Incorporated
Empowered Christchurch has been extremely active since the protest rally on 21 February 2016. Following on from the submission made to the Local Government and Environment Committee on the Regenerate Christchurch Bill back in December 2015, further submissions were made on the Replacement Christchurch District Plan at the end of February this year. A hearing panel of judges listened to submissions from community groups and individuals. One of the chapters covered was on coastal environment and the other on natural hazards. On 3 March, based on the evidence provided, the independent hearings panel asked the council to provide supplementary information on 1) sea level rise, 2) flood ponding management areas, and 3) permitted activities in rural areas. Most of this was duly submitted on 21 March 2016. However, on 20 April 2016, Council requested an extension for providing evidence on further high flood hazard modeling to Friday, 20 May 2016. The extension was granted the next day.
At the Seismics in the City meeting on 18 March 2016, we asked the Mayor, Lianne Dalziel, why she had not followed up on her offer to meet with us after the protest rally. A meeting was subsequently arranged for the morning of 6 April 2016. Here, the discussions centred on existing use rights (EURs), flood protection, ground water and building in high risk flood management areas (HRFMAs). The Mayor stated that Council lacked a statutory legal basis to prevent EUR rebuilds at the low floor levels we described (and illustrated with pictures). On existing use rights (EURs), Council agreed to seek a legal opinion from its solicitor, Brent Pizzey, as to whether EURs ceased to exist after a building platform has settled or removed laterally following an earthquake (a query made by Adrian Cowie). Council also undertook to follow the example of the MBIE and post a statement on its website reminding residents that Council regulations were not necessarily the same as insurance policy entitlements. We were told a working group would be set up to define the problems and determine the areas where Council could do something. A written response was promised by 20 April 2016, while the public would be kept informed on the Council website. No update has been forthcoming, but we did have a further meeting with Council on 26 April and will report on that in the near future..