Bella Vista: Homeowners to be locked out of debate

Owners locked out of their homes in the failed Bella Vista development are being locked out of a Tauranga City Council meeting discussing their fate.

Property owners along Lakes Boulevard and Aneta Way were evacuated on March 9 in the wake of Cyclone Hola.

All but one of the 21 homes have been unable to be reoccupied after a raft of building and land stability issues were identified, despite some having code of compliance certificates.

Homeowners will only have 10 minutes each to plead their case to council on June 6 before the councillors close the meeting to the public and deliberate on what, if any, remediation will be made.

An email from council chief executive group general manager Kirsty Downey also said the results of the independent investigation into Bella Vista Homes, authored by QC Paul Heath, will also be presented to council in closed session.

"Property owners will not be able to remain after owner presentations have been completed," says Kirtsy.

"The remainder of the meeting will be conducted in 'public excluded'.

"This will include the presentation of Mr Paul Heath QC's report via video link at 1pm."

Homeowners at 5pm will hear what option council has decided on.

Council has said in previous meetings four options for the Bella Vista homeowners will be debated.

The first is remediation, which will see council pay for issues to be resolved and then recoup the costs from any sale of the properties when they are sold.

The second is for the council to purchase all the properties from homeowners and demolish them.

The third option is for council to carry out only its statutory functions, complete the assessments, issue notices and provide no further assistance.

The fourth involves council fixing the land issues at its own cost.

"Once elected members have made their decision, this will be shared with the chief executive and myself," says Kirsty.

"We will then hold a meeting with all homeowners, including those who are outside of Tauranga via Facebook Live, and the chief executive will deliver the council's decision.

"We will also play a recording of Mr Heath QC's presentation that he will have delivered to elected members at 1pm [on June 6]."

Stuff.co.nz requested the reasons for the public exclusion from Tauranga City Council elected members' debate, given the public interest in the failed development.

"Reasons will be provided to evidence the basis for having matters presented and deliberated in public excluded," a spokeswoman said.

"These will be included within the public excluded agenda."

-Stuff.co.nz

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3 comments

Shocking

Posted on 28-05-2018 10:35 | By Told you

Just goes to show what a dishonest Council we have, disgraceful.


Appalling

Posted on 28-05-2018 12:23 | By Seriously?

The homeowners should be allowed to stay for the entirety of the meeting as this discussion and outcome concerns them directly and affects every part of their lives. Exclude public by all means but homeowners should be given the courtesy and respect of inclusion in this process. A nightmarish situation that just seems to get worse with every turn. Fingers crossed for positive outcome for the displaced owners.


More of the same!

Posted on 28-05-2018 13:00 | By Crash test dummies

Secrets, no transparency, no accountability, to date and now go forward is the time to show and reveal that the leaf has been turned and that something better will be done to remedy the past by doing something new/different now/future. Old dogs... new tricks? Hmmm could be waiting a while!


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