A furious Tauranga councillor is jumping to the aid of a city motel owner after learning his council was prepared to help serve a police warrant for chopping down protected tree branches.
Thirteenth Avenue Redwood Motel manager Catherine Thompson was set to be served a warrant for entry at her Fraser St property at 1.30pm yesterday, after cutting a small branch off a Camphor Laurel tree.
Murray Guy is stepping in to support Catherine.
But an intervention by councillor Murray Guy is forcing Tauranga City Council to rethink their position of accusing Catherine of breaching section 9 of the Resource Management Act and rule 6B of the Operative Tauranga City Plan by removing a branch from one of 399 ‘Notable Trees' in Tauranga.
Catherine received an email from TCC on Thursday, informing her that a council arborist would visit the motel 1.30pm yesterday to remove the cut-offs and assess if further work is needed to 'maintain the vitality and shape of the tree”.
The council has since agreed to postpone the warrant and will continue an investigation and discussions into the dispute with Murray and Catherine.
Murray says he became aware of the situation midday Thursday when receiving a distressed phone call from Catherine. This prompted him to meet with her and view the tree for himself.
'It is disgraceful and it is impacting on the economy of their business. When I looked around and saw the bitumen lifting, the potholes and the roots forcing their way through the pavement it was shocking,” says Murray.
'I will be standing by the resident and ratepayer in this matter.”
Catherine told SunLive on Thursday she chopped the branch off due to fears of it endangering her family and business, but was not aware the tree was made notable by council.
The tree was made one of Tauranga City's 339 individually Notable Trees in 2001 – 10 years after Catherine's family purchased the motel.
'That's a common story back in the day, as when council adopted this process council staff circumnavigated the city identifying trees of interest and trying to make contact with the owners asking for permission to protect them,” says Murray.
'A failure to respond was taken by the ‘council of the day' as support. They [the residents] never approved it being made notable, so the tree and their rights to the tree were stolen from them without their consent.”
No warrant has been served and the tree branches remain in the property.
20 comments
well done murray guy
Posted on 28-09-2013 08:20 | By whatsinaname
well done Murray. TCC staff etc need to get of there a........ and get into the real world. see what damage that tree is doing to the motel.
To little to late
Posted on 28-09-2013 08:58 | By Poseidon
Sorry Murray you should never have allowed it to get to this. Councillors need to govern the organisation so that this sort nonsense stops.
So can we!!!
Posted on 28-09-2013 09:10 | By Sambo Returns
also include the Pohutukawa debacle in 2nd avenue, and the money wasting trying to bring the Pines at the Mount back to life, stupidity of the highest order, but then again it is all pretty much the way this Council works, Council management have to somehow create work for themselves, to justify their wage packets, while applauding Murrays stand, was he not the one who made the error that resulted in the 2nd avenue mess.
Policy's policy except when it suits??
Posted on 28-09-2013 09:50 | By Councillorwatch
Plenty of opportunity for Murray Guy and his council to have changed these rules over the last years. But now with an election on the go Cr Guy leaps into the fray. A bit too late? The big question is why this silly rule existed and would Cr Guy take the same position for every tree owner? If that was the case, then get rid of the rule. Too many times councillors quote policy when it suits, then reject it when it doesn't suit. Regular Sunlive readers will have seen plenty of examples over the years. Let's make real change this election.
Sambo , there was no error
Posted on 28-09-2013 10:19 | By Murray.Guy
Sambo, there was no error in regard the 2nd avenue Pohutukawa decisions, in fact, the reverse. Further evidence supported the removal of one tree. The Mayor and friends were able to use their privileged position and knowledge of processes to undermine the integrity of the committee and support the position of a few unaffected parties. In this case the tree is listed on our 'City Plan' following a process largely outside of the control of elected members and the result on independent commission rulings. Again, as with 2nd Ave, folk in the know, connected, are able to subvert processes that result in the private property rights being rorted. Our community work doesn't stop pre-election, some never begin!
