Whakatāne council rethinks chipseal after subdivision residents object

Chris Stone wants Whakatāne District Council to rethink chipseal replacement of the asphalt streets in Waterways subdivision. Photo / Diane McCarthy

Ōhope’s Waterways subdivision residents are delighted the Whakatāne District Council has agreed to postpone resealing their streets after they petitioned for a review.

Residents say the late 1990s-developed subdivision was given a smooth asphalt surface, which is hardwearing, pleasing to look at, quiet to drive on and smooth to cycle and scooter on.

When Deb Woolett received a notice from council contractors last week that they intended to chipseal the road, along with Harbour Rd, this week, she decided this was a downgrade in the roading asset, which residents should have a say about.

Woolett said she felt chipseal would decrease the quality of living for residents, with increased road noise, a rough road texture, chip migration and tar bleed.

“I ... thought, ‘ah, this is happening really quickly, we need to get onto this’.”

She spoke to about 90% of the residents and found, of those, 95% were against the chipsealing of the road.

Woolett said residents had paid for homes on an asphalted street.

She sent an open letter to the mayor, councillors, community board members, roading staff and news organisations, along with a petition signed by about 17 residents asking that the works be delayed until residents had been consulted.

Woolett said the experience was an excellent example of democracy in action.

“I contacted all the right people and [the council] have been incredibly responsive and said, ‘we understand, we will consult you further’.”

The residents said the asphalt surface laid around 30 years ago by the developer was still in good condition, while a new chipseal surface would need more frequent resealing.

Resident Chris Stone, who has many years’ experience in landscaping and associated industries, said this was not just an issue for the Waterways subdivision.

“This is an issue that needs to be addressed for all subdivisions in which the developers have put in asphalt roads.”

Developers used asphalt to build roads in new subdivisions to make them more attractive to home buyers and, once built, they became council property.

He said councils throughout New Zealand were using chipseal to pave over the roads.

“What they’re doing is taking an expensive, high-grade surface and replacing it with an inferior surface.”

The chipseal was not only rougher and messier but also had a shorter lifespan, he said.

Stone has asked the council to look into a product called EnviroShield that he says is superior to chip-seal, cost-effective, safer to apply and created less emissions and toxic risk to the adjacent Ohiwa Harbour.

“Council staff and councillors have an opportunity to be leaders in innovation with a simple acceptance that a currently available option should be investigated , cost evaluated and hopefully, implemented,” he said.

Council transport manager Ann‑Elise Reynolds said the planned resealing work on Waterways Drive was currently on hold while the council considered the residents’ request.

“EnviroShield is a surface treatment designed to extend the life of existing asphalt or chipseal roads, rather than a full resurfacing.

“It is relatively new to the New Zealand market, which means the council needs to carry out further due diligence and consider options, costs and longer‑term impacts before making any decisions,” she said.

The council would liaise with residents as this work progressed and would seek guidance from elected members before determining next steps.

“Given the time required to work through this process, it is unlikely Waterways Drive will be resurfaced this summer roading season,” Reynolds said.

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.