New flood level building guidelines
By David Hill, local democracy reporter
The risk of flooding in the Waimakariri district has caused a rethink of building guidelines.
The Waimakariri District Council has endorsed new flood mapping freeboard and floor level guidelines for very low, low and medium risk areas as it plans ahead for future flood events.
The new guidelines recommended floor levels of 300mm to 500mm above the flood level.
But staff were recommending no building in areas considered to be high risk flood hazard areas.
‘‘It is really important that our district continues to be built in a way that provides minimal risk to people and property,’’ mayor Dan Gordon said.
‘‘There has been a significant amount of work undertaken to ensure any risk of flooding has been mitigated the best it can be and that the process is as streamlined and cost effective as possible to developers.’’
In a report to April’s council meeting, utilities and roading general manager Gerard Cleary said the freeboard level was the height above the designated flood level.
In the Waimakariri district, the previous standard was a freeboard level of 300mm.
‘‘If the flood level is one metre above the ground at a house site and a 300mm freeboard level is applied, then the building’s floor level would need to be 1.3 metres above the ground,’’ he said.
Guidelines varied throughout New Zealand, but the freeboard allowance was generally between 300mm and 500mm.
In Christchurch the freeboard allowance was 400mm.
Cleary said the Waimakariri district was located in a large and predominantly flat floodplain, which meant a 300mm freeboard allowance was sufficient in a number of areas.
But there were several factors supporting the raising of the freeboard allowance to 500mm.
These included vehicle wash, survey error and inaccuracy, fences impeding flow, less public and insurance industry acceptance of flooding, modelling error and uncertainty, minor earthworks, ongoing movement due to seismic activity, climate change and catchment
changes.
National guidelines for new greenfield developments recommended a 500mm freeboard allowance above the flood level, Cleary said.
‘‘Where the land has a low risk of flooding, there is little or nothing that needs to be done by the developer to achieve the freeboard requirement.
‘‘In areas of medium or higher risk there may need to be additional filling or careful design considerations given to achieve the desired level protection.’’
Cleary said the guidelines took into account variation 1 to the Waimakariri District Plan, required by the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021.
Variation 1 identified areas of Kaiapoi as unsuitable for further housing intensification due to flooding risk.
Fears motorway toll could leave North Canterbury town worse off
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A community leader fears a toll on the proposed motorway extension could leave a North Canterbury town worse off.
Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell said she fears Woodend could face increased traffic without promised safety improvements, if a toll is introduced on the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension, which includes the proposed Woodend Bypass.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) last month announced consultation for a toll of $4.30 for light vehicles and $8.60 for heavy vehicles (including trucks) on the new 11km Manawatu Gorge Motorway, which will be completed next year.
It means commuters could be stung with paying an extra $43 a week in their travel costs.
The agency said the Belfast to Pegasus Motorway extension will be 9km, including the Woodend Bypass and the realignment and four laning south of Pineacres.
Woodend residents have been waiting for safety improvements since NZTA began consulting with the community eight years ago.
But the safety improvements have been placed on hold, pending the progress of the motorway extension.
‘‘My biggest concern is people will continue using the existing road through Woodend and will go through Kaiapoi or Tuahiwi to avoid paying the toll,’’ Powell said.
‘‘And Woodend may not get the safety improvements, so nothing changes.’’
Powell was also concerned the speed reduction from 100kph to 80kph on State Highway 1 between the Pegasus roundabout and Waikuku could be reversed, following changes to the Setting of Speed Limits rule being announced.
‘‘It was a speed limit requested by the community as a safety improvement.
‘‘To go back to having that fast speed limit for traffic coming from the north, it would just be disastrous.’’
NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport requires the agency to consider tolling for new roads.
‘‘But it is too soon to discuss any potential tolling options until the scope and cost of this project has been confirmed’’.
Caygill was unable to confirm whether the 80kph speed limit between Pegasus and Waikuku would remain.
He said the agency will identify locations affected by the rule once it is finalised later in the year.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said Waka Kotahi ‘‘is working at pace’’ to deliver the motorway extension.
‘‘NZTA’s project teams are reviewing the scope, design, cost, and timing of all Roads of National Significance projects to ensure consistency with expectations in the GPS on Land Transport 2024.’’
He said Government ‘‘will support any recommendation from NZTA to toll roads’’.
The Government was also committed to ‘‘reversing Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions’’, Brown said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
-
42.1% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
-
57.1% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
-
0.8% Other - I'll share below
Can you crack Today’s neighbourhood conundrum?
Without a bridle or a saddle, across a thing, I ride a-straddle. And those I ride, by help of me, though almost blind, are made to see. What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Loading…
