Town planning fees compromise

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 265, 29 November 1988, Page 3

Town planning fees compromise

After some debate at their last meeting the Waimarino District Council decided to set the fee for town planning applications at $400 plus GST, with a review at the next estimates.

The council had received a recommendation to up the charges to $600, after the maximum allowed under the Town and

Country Planning Regulations was increased from $200 to $1000. Cr Dave Griffiths had

earlier voiced his opposition to the fee increasing to $600, saying the hearings should not be a total user pays system as the process of hearing specified departures was of some benefit to the district and ratepayers. He said the high charges could sti-

fle development. Cr Tohi Punch agreed with him, saying the hearings process was part of the town plan which was to protect ratepayers. He said hearings were in part to protect ratepayers. Cr Gould agreed with the increase to $600 saying that, particu-

larly in Ohakune, ratepayers had subsidised town planning hearings for too long. Mayor Garick Workman said the crux of the problem was that many of the decisions were made in a matter of minutes while others take up to two hours. Cr Gould said with the proposed scheme changes the shorter hearings would not be needed. She suggested the increase should be deferred until after the scheme change. Cr Peggy Frew told the council that a number of ratepayers had asked her if the town planner needed to be at all the hearings. She also said some of the application hearings take a lot of the town planners' and the council's time and

the applicants are never seen again. Councillor Griffiths said the council could still charge up to the $1000 maximum in cases were there was more time spent by the town planner. Cr Errol Sue said the higher fees would cut out the test applications. Councillor Bennett finally moved that the fee be a minimum of $400 plus GST with a review in six months when the next estimates are considered.