Proposed legislation to manage earthquake-prone buildings could cost Tauranga ratepayers "tens of millions of dollars", mayor Stuart Crosby says.
The Buildings (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill 2013, which is halfway through its first reading, would give councils five years to do seismic reviews of all non-residential and multi-unit, multi-storey residential buildings.
Building owners would then need to strengthen or demolish earthquake-prone structures within 15 years.
The amendments would create a national standard for managing earthquake-prone buildings following recommendations by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission and a review by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Mr Crosby yesterday told the Bay of Plenty Times the changes could potentially cost the Tauranga City Council and ratepayers tens of millions of dollars in the future.