The Whakatāne District Council’s Policy Committee has agreed that a private plan change application should be prepared to the Regional Water and Land Plan to address the high loss of life risk to people living in the Awatarariki Stream fanhead area.
The Matatā township was struck by devastating debris flows in 2005. Engineering solutions were put in place to address the risk of future debris flows from some streams flowing from the steep escarpment catchments behind the town, but plans to mitigate the risk for the Awatarariki Stream were abandoned in 2012, following advice from experts that no viable engineering solution was available.
In May, the Council decided to initiate a change to the District Plan which, if approved, would remove the current residential zoning and prevent any future development in the fanhead area. That change would not affect existing uses, however, and at last week’s Policy Committee meeting, most elected members agreed that the loss of life risk was such that a change to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Regional Water and Land Plan should also be sought. If a Regional Plan change was implemented, existing use rights would be extinguished and the risk to life managed by a compulsory retreat from the debris flow hazard.
The Committee decision followed heartfelt public forum presentations from or on behalf of people who own properties in the fanhead area. Councillors acknowledged that property owners had faced a stressful situation for far too long and noted that the plan change processes would run in parallel with a voluntary retreat package, which is dependent upon Government and Regional Council financial support.
Committee Chairperson Judy Turner said the Council had a moral obligation to take every possible step to reduce the risk applying to anyone living in the Awatarariki high risk area. “As difficult as it is, this is the right thing to do. The Resource Management Act ensures that all stakeholders have a chance to have their views heard and, if anyone is not satisfied with the outcome, they are able to appeal the decision to the Environment Court,” she said.
The Committee also agreed to add $250,000 to the 2017/18 Annual Plan to underwrite the cost of the private plan change process.