City boundary changes

A joint committee of Hamilton City and Waikato District Councillors will oversee a number of adjustments to Hamilton’s boundaries in the east and northwest.

The proposed changes will bring several areas into the City that have previously been identified for future long-term development and will allow more detailed and integrated planning to take place.

Terms have already been agreed and signalled in both councils’ Long-Term Council Community Plans, adopted in June.

The joint committee will work through details for transferring bylaw provisions, rating arrangements and revenue, maintenance of assets and Civil Defence responsibilities.

It has been agreed by both councils that five areas of land currently in the Waikato District should become parts of Hamilton City.

Amongst these is an area of over 700 hectares of land in Ruakura, from Greenhill Rd in the north to Morrinsville Rd in the south and bounded in the east by the designation for the Waikato Expressway. This area is mainly agricultural land but also includes Innovation Park and the AgResearch Ruakura Campus.

The Hamilton Urban Growth Strategy identifies that the Ruakura land will serve as an employment area with some potential for residential and limited commercial development. Detailed consideration of future land use of the area will be undertaken as part of the current District Plan review.

A ‘sliver’ of land between the yet to be constructed Waikato Expressway and Borman Road is also proposed for transfer.

Three areas make up the Te Rapa North portion of land to be transferred. The area is bounded by Horotiu in the north, the Waikato River to the east, the confirmed route for the Te Rapa bypass in the west, and the current city boundary at Ruffell Rd to the south. It is envisioned this land will be used for long-term future industrial development.

The changes will see the boundaries of both councils align naturally with the paths of the Waikato Expressway and the Ngaruawahia and Te Rapa bypasses.

The chair of the joint committee is Waikato District Deputy Mayor, Clint Baddeley and the deputy chair is Hamilton City Councillor John Gower. The other committee members are Dynes Fulton and Allan Sanson (WDC) and Maria Westphal and Glenda Saunders (HCC).

Councillor Baddeley said the proposed boundary adjustments made sense in terms of planning for the future.

“Waikato District Council worked closely with Hamilton City around the boundary adjustments.

“After considering the needs of both the current and future residents of the Greater Waikato we believe it makes sense for the five areas of land to move into the City in terms of planning for future growth”.

Councillor Gower said the discussions were an important part of managing Hamilton’s future expansion.

“This is a logical rebalancing of the city’s boundaries, which will allow for sensible long term planning.

“It is important to make provisions for the future as Hamilton City continues to grow.”

The committee met at the end of September and will meet again towards the end of November.

A two month period for public consultation is anticipated for February and March 2010, with the official transfer taking place around the middle of the year, although it is not anticipated that the change will be completed in time for use in the 2010 council elections or for rating purposes for the financial year beginning 1 July 2010.