Queenstown Lakes District Council RSS feed

Lakes Environmental Public Forum

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:44:35 +1200

Lakes Environmental Public Forum

Over the last 18 months Lakes Environmental has been working on updating and improving its on line presence by:

Introducing a new web site which is designed to improve the ability for customers to find the information they need without having to visit the Lakes Environmental offices in Queenstown and Wanaka.
Creating the ability to transact on line so that consent applications and various other transactions with Lakes Environmental can be completed electronically.
Scanning all historical consent files and making them accessible so that full public access to this information is available on line.
Introduction of an on-going on line survey for consent applicants to give us feedback on their consenting experience

We have received much positive feedback from our customers regarding these initiatives, but we also realise that in amongst the hustle and bustle of electronic communication it is easy to lose the face to face feedback that we previously enjoyed when you visited our offices more frequently. We are currently working on a number of communication initiatives aimed at redressing this situation and the first of these, the Public Forum, is due to be rolled out in February 2013.

The Lakes Environmental Board is pleased to invite you to have your say by booking a three minute time slot with the Board at the next Board meeting on 28 February 2013 in our Queenstown offices.

The forum will operate under the following protocol:

Half an hour is set aside at the beginning of each physical Board meeting for the forum and that the half hour is divided into 5 minute slots.
In order to be heard at the public forum a speaker must register with Lakes Environmental. They will simply register their name and what organisation (if any) they are representing. They will be given an option to specify the topic they wish to address.
Registrations will be taken via the website, telephone e-mail or in person up until the day preceding the meeting.
Each registered speaker who wishes to be heard will be allocated a time slot to individually address the Board. Every speaker who registers will be given a sheet explaining the protocol for this forum.
Space constraints dictate that only one speaker will be in attendance at the Board meeting at any one time.
The forum will be chaired by the Chairman of the Board.
The speaker may address the Board for three minutes and the Board can then ask questions of clarification or seek further information from the speaker for a further two minutes.
Set times will be strictly adhered to.

So if you have an issue you would like to share with the Lakes Environmental Board, contact Hamish Dobbie on 03 450 0344 or hamish.dobbie@lakesenv.co.nz and I will arrange a time slot for you.

Resource Consents 100% On Time

Mon, 3 Dec 2012 11:06:35 +1200

Resource Consents 100% on time for 12 consecutive months

The Resource Management team at Lakes Environmental is celebrating! During the last 12 calendar months we have issued all consents within their statutory timeframes. The Resource Management Act requires non-notified applications to be processed within 20 working days and notified applications within 70 working days. Between November 2011 and November 2012, we issued 750 resource consents, achieving an average of 11.2 processing days for the non-notified consents.

Over the last three years we have put a real focus on improving timeframes for all consents so it is great to see consistently good performance over an extended period. We have placed greater emphasis on careful vetting of consents when they are first received and reducing the number of requests for additional information. The planning teams meet regularly, checking on the progress of each consent, discussing what information may be needed, and carefully tracking timeframes. . Another factor has been the move to receiving on-line applications, issuing decisions digitally and dispensing with the need for paper files.

We would also like to thank all those applicants and consultants who have recognised why we are seeking complete applications at the time of lodgement and helped us achieve this result. It’s great for both applicants and our staff to see consents being processed efficiently and effectively on a consistent basis..

Lodging your Resource Consents Electronically

Tue, 6 Nov 2012 9:56:48 +1200

Hello everybody

By now most of you will be aware that we have made provisions to enable you to lodge resource consent applications electronically:

1. If your company has the capabilities of sending large sized emails, you are welcome to email direct to newresourceconsent@lakesenv.co.nz. Note, Lakes Environmental can receive large sized emails.

2. For those companies who are restricted from sending large emails, you are welcome to use FileShare. This link is on our website. http://www.lakesenvironmental.co.nz/resource-management/resource-consents/apply-online/

3. And, finally if you want to come and see our friendly receptionists, we also accept your applications via CD or USB (we’re also happy to return your USB stick on your next visit if you please).

If you have questions you are most welcome to contact us direct either by telephone (03 450 0300), enquiries@lakesenv.co.nz or dutyplanner@lakesenv.co.nz

Access your Property and Resource Consent Files On-Line

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:02:52 +1200

Lakes Environmental and QLDC have been scanning existing resource consent and property files so that this information can be stored and used electronically. Likewise all building and resource consents submitted to Lakes Environmental are processed electronically. These electronic files are now available on-line for public viewing. In order to view electronic files simply go to the Lakes Environmental website (www.lakesenvironmental.co.nz) and click the edocs link (http://edocs.qldc.govt.nz/) where you can view consent information.

