“In my ‘hood’s experience, our words don’t have the same power as your words.
“When we speak truth to power, power hasn’t listened.”
There was a lot of nervousness in Kaiti.
Current staff and councillors were trusted, but it was the next iteration and the next.
It was imperative that the same council which passed the Tairawhiti Future Development Strategy also passed the Kaiti Master Plan.
Cr Wharehinga said he did not like the use of the word intensification in the future development strategy.
The word had a different meaning for Kaiti residents who defined it by what they saw.
“It means five three-storey buildings right on nan’s fence.
“It means someone from up high being able to look into auntie’s yard.”
Kaiti residents did not want such homes appearing in an ad hoc fashion.
‘Most sensitive area of network’
They wanted extra homes to house whānau and “to suit all of us” and a range of businesses to serve the community.
Kaiti kids wanted to be able to cross Wainui Road safely.
Cr Wharehinga said his previous comments were “Kaiti’s kōrero”.
His own kōrero was to ask the council to “please” stop using the word intensification.
Could there be the financial prioritisation of “Kaiti-based intervention infrastructure” such as roading, walking, cycling, a Kaiti pump station and high-water mains?
Council director of sustainable futures Jo Noble said work could be done on a Kaiti Master Plan within 12 months, notwithstanding a major disaster.
A Kaiti pump station and high-water mains were included in the council’s development contributions policy.
Cr Teddy Thompson said Kaiti needed a massive degree of infrastructure before 600 houses were built in the suburb.
Many submitters had made that point.
The council needed to stop sewage going into the rivers and ocean.
Kaiti could not handle the current situation let alone another 600 houses.
Director of community lifelines Tim Barry said the system could cope with six times the “dry weather flow” and overflows only happened in extreme weather events.
He knew of no system anywhere which did not have overflows.
Gisborne was unique in that every overflow was reported, as local overflows occurred when a valve was opened manually.
“Eliminating it (overflows) in total, in my view, is impossible.”
Cr Thompson said he believed Kaiti was the only problem area because the infrastructure in the area was old.
“I’m happy for development everywhere else.”
Mr Barry said Kaiti was the most sensitive area of the network.
It might be neccessary to invest and intervene.
Cr Rawinia Parata said it was good news that Kaiti would get a master plan. It meant 600 houses would be built in Kaiti with the services that would be required. Residents would not be left to their own devices.
The Tairāwhiti Future Development Strategy will be placed on the council’s website in late March.
The new recommendation passed by councillors (Cr Thompson voted against):
“Council directs staff to develop a Master Plan for Kaiti, with Kaiti, in the next 12 months.”
