The council’s right of reply in the hearing for the continued use, eventual closure and subsequent aftercare of the Dunedin’s class 1 landfill was published by the Otago Regional Council yesterday.
After a community liaison group’s usefulness was questioned during the hearing, the council sought to remove its proposal to form a formal group with a prescribed meeting cycle as a condition of consent.
"The [council] has been active to meet and work with neighbours on issues as they arise, or proactively to inform neighbours of what is planned at Green Island," the council’s counsel said.
"This direct engagement with neighbours and community members serves a better purpose and is more responsive than calling a formal quarterly community liaison group meeting."
The council further promoted a new condition that accepted the need to check for native birds nests before felling trees on the property, but also made it clear that exotic tree felling could occur outside the native bird nesting period without the rigour proposed by the regional council expert, the city council’s lawyers said.
In order to manage the risk of bird strike for Dunedin Airport, consent conditions would include measurable targets for the reduction of the southern black backed gull population at the site, the updated proposed conditions said.
In some cases, the city council remained unconvinced by regional council arguments.
"The conditions should allow for freshwater ‘taken’ to be measured as it enters the wastewater treatment plant," they said.
"This captures all freshwater and leachate flows on one place and is the most cost-effective approach to implement."
The updated conditions did include a new bond, already signed by both councils, for $2million, the city council documents said.
ORC consents manager Alexandra King said the commissioner would now close the hearing and have 15 working days to issue his decision.
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