Nearly all Resource Consents lodged from 2002 to date are electronic and Property Files (Building Consents) are getting there too. Of the Property Files, the areas so far which are electronic are:

Kingston

Arrowtown

Fernhill

Jacks Point

Gibbston

Lake Hayes Estate

Arthurs Point

Wakatipu Basin

Frankton (parts of)

Kelvin Heights (parts of)

The rest of the Property Files will be available for viewing over the next few months. If there is something particular you cannot find please contact us on 03 450 0300 or email enquiries@lakesenv.co.nz and we will endeavour to help you. Happy viewing

No Playground Pooch's

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 9:05:17 +1200

Now that spring is upon us, many will be heading for the parks, playgrounds and sports fields, to enjoy our wonderful public spaces. Under the Queenstown Lakes District Council Dog Control Bylaw 2006, some dog owners may not be aware that dogs are not permitted in the following areas:

areas laid out and equipped as children’s playgrounds
areas within a 50 metre radius of defined children’s playgrounds
defined playing areas of sports fields

This is to ensure the safety and enjoyment for all, so we can all enjoy the outdoor areas.

Electronic Consents

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:29:03 +1200

ONLINE APPLICATIONS

We are now accepting Building and Resource Consent applications electronically via our website. This is an easy option if you already have your plans and documents in an electronic version. Go to our website http://www.lakesenvironmental.co.nz/ and click on the Apply Online button on either the Building or Resource Management home page. You can upload all your documents from there. You can also send further information through this option. You will still need to make payment for the consent before it is formally received. Our bank details are Lakes Environmental Limited, BNZ, Queenstown 02 0948 0211515 00. Please use your name and/or address as a reference.

HISTORICAL FILES

In order to make it easier to access historical resource consent and property files we have been working with QLDC to scan all paper based files to an electronic format. The current situation is:

Resource Consents (Wanaka and Queenstown)
Resource Consents from 2002 forward are electronic. Resource consents prior to 2002 have not been scanned, and the receptionists will happily provide you with that physical file.

Property Files (Building Consents)
Historic Property files in Queenstown are currently in the process of being scanned.
Historic Property files in Wanaka are currently in the process of being scanned.
Building Consents that were lodged in 2012 (both Queenstown and Wanaka). The majority of the 2012 building consents are electronic.

We currently have two methods of delivering electronic files to you:

If you would like to have an electronic file put onto CD please ask the receptionists who will burn this for you. There is a $10 charge for this.
Otherwise you can receive the information via our Sharefile system if you ask any of our staff. There is no charge for this.

We expect to complete the scanning of the property files by the end of 2012. We are also working on making all electronic records available through the internet. Watch for an announcement about this soon.

Proposal for Guaranteed Price Resource Consents

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:43:28 +1200

In February 2012 I received the preliminary results of an independently conducted, year long customer experience survey that Lakes Environmental had participated in alongside seven other Councils. The purpose of the survey was to get feedback from customers about their experience with the resource consent process. We sought out this data so that we could understand what it was about the resource consent process that our customers were not satisfied with and so we could, where possible, make changes to the process so that it was better aligned with the needs of our customers.

The three key problems or concerns identified by customers were:

The overall complexity of the process
The requiring of more information after the consent was lodged
Unexpected fees charged

Lakes Environmental staff have spent the last six months analysing how our resource consent processing systems work and looking at alternatives in order to address the concerns raised by the customer experience survey and now we are proposing to put some changes in place. The first change we are proposing relates to the third concern identified by customers – unexpected fees. Our current resource consent fee structure, along with that of all other territorial authorities, is based on charging a deposit (or fixed fee as it is described in section 36(1) of the RMA) and then invoicing additional fees where costs exceed the deposit. Currently these additional fees are invoiced monthly.

We conducted a statistical analysis of all resource consents issued in the last two years in order to determine whether it would be possible to charge a one off fixed fee or guaranteed price for the processing of resource consent applications. The analysis showed that it not only was it possible, but that there were benefits from guaranteed prices, for both Lakes Environmental and its customers. The benefit to customers is that they pay a one off guaranteed price and receive no further invoices for the processing of their resource consent application. This removes the current cost uncertainty, means the applicant can do an accurate cost/benefit analysis before applying for resource consent and allows the applicant to budget for the actual cost. The guaranteed price proposal moves the price risk from the applicant to Lakes Environmental. However Lakes Environmental also benefits through improved cashflow and a reduction in debtor management.

