The Star: September 21, 2017

10 Thursday September 21 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
The Star
Viewpoint
Readers respond to last week’s story about a
townhouse development on Spreydon’s Bolton Ave, just
metres away from Kim Mehlhopt’s home of 15 years
Judith Mackay – I was so
angry reading about that poor
woman unbelievable. What a
disgusting performance by our
council and the builder, what
chance has the “little person” got
against the likes of them.
How would John Higgins from
the council like it, if it was his
place, would it be such a minor
effect. The council changed
the law after the earthquake,
obviously with no regards or
safeguards for people. It is all
about money and greed, both
from the developer and the
council letting it happen. Also
the lady is still waiting for EQC
repairs!
Judi Johnson – I am appalled
at the city council’s lack of
common sense in this situation.
Don’t the city councillors
ever put themselves in these
situations before passing these
ridiculous ‘laws’? If they must
have five two-storey houses
on such a small section, surely
they could make it mandatory
that the driveways are on the
outer edges of the sections so
as to afford the (prior) resident
neighbours some form of privacy
and not cut out their sunshine so
much? As for the close proximity
to the neighbouring houses, that
amount of room is just plain
ridiculous. I remember when
we had a house in Hei Hei and
we applied for a permit to erect
a garage at the front. We had to
have it 4ft, from memory, from
the footpath, and we had to supply
a garden planting plan before
it could be erected. We had to
have the garage camouflaged
from the road by plants. Our
planting plan was approved and
the garage duly erected and the
garden installed. In this case I
think the CCC should buy Kim’s
property for the pre-earthquake
valuation, and let her move to a
more desirable situation. Kim.
Geraldine Radovanovich
– Great article on the housing
issue. I think it sucks and
ought to be investigated by the
courts. It seems that the city
bylaws were changed after the
earthquakes. Probably by the
National Government. I left the
red zone in 2012 and have lived
in Davis California since then.
Developers in this city have to go
through hoops to do that sort of
development here and then the
constituents have the vote. Last
year an infill development of
high density housing was voted
down for various non compliant
reasons. Also another development
within the city boundary
was turned down because it
overlooked the citizens private
homes that were considered old
Davis homes. The citizens won.
Jo Harrison – I am absolutely
disgusted at what is going on
in the area. I have lived in the
Somerfield area for 16 years and
recently rebuilt our house due to
the earthquakes. If I was aware
of this type of housing I would
not have invested to rebuild a
family home in this area. To
say the effect of this is ‘less than
minor’ makes me so angry! I
won’t rant any longer but I am
aware that a lot of this is actually
changes made by the National
government and our local National
MP washes his hands of it
and blames the council as with
the asbestos dump in Kennedys
Bush, Halswell.
Kim Rankin – I have a the
same issue in Papanui. It’s awful!
But luckily I am a tenant and will
be moving out at the end of our
contract. This is where renting
far outweighs paying a mortgage.
Gordon Heyward, of
Parklands – In response
to your article ‘woman feels
crushed as new townhouses go
up’.
I am sure there is a law that
a building must be a certain
distance from a boundary fence.
In this case, there wouldn’t be
enough room to paint the wall.
I have also heard of other cases
where a neighbour has to be
consulted when a building is
going up that could affect them.
It looks like the concrete block
wall would also be a firewall, but
as there are windows it would no
longer be a firewall and could be
far from regulations. When it
comes to having to work from a
neighbours property or standing
on their fence, that is trespassing
unless you have permission. If
that was me, I would have done
something about it when the
pegs first went in. The trouble
is with these builders, they try
to put too many houses on one
section.
Natalie Edwards – Any
sympathy one felt for Ms Mehlhopt
is quickly eroded by her
and tantrum-like behaviour with
regards to the people working
on the adjoining building site
combined with her flagrant use
of public service peoples time
including the police, ministers of
Parliament and WorkSafe.
The west side of Bolton Ave has
historically always been medium
density (L3) whilst the opposite
side less dense (living 2/old zoning).
The properties to the north
of Ms Mehlhopt have already
been subdivided some with two
storey townhouses others with
elderly persons housing. The District
Plan has only been recently
revised- did she look into the
implications of her own situation
and object - highly unlikely.
Her behaviour towards the
trades on site appears to have
been aggressive and poorly
DANGER: Kim
Mehlhopt laid
a complaint
with WorkSafe
after she
photographed
a contractor
standing on
the fence on
Tuesday while
working on the
townhouses.
•Latest
developments,
pages 4-5
directed. My sympathy lies with
the poor fascia fixer trying to do
his job and then forced to do so
on the fence whilst being photographed
– followed by Ms Mehlhopt’s
complaint to WorkSafe as
a result- absolutely deplorable.
Chris Palmer – This is a city
we live in and it needs building
up, not out. So “yes” to higher
density inner city development.
What would Ms Mehlhopt like
to happen – we keep subdividing
farmland to build single level
quarter acre dwellings ad infinitum?
It would have been courteous
to have kept her informed of
the building work and respected
her property. Hopefully Ms Mehlhopt
not being consulted about
the building work was nothing
to do with her crude comments
which may reflect her attitude
and are not endearing to her
argument.
Annette Chandler – It
breaks your heart to see what’s
happening to our city and this
poor owner. I see it everywhere
especially in a house I lived in
previously and it now has at
least three ugly townhouses on
the site. I’m now concerned that
this will eventually happen next
door to my unit. I’ve phoned the
city council but none has rung
me back. Your article made me
think of the possibility. A friend
of mine from Thailand had sent
me your article yesterday. She
can’t believe what’s going on
here. I’m so pleased I’ve read this.
Gary Knight, of Hoon Hay
– Despite parochial and blaze
views by many, the impedance
of the urban space of many by
inclusion of nearby concrete
jungles is a very imminent problem.
Character homes, privacy,
neighbour interaction, suitable
location and peace of mind are
the prime catalysts for a myriad
of residents having chosen their
home for these attributes. To
have it overshadowed by intervening
and obtrusive housing
projects close to their proximity
is demeaning and a retrograde
step for these dedicated residents.
Through zoning anomalies
these residential medium
density housing projects, being
compliant with council planning
protocol bears testimony to not
only major law full statute flaws,
allowing progress of these housing
units but also insensitivity
by lack of consultation in many
cases with property residents
prior to their building instigation.
Rik Tindall – This is the
sharp end of city medium
density conversion, Addington’s
congestion pushed further south.
Extensive new cycle lanes show
private motor cars are nearly
ruled out, while public transport
isn’t quite there. One or two
bright ideas don’t add up to a
working vision yet - far from it.
Five two-storey units crammed
onto 794 sq m expose a district
plan enabling greed, inconsiderate
of neighbours, lacking design.
Housing supply is not enhanced
this way, just reduced in quality -
box unit demand is already met.
Communities need agency on
their side, to remain whole, postearthquake.
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