Minutes of Environmental Sustainability Committee

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Environmental Sustainability Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 12 February 2020, commencing at 9.04am

Members

Present:

Councillor Brent Barrett (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Aleisha Rutherford and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

Non Members:

Councillors Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Bruno Petrenas and Tangi Utikere.

Apologies:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) (for early departure on Council Business) and Councillor Leonie Hapeta.

NOTE: Prior to the commencement of the meeting, Mr Chris Whaiapu made a Declaration of Office.

1-20

Apologies

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 1-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

2-20

Public Participation at Meetings

Memorandum, presented by Natalya Kushnirenko, Democracy & Governance Administrator.

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee set aside a public comment section of not more than 30 minutes at the commencement of each ordinary meeting of the Committee to provide members of the community the opportunity to comment.

Clause 2-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

3-20	Public Comment
	The following made public comment: · Mr Phil Stevens regarding solar electricity generation. · Mr Clayton McNae regarding solar electricity generation.
	Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1. That the public comment be received for information.
	Clause 3-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

4-20

Presentation - Mercury

Mr Tony Nagel and Mr Dennis Radich made a presentation regarding Mercury’s Windfarm Project and presented a PowerPoint presentation.

They spoke about how Turitea makes a meaningful difference to New Zealand’s sustainability and zero carbon goals. For a total capital investment of just shy of half a billion dollars (including funding costs) Turitea will:

· Be the largest wind farm in New Zealand upon completion, by both capacity and annual energy production;

· Generate sufficient energy to power around 375,000 electric vehicles or 120,000 average households;

· Increase New Zealand’s annual renewable energy generation by around 2% from an already enviable c.84% and help significantly to achieve New Zealand’s emissions reduction targets;

· Increase New Zealand’s installed wind capacity by 32%. Once Turitea is built Manawatu will have 57% of all New Zealand wind capacity (and still 50% post Waipipi);

· Avoid carbon emissions from thermal generation of between 500,000 tonnes (if gas) and 800,000 tonnes (if coal) per year; and

· Provide ongoing regional employment and economic benefits. With the peak construction workforce onsite expected to exceed 300 for North and transmission alone (awaiting update including South) and the operating workforce service contract requires three full-time onsite plus additional staff recruited into Vestas New Zealand.

A Community Liaison Group was formed in May 2019 and they have ongoing engagement with Rangitāne o Manawatū.

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 4-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

5-20

Deputation - Environment Network Manawatu

Mr Alastair Cole and Ms Madz BatachEI from Environment Network Manawatu made a deputation regarding an update on their organisation.

They advised that Environment Network Manawatu (ENM) was formed in 2000 by eight environment groups. It is an umbrella organisation to improve communication, coordination and networking. ENM currently has 54 member groups and affiliates, active in areas ranging from biodiversity and freshwater enhancement, to sustainable living and urban planning. This makes them one of the largest regional environmental networking organisations in New Zealand. Some recent accolades include being runner up in the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards for the Palmy Plastic Pollution Challenge and publicity of the project through the recent report from the Office of the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor.

One of the challenges the organisation has is that they have very little public visibility and are in very cramped conditions for the kind of service they would like to see available. They are housed on the third floor in a small office on The Square. This has now become too small for the number of staff they have and the vision they have for the environment sector within Palmerston North City.

ENM would be hugely grateful in the Palmerston North City Council’s support of finding them new premises with higher visibility and more space as an interim measure.

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Renee Dingwall.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive the deputation for information.

Clause 5-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

6-20

Notice of Motion - Environmental Sector Partnership

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Brent Barrett.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Chief Executive work with Environment Network Manawatu to secure fit-for-purpose workspace for ENM within the next 6-12 months.

2. That the Chief Executive report on options and process for developing an Enviro-hub model in the medium term, for consideration in the 2021 Long Term Plan process.

3. That the Committee acknowledges Environment Network Manawatu as a key partner in achieving its goal of being an eco-city, and that the Chief Executive works to strengthen the Palmerston North City Council partnership with Environment Network Manawatu in order to increase value to the community.

Clause 6-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting adjourned at 10.42am.

The meeting resumed at 11.05am.

7-20

Notice of Motion Environmental Sector Partnership

Memorandum, presented by David Murphy, City Planning Manager.

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Susan Baty.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the report titled “Notice of Motion Environmental Sector Partnership” and presented to the 12 February 2020 Environmental Sustainability Committee be received.

Clause 7-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

8-20

Notice of Motion - Solar Electricity

Moved Aleisha Rutherford, seconded Brent Barrett.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Chief Executive investigate practical options to increase solar electricity generation on both council-owned and private property in the city.

Clause 8-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

9-20

Notice of Motion - Solar Electricity Generation

Memorandum, presented by David Murphy, City Planning Manager.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Rachel Bowen.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the report titled “Notice of Motion – Solar Electricity Generation” and presented to the 12 February 2020 Environmental Sustainability Committee be received.

2. That a report be presented to the May 2020 meeting of the Environmental Sustainability Committee on the Notice of Motion – Solar Electricity dated 31 January 2020.

Clause 9-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

10-20

Committee Work Schedule

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive its Work Schedule dated February 2020.

Clause 10-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting finished at 11.23am

Confirmed 9 September 2020

Chairperson