The Lakes Environmental Guaranteed Price proposal was considered by Council on Friday 7 September 2012. Councillors considered the proposal and agreed to adopt it for the purpose of consultation with the community. So now it’s time to have your say. You will find the proposal and submissions form here. I look forward to your input.

Dog Registration Reminder

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:58:11 +1200

Dog Registration - Reminder

Thank you to all the owners who have recently registered their dogs.

If your dog registration has not yet been paid you will have until the end of July to register your dog, after which i.e. on 1st August, a 50% penalty will be added. The cost of registration from 1st August 2012 will be:

Pet dog – will increase from $70 to $105
Spay/Neutered dog – will increase from $60 to $90
Working dog – will increase from $35 to $52.50

If you have any questions regarding registration this please call 03 450 0300 or email enquiries@lakesenv.co.nz

Building Officer - Wanaka

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:27:08 +1200

Please see our careers page for details on a new job vacancy http://www.lakesenvironmental.co.nz/careers/vacancies/building-officer--wanaka.87/

Dog Registration 2012

Thu, 31 May 2012 9:30:52 +1200

Hello Dog Owners,

Yes…….it’s that time of year is approaching again, for Dog registration. The current dog registrations expire on the 30th of June 2012.

The public notification reminders have started and we will be sending all the renewal forms out on 12th June.

Please ensure you contact Lakes Environmental if any of your details have changed over the last year e.g. your address or phone numbers.

This year you will be able to pay online through our website using the new online payment button on the home page. Although you can also pay through any of these following methods:

Online through the website using your credit card

Online through the website using your credit card
In Person – by visiting our reception at: 74 Shotover Street Queenstown or Wanaka office 33-35 Reece Crescent, and pay by Cash, Credit Card or Cheque.
Direct credit into our bank account 02 0948 0211515 00 REF: your owner number
Post - a cheque to our offices

IF YOU CHOSE TO PAY FOR YOUR DOG REGISTRATION IN PERSON OR BY POSTT, PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU RETURN YOUR SIGNED REGISTRATION FORM IN THE PRE-PAID ENVELOPE PROVIDED.

The current fees are :

Category	Fee if paid on or before 31 July 2012	Fee if paid after 31 July 2012
Registration Fees
Disability Assist Dog	NIL	NIL
Working Dog	$35	$52.50
Spayed/Neutered Dog	$60	$90
All Other Dogs	$70	$105
Dangerous/Menacing	$145	$217.50

Please note 50% penalty will be added if the fee is paid after 31st July 2012.

If you have any questions regarding the fees or registration please contact 03 450 0300 or email lauren.donnelly@lakesenv.co.nz

New Directors

Thu, 3 May 2012 11:42:58 +1200

Two new directors will take up a position on the board of Lakes Environmental Limited this month.

The appointments have been made to replace two vacated positions. Director Tony Hill retired by rotation in March and did not seek re-election. Alan Bickers resigned.

The two new board members were director and property developer Mike Coburn and planning consultant and former Council district planner Jeffery Brown.

Abandoned Vehicles

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:09:31 +1200

From time to time, you may notice a vehicle parked on the side of the street, that you believe is abandoned. Lakes Environmental is currently dealing with these vehicle, and whilst our officers are around and respond to such matters, you can also help us by notifying us when you believe a vehicle has been abandoned.

We follow a strict process once these vehicles have been identified, which often results in vehicles being impounded.

When vehicles are impounded, we have another strict process, which on occasion may result in the sale of the vehicles. The first sale is taking place on the 26 April 2012.

If you believe you have identified an abandoned vehicle, please notify either Lakes Environmental or Queenstown Lakes District Council in order that we may start the process.

Notice of Queenstown Abandoned Vehicle Sale

Viewing to take place Thursday 26 April between 1 and 3pm at Queenstown Vehicle Impound Lot at the Gorge Road Car park – Corner of Industrial Place.

Tenders will be accepted on the day but MUST be Submitted to Lakes Environmental LTD 74 Shotover Street Queenstown by 5pm Friday 27 April.