Murray Guy's big words
Posted on 28-09-2013 11:43 | By Councillorwatch
Easy to throw around stuff like "privileged position and knowledge of processes" and "undermine the integrity." It's usually when you disagree with something. Every councillor including you has a privileged position and should know processes. As for integrity, does that have anything to do with consistency? Like if you preach about process and policy on one thing, can you just dismiss it when it suits you? This whole tree thing is a nonsense but how many years have you had to sort it? Total change needed on council.
tree or motel first
Posted on 28-09-2013 12:09 | By Wonkytonk
Wow talk about councillors in the news...most u people never help anyone until election month!...and even then its over silly things like a tree! she did what she did, rules are rules sorted.
Election time
Posted on 28-09-2013 12:23 | By The Master
What a crazy world we live in where a treee that is not even a NZ native has protection for a start, basiclaly destroys everything around it, roads, pavments, footpaths, hate to be in the house with a decent storm and the possible demolition of the house when it falls over ... calls then about why was that allowed to happen?
@ Councillorwatch
Posted on 28-09-2013 12:37 | By nerak
Taking some of your text here: 'Plenty of opportunity for Murray Guy” yes, more publicity, he's very good for this, BUT, what else? 'A bit too late?” Never too late, mate, for a publicity stunt. Roll on election time. Maybe Murray should look to Richard Kluit, a hard working man by any account.
Ignorance is Bliss
Posted on 28-09-2013 12:46 | By Woody123
Ignorance is Bliss but for some people, being ignorant of the facts seldom gets in the way of good opinion as evidenced by some of the posts on this subject. Clearly some folks don't take much notice of who does what on council and who is constantly out there working through real issues with people as opposed to fronting up in a suit and looking good for a photo op while casually lifting a middle finger to their ratepayer employers.
Time to get rid of Murray..
Posted on 28-09-2013 13:36 | By waima20
Yes its time to get rid of councillors who do nothing unless there maybe a vote in it.. imagine getting the Police to go and look for the branches that were removed!!Hopefully a new Mayor and councillors will ensure this Police state style at TCC is removed..
To
Posted on 28-09-2013 15:27 | By Capt_Kaveman
me this tree looks like a mess and dont get me wrong i like having trees by all means, i cant say who i am as sunlive will not post it but yes we need a complete clean out at TCC and vote with wise and watch out for to much self promotion
People not trees where it matters
Posted on 28-09-2013 16:57 | By Colleen Spiro
It states in the story that Murray received a call from this distressed woman....so should he have told her to bugger off....Why did she ring HIM in particular? maybe because she is aware that he does go into bat for rate-payers who are on the receiving end of Councils archaic rules. So it's election year....vote for people who don't give a damn and you get what you deserve.
I know...
Posted on 28-09-2013 20:07 | By Objective Journalism
the next time I break the law I am going to go crying to the media and a councillor to get me off? whats happening to kiwi integrity, you break the rules you got caught you pay the consequences... I think I might go and steal a car and then tell the papers I didnt know that was a rule and then ring the prime minister and maybe he will let me off because I will be really distressed
Capt Kaves
Posted on 29-09-2013 10:35 | By Plonker
The tree is a mess, not a NZ Native and in most countries around the world is considered a "weed". So why is it even there never mind protected.
cry cry
Posted on 30-09-2013 19:21 | By Wonkytonk
Lets all break the law, cry and get away with it..Murray is that beard real?!!
Wonkytonk and beard
Posted on 02-10-2013 13:23 | By Murray.Guy
Murray is that beard real?!! The beard was real (a few years back?) BUT short lived, never to be seen again, except on Sunlive! An attempt to discredit me - it works! LOL! By the way, we've since found out that in situations that require an urgent response, the owners of protected trees are unaware of 'after hours options'. It's been quite a learning curve for all concerned.
One law for Murray and his mates
Posted on 03-10-2013 01:01 | By Whata
You can break the law if your Murray's mates. It's time we elect Councillors that know what there doing and are in Council for more than power itself.
give him some credit
Posted on 03-10-2013 10:34 | By annon
I have to admit i have very little faith in the current TCC, however all of this slagging off Murray Guy may be a bit much. As far as I can see he is the only councillor who is always listening to the people and putting himself out there. I have not always agreed with his opinion however he has been a constant in social media and takes note of what is going on. Now he just needs to work on the rest of the Council and get more positive change happening.
A Minor Trim after-all
Posted on 03-10-2013 14:33 | By Equality
It is a beautiful tree!! I can see why it was necessary to execute the little trimming that was done and can't see that it has detracted from the shape or appearance of the tree in this instance.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.