The public has been excluded from hearing a debate due to take place today on the council's controversial plan to rezone 13.2 hectares of sports fields at Papamoa to provide more land for housing.
It was one of two items being taken in confidential by the city council, with the other dealing with a shortlist to find a strategic partner for the Heart of the City development.
An independent commissioner heard the Papamoa rezoning application at a hearing on May 24 and 25 impacting on Tauranga's newest beach suburb, Wairakei. Plan Change 25 also included a big reduction in business zoned land.
The council's justification for rezoning the land set aside for sports fields was based on a study that concluded it was no longer required because of the proximity of Gordon Spratt Reserve and that the next stage of development, Te Tumu, would have 20ha of sports fields.
The commissioner's decision has been kept under wraps by the council, with today's adoption and notification of decisions on Plan Change 25 not expected to be released until August 12 - depending on the outcome of today's meeting.
It was being taken in confidential because the decision could be appealed to the Environment Court and the council did not want potential appellants to hear its deliberations.
Today's decision would also impact on whether Tauranga's 13th Special Housing Area (SHA) ended up being considered by the Minister for Building and Construction. The latest proposed SHA is a 16.6ha extension to Papamoa's Golden Sands subdivision, delivering an additional 273 dwellings.
Because the land was mostly in the area zoned for sports fields, the council's recommendation earlier this month to the minister was conditional on the planned sports fields being rezoned for housing.
It was normal practice for the council to follow the recommendations by its independent hearing commissioner.
Another item due to be taken in confidential today was the expressions of interest phase to find a strategic partner to develop and deliver the new Civic Administration Building and other commercial elements of the Heart of the City plan.
The council was to consider a shortlist from the expressions of interest received for a strategic partner. The reason for confidentiality was ''to enable the council to carry out without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities in relation to the completion of the expressions of interest phase".