The Following Vehicles will be on show with the following description in respective order of information: Make, Model, Colour, Chassis Number, rego, location where removed from and name of currently registered owner and last known address where applicable:

Mitsubishi, Silver, E52A0303960, DGL311, Shotover Street – Landrover, Blue, SALLJRNN3VA745359, EFK559, 23 Balmoral Drive, Brian John McGill, 3 Balmoral Drive, Kelvin Heights, Queenstown.
Nissan, White, U11104399, PW2868, Hamilton Road, David Perry, 99 Elstone Road, Georgetown, Duntroon
Honda, Silver/gold, PN5106, McBride and Lake Ave, Paul Rourke, 6 Merioneth St, Arrowtown 9302
Nissan, Wagon, Red, W10078595, AMB256, Cemetry Road, Simon Freddy Chandler, Zest Apartments, 733 - 72 Nelson Street, Auckland Central, Auckland
Mitsubishi, Galant, Black, 6MMKR5D4INT003893, RJ8714, Golden Terrace, Eduardo Regla Pereira, 26 Towne Place, Frankton, Queenstown
Mitsubishi, Lancer, White, 7A1LJ1L41SPO25146, UK8147, Aspen Grove, Fernhill, Jon Matthew Cresswell, 8 - 69 Edinburgh Drive, Queenstown

Holden, Comodore, Silver, 6H8VNL19HKT100074, NT6089, 19 Panaroma Terrace, Benjamin Taylor, 21 Cambridge Terrace, Wellington.

Directors

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 9:36:08 +1200

Two of our directors will retire by rotation at 31 March 2012. To create an orderly transition in the board, QLDC is keen to receive expressions of interest for these positions. Directors with experience in governing within a service environment, with a focus on driving strategies to ensure on-time delivery, continuous process improvement and cost control are encouraged to apply.

Please see the Corporate section of our website for the full briefing information

Restricted Building Work

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:24:05 +1200

There are some changes you need to know about. From March 1, Restricted Building Work comes into effect. This applies to most residential building or renovation work and only a Licensed Building Practitioner can undertake or supervise the work.

If you apply for a building consent after March 1 you must make sure that the practitioners you use are correctly licensed to carry out the work. Licensed Building Practitioners include

Designers,

Carpenters,

Roofers,

External Plasterers,

Brick and Blocklayers and

Foundations specialists.

Professional Engineers, Architects, Plumbers and Gasfitters are treated as Licensed Building Practitioners and can carry out some restricted Building work.

Further information about this change including some guidance documentation can be found at the following link http://dbh.govt.nz/builditright

FOOD SAMPLING

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 9:25:43 +1200

Food Business owners may be aware that during the summer months, we undertake regular food sampling of certain foods e.g. ice cream, sandwiches, sushi etc. This forms part of an annual routine sampling programme, so don’t be alarmed if we turn up to collect a sample of a particular food from your premises. Every month we will be targeting a specific food and will take samples from a few premises that sell that type of food.

The programme has shown to us what great food businesses we have in our district. However, if samples are found to have unsatisfactory levels of bacteria we will, contact the business to help to work out what could be causing the contamination and assist you in taking corrective action, to ensure public safety.

January 2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:22:56 +1200

ELECTRONIC PROCESSING

We would now like to receive all your documents electronically so if you have a consent application and/or any other documentation in electronic form then please feel free to send it to us by email or disc.

All documents, application forms and user guides can be downloaded from our website and soon they will be available to complete online along with payment if required.

December 2011

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 9:48:50 +1200

How many new houses will be built in the Queenstown Lakes District in 2012?

Nationally the wheels fell off the building boom in late 2007 and new dwelling consents in the Queenstown Lakes District followed this national trend. In the period 2004 to 2007, on average 487 new dwelling consents were issued per year in the district, whilst from 2008 to 2011 the averge annual new dwelling consent number declined by 30% to 343.

The Queenstown Lakes District can be stratified in sub-regions with the most obvious being the distinction between the wider Wanaka (northern) and Wakatipu (southern) regions. The Wanaka region includes the towns of Wanaka, Lake Hawea, Hawea Flat, Albert Town, Luggate, Cardrona and Makarora. The Wakatipu region includes Queenstown, Glenorchy, Kingston, Frankton, Gibbston and Arrowtown. A closer look at the new dwelling consent data highlights the different patterns between these two regions.

In the period 2004 to 2011 the number of new dwelling consents issued in the Wakatipu and Wanaka regions have both declined, with consent numbers in the Wakatipu declining from a peak in 2005 (307) to a low in 2009 (124) and then recovering in 2010 and 2011 (slightly over 180 per annum). Over the same period new dwelling consents in the Wanaka region peaked in 2007 (283) and then declined through 2008 stabilising in 2009 and 2010 (approximately 190 per annum). However following this period of stability Wanaka new dwelling consents have declined significantly again in 2011 (estimated at 126 for the 2011 year).

So the question is, given the above, what is the outlook for 2012? In order to make a prediction about 2012 we need to look at the causes of the variation in consent numbers and the more immediate trend data.

