The decision about the future of the Zespri site in Maunganui Road is expected today from the Tauranga City Council.
Local resident Stephen Bird is already calling the decision suspect.
A decision on the proposed Zespri site is due today.
Options presented to councillors following the public consultation process include slicing up the land to keep the library and Plunket day care at the northern end, in public ownership.
One of the slice and dice options also includes keeping some of the parkland at the southern end of the block.
To have only two options both involving sale of land presented is really no choice at all, says Stephen.
'When 82 per cent of community feedback is against any sale, I would have thought there would be a third option allowing for the view of the community to be supported,” says Stephen.
'Surely an option is always to retain the status quo.”
He says the council is 'less than upfront” about the underlying reasons for embarking on the consultation process.
'The strategic review has been presented to the public and submissions called for on the basis solely of ‘debt reduction', yet it is revealed in the report (DC No:175 Executive summary point 4) that the review has also been instigated at the request of a potential purchaser of the land.
'Why was this information not disclosed when calling for submissions from the public?” asks Stephen.
He says it leaves the council open to challenge on the validity of the consultation process, and it doesn't appear to meet the requirements set out in the Local government Act.
'The factual basis of the council's open space review which used to bolster the proposed sale of the green space is also open to challenge.
'There are hints in the report that the writer is being very generous with the finding that the land is not required to meet the open space level of service,” says Stephen.
There are conflicting conclusions in the report and there also appears to be a lot of secrecy around the impact the nearby High Performance Sports Centre will have on the future availability of open space for community use, says Stephen.
'Surely reducing the future options is not in the best interests of the wider City.”
6 comments
ITS A DONE DEAL
Posted on 23-06-2015 12:40 | By The Caveman
SOLD - the mayor already knows what the outcome of the vote will be - he has "done" the numbers and its a sale.
retain the status quo
Posted on 23-06-2015 14:01 | By YOGI BEAR
Sadly Stephen forgot the important factor, the public consultation process only happens when they must and only that necessary to get the desired answer is presented to Councilors and the public. How else does one get the desired answer?
Sell the lot?
Posted on 23-06-2015 14:09 | By YOGI BEAR
Would be the best option and is best for ratepayers as a whole. That of course means that it is not an option.
Done deal already
Posted on 23-06-2015 14:10 | By YOGI BEAR
yes I agree it very much looks like it, just need to rubber stamp something on the way through that is all TCC is doing today. It looks like the Mayor knows more than is being admitted, no surprises there either. Like that has happened for the first time?
Consider all the options.
Posted on 23-06-2015 14:29 | By Pamaxx
The library and Plunket there are not well sited for the growing Mt population. Selling this site (at the right price) is an opportunity to build a more modern, purpose designed facility nearer to the population source. Max Lewis, Mt Maunganui
WHO says its not the right
Posted on 23-06-2015 21:19 | By The Caveman
location for a library and Plunket - seems that people have forgotten that pensioners and who life in the are in their OWN residents, AND young couples that don't want the quarter acre section but will have children will purchased apartments in the area. The TCC needs to wake up the, quarter acre section is well gone, MANY people want to live in the apartment life style (old & young), and the city needs to cater for ALL - SMALL parks are part of the city lifestyle.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.