The group wants the block of Centennial Ave that runs from Centennial Court Motor Inn to the Alexandra Night’n Day rezoned from residential to commercial-residential. It also wants Ventry St properties backing that block of Centennial Ave to be rezoned from residential to commercial-residential to allow thoroughfares for businesses, and for parts of other streets intersecting Centennial Ave, such as Shannon St, to be considered for rezoning too.
The group has made a submission to the Central Otago District Council’s (CODC) 2017-18 draft annual plan about that and other issues, and made a verbal submission to the CODC this week.
Alexandra developer Bob Kilgour has also made a submission to the CODC about rezoning that area, saying there is a shortage of commercial land for development in Alexandra, and the council should "take the lead" in rezoning the areas "urgently".
Business group secretary Stu Millis said the group also wanted the council to support the construction of a roundabout at the Centennial Ave-Boundary Rd intersection. About 20 businesses in Boundary Rd used heavy vehicles and the construction of a roundabout would ease traffic flow for both heavy and regular vehicles, Mr Millis said.
The group also wants a link road built from the end of Boundary Rd along the edge of the pines area and connecting back with SH8 about 300m from the Centennial Ave-Boundary Rd intersection. This would allow many heavy vehicles to bypass the entrance to Alexandra and travel an alternative route through the pines to access Boundary Rd and industrial properties, Mr Millis said.
The group also had continued to ask the council to develop a definitive plan for growth in the Alexandra area, including residential development, he said.
"It is essential to have a plan for the growth of our area. If you don’t have a plan, you are planning to fail."
CODC planning and environment manager Louise van der Voort said the council would look at zoning issues as part of its district plan review.
"The aim is to ensure we have sufficient supply of residential, commercial, industrial and rural residential land for the next 10-20 years. To inform this process we will be considering growth projections for the district, submissions to the district plan review discussion document, outcomes from workshops with community boards and other information provided to council.
"We will be consulting with the community and various groups prior to drafting the district plan. The plan will be reviewed through the Resource Management Act process, which gives the community a right of submission and further submission to the proposed plan."