Obviously the biggest factor driving the overall decline in consent numbers nationally and in the Queeenstown Lakes District was the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. The ongoing fallout from this continues to be felt internationally and it appears international financial uncertainty, particularly in Europe and the US, will continue into 2012 and this is likely to flow on into the national economy. The upside to the current financial uncertainty is continuation of the low interest rates currently being experienced. At a national level the economy has performed satisfactorily through the international turmoil, underpinned by improved commodity prices in the agricultural sector, although these appear to be weakening currently.

At a national level the tourism market has seen an evolving demographic with lower numbers of high yield European and US visitors, but an increase in Asian and Australian numbers and there was a significant influx of visitors for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. In the Queenstown Lakes District the visitor numbers tend to reflect the national trend although we did not experience the same upturn in visitor numbers as the rest of the country during the Rugby World Cup.

The flow on effects of the catastrophic series of earthquakes in Canterbury has impacted in the Queenstown Lakes District in two main ways. Firstly the media images of the earthquakes have depressed international vistor numbers. Secondly the earthquakes have meant that a proportion of Canterbury residents who own property or aspire to own property in the district are not spending here. Anecdotally the Wanaka region is more affiliated with Canterbury visitors that the Wakatipu.

A look at the monthly new dwelling consent applications shows that the first half of 2011 was very slow but the numbers improved in the second half of the year.

The analysis above suggests we can expect stable to improving new dwelling consent numbers in the Wakatipu region in 2012. This is based on stable to improving visitor numbers particularly from Asia and Australia and generally steady agricultural commodity prices. It is also likely Wanaka will see some small uplift in consent numbers later in 2012, based on an improving outlook in Canterbury. There are however some clear downside risks on the horizon particularly with respect to the international financial situation (and its impact on tourism) and the speed of the Canterbury rebuild.

Quantification of these trends results in a forecast of an increase in new dwelling consents in the Queenstown Lakes District of 11% in 2012, with consents issued for 143 new dwellings in Wanaka and 199 in Wakatipu.

November 2011

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 9:59:43 +1200

Building Consent Statistics

Statistics New Zealand has released by the September 2011 statistics for building consents issued. Consents for 1,246 new dwellings were issued in September. This is a decrease when compared with August (1,509) and also when compared with September 2010 (1,262).

The September 2011 result is a reversal of a trend which has seen new dwelling consents increasing since March 2011.

In the Queenstown Lakes District 27 new dwelling consents were issued in September compared with 32 in August and 34 in September 2010. The following graph shows that in general terms the number of new dwelling consents issued in the Queenstown Lakes District over the last few years has tended to follow the national trend.

However, what is not obvious from this graph is that the decline in new dwelling consents in the distrct has not been as severe as has been experienced over the rest of the country. In the year ended June 2011 new dwelling consents nationally had declined by 49% from the peak experienced in 2007, whereas new dwelling consents in the Queenstown Lakes District had declined by 39% for the same period.

For the full release from Staistics NZ see:

http://www.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/Browse%20for%20stats/BuildingConsentsIssued/HOTPSep11/BuildingConsentsIssuedSep11HOTP.pdf

October 2011

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 9:59:13 +1200

The Ministry for the Environment has recently released its biennial Resource Management Act Survey of Local Authorities for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

Key results from the survey include:

36,154 resource consents were processed nationally, a decline of 30% when compared with the last survey in 2007-08. For the same period Lakes Environmental processed 910 resource consents compared with 1,246 in 2007-08, a decline of 27%.
Nationally in 2010-11, 95% of resource consent applications were processed within the statutory timeframe compared with 69% in 2007-08. Lakes Environmental achieved 96% on time in 2010-11, a significant improvement over the 76% achieved in 2007-08

Read the full survey here:

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/annual-survey/2010-2011/survey-report-2010-11.pdf

or, a summary here

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/rma/annual-survey/2010-2011/key-facts-2010-11.pdf

The new Lakes Environmental Website

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:31:04 +1200

Welcome to the new Lakes Environmental website. It has been designed to make it easier for you to find the information you need. There are three main operational areas being Building, Resource Management and Regulatory Services. All application forms and information sheets can be found in these areas. Application forms are currently in hard copy format but we will be moving to on line forms and payments in the future. Please also note the green boxes where you can easily contact a duty planner or book an inspection. Another new feature of this website is our careers page where we will update any vacancies and information relating to our staff.

We hope you find everything you are looking for. Please try our search engine if you are looking for something in particular. If you have any suggestions for improvements to this website or the services provided by Lakes Environmental, please feel free to send them through to us on our feedback form.