60 surrounding dwellings to the wastewater system via the Southern Pipeline, with a value of $1,738,000, budgeted over two years 2016/17 and 2017/18.
Matapihi residents protesting the pipeline last year. File photo.
Council staff suggest a small bore pressure system because of the lower overall cost.
The recommendation is to pay for the Matapihi sewer out of a rates funded loan over two years.
Waikari Marae, Hungahungatoroa Marae, Matapihi School and Te Matapihi Kohanga Reo will not be charged for local capital expenditure, nor will they pay city wide development contributions and operational expenditure charged by way of the Wastewater Uniform Annual Charge.
Existing houses in the zone will pay no local connection fee, and a discounted development contribution of $500.
The owners of houses outside the zone will pay for the on-site pump and connection.
To protect the unique and rural character of the Matapihi peninsula as provided for within the Matapihi Land Use Plan, council will not allow connection to the Matapihi Marae wastewater pipeline for properties outside of the Marae Zone or not directly adjacent to or adjoining the Matapihi Marae wastewater pipeline.
The decision will increase operating wastewater expenses by about $190,000 a year under the recommended approach, starting from the 2017/18 year.
Papers state the council has been engaging with the Matapihi community for 11 years over the Southern Pipeline project, and that one of the key points to emerge was an expressed need for wastewater reticulation in Matapihi, particularly around the two marae.
What's not being talked about is the relationship between the council offer to install a sewerage system for Matapihi marae and marae zone housing – and the stalled Southern Pipeline sewerage project.
Matapihi land owners blocked passage of the pipeline across their orchards last July. They challenged the legality of the council decision to use a disputed paper road, and cut down 12 producing avocado trees.
At that time, Matapihi residents were not going to be able to connect to the pipeline. Owners complained to SunLive that there was no consultation with the council, and that there was no incentive for them jump to the council agenda because they would receive no benefit from the entire project.
They took the issue to the Maori Land Court last October. In November there was a hui with council staff, which CEO Garry Poole says was to obtain some clarification about issues concerning the paper road.
Garry denied an accusation made to SunLive that the council was going to be negotiating by chequebook.
'No. We don't need to take a cheque book. We need to sort out where the pipes are going and what the impact of the pipes is, and talk to the adjoining property owners, etcetera,” says Garry.
'It's really very much a discussion, so we all know what is coming in the next round of work.”
7 comments
here we go again
Posted on 28-01-2016 08:39 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
Guess who will pay funny how the cheque book comes out,like the new Waikato freeway a few yrs back Govt.,gave in and spent $thousands of dollars going around that puddle,they should not be allowed to do this, Thankyou Sunlive
Yeah Right
Posted on 28-01-2016 09:04 | By davidt5
No cheque book negotiation. The local Maori just get a free connection and free useage of the pipeline. All other ratepayers pay massive connection fees. Also significant part of our rates to send sewage down the pipeline. Why should a small select group of Maori residents get a free ride when the rest of the city ratepayers pay very dearly for the sewage system? By the very nature of this proposal non Maori on the peninsular will have to pay for both connections and useage. We have a very manipulative and rather deceitful council at work here. I thought the council was meant to work for the benefit of ALL ratepayers rather than a select few.
Is this the payoff?
Posted on 28-01-2016 10:14 | By Annalist
I thought all this had already been finalised before we set off on pipeline construction in the first place?
TWO DIFFERENT RULES EH !
Posted on 28-01-2016 12:21 | By The Caveman
My understanding was that the Matapihi residents were dead against the council sewerage pipeline passing through the Matapihi on
it was agreed Annalist
Posted on 28-01-2016 19:59 | By T Swanson
But apparently getting a clean water network they're not entitled to either was not enough. That was part of the agreement to allow the Southern Pipeline through Matapihi. They've already had that and are no longer showing good faith by preventing the work.
Very Costly
Posted on 28-01-2016 20:25 | By Jitter
This is a very expensive excercise with TCC taking an additional loan of $1,738,000 to cover this. Each connection is going to cost a phenomenal amount with existing houses in the Marae zone only having to pay $500. I bet developers all over Tauranga wish they could be in on this deal. If questioned TCC will come up with the usual spieL "This is in line with the terms and conditions of the Treaty !!!!!" The majority of the 85% of non "Maori" NZers are frankly sick and tired of this being thrown in their faces continally. Frankly it is also very degrading to "Maori".
Balanced?
Posted on 30-01-2016 20:24 | By penguin
So often Maori refer to the concept of 'partnership.' It would appear that the Matapihi group defines partnership, as
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