Post by Brent George on Sept 15, 2022 20:14:42 GMT
Council wants to charge developers who fail to retain or plant enough trees
Stuff - The Press: 16-Sept-2022
Christchurch developers could soon be charged tens of thousands of dollars if their new properties fail to reach a leafy threshold.
In an effort to protect Christchurch’s trees from intensified housing, the city council on Thursday decided to start a process to introduce new tree protections into the district plan.
It wants to bring in charges for companies behind new residential sites if their developments have less than 20% tree canopy cover.
Developers could retain or plant trees to reach the 20%, but if the threshold is not met they will have to pay up – and in some cases this could be between $30,000 and $60,000, depending on the size of the property.
All very well - but:
- what criteria will there be for existing vegetation to qualify - or will any old, sick, dying, incompatible tree be OK?
- will new trees be selected to suit local conditions?
- will they be required to be expensive and slow growing natives or cheap and incongruous exotics?
- will trees in the public spaces really be looked after by Council? (currently there is a poor track record of tree maintenance with the current stock)
- will the developers just absorb the cost - or will they simply spread that charge across the cost of each property?
- why worry about shade from a tree when you can get shade from the neighbors 3-storey townhouse?
Stuff - The Press: 16-Sept-2022
Christchurch developers could soon be charged tens of thousands of dollars if their new properties fail to reach a leafy threshold.
In an effort to protect Christchurch’s trees from intensified housing, the city council on Thursday decided to start a process to introduce new tree protections into the district plan.
It wants to bring in charges for companies behind new residential sites if their developments have less than 20% tree canopy cover.
Developers could retain or plant trees to reach the 20%, but if the threshold is not met they will have to pay up – and in some cases this could be between $30,000 and $60,000, depending on the size of the property.
All very well - but:
- what criteria will there be for existing vegetation to qualify - or will any old, sick, dying, incompatible tree be OK?
- will new trees be selected to suit local conditions?
- will they be required to be expensive and slow growing natives or cheap and incongruous exotics?
- will trees in the public spaces really be looked after by Council? (currently there is a poor track record of tree maintenance with the current stock)
- will the developers just absorb the cost - or will they simply spread that charge across the cost of each property?
- why worry about shade from a tree when you can get shade from the neighbors 3-storey townhouse?