Best way to Deal With City Council?

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billgates

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# 2359277 22-Nov-2019 11:58

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We are building atm. 50% build completed. We had our first consent failed by the council and lost $$ there as council part invoiced us for the work they did on the first consent which we had to pay if we wanted the second consent approved as we did not want to be on the wrong side of council since they control who builds and who does not. This was all done through an architect too. The engineering reports that council has required us to do and implement which the architect mentioned is crazy as he did a similar house only 3 years ago in a different city council region has alone cost us $10k.

The councils are too power hungry and they are not ashamed at all to showcase it. You just have to bend over if you want it done.

Do whatever you want to do man.

Geektastic

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# 2359292 22-Nov-2019 12:29

We used a firm of surveyors when we did our subdivision and issues like this were argued out between them and the council with occasional reversion to me for client input.

It's more productive to use someone who knows the relevant legislation and the local planning framework. It also puts someone between you and the council in case the argument gets a bit heated.

Paul1977

2843 posts

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# 2359311 22-Nov-2019 13:19

Geektastic:

We used a firm of surveyors when we did our subdivision and issues like this were argued out between them and the council with occasional reversion to me for client input.

It's more productive to use someone who knows the relevant legislation and the local planning framework. It also puts someone between you and the council in case the argument gets a bit heated.

I don't plan on letting anything get heated. But your comment got me thinking that the developer of the subdivision would have had similar discussions with the council when they added private lanes. I might be worth contacting them.

mattwnz

15271 posts

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# 2359353 22-Nov-2019 15:04

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billgates:

We are building atm. 50% build completed. We had our first consent failed by the council and lost $$ there as council part invoiced us for the work they did on the first consent which we had to pay if we wanted the second consent approved as we did not want to be on the wrong side of council since they control who builds and who does not. This was all done through an architect too. The engineering reports that council has required us to do and implement which the architect mentioned is crazy as he did a similar house only 3 years ago in a different city council region has alone cost us $10k.

This is one of many reasons I am put of ever building again in the future. I prefer to be in control , building relies on too many people and relies on them doing things correctly.

SpartanVXL

477 posts

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# 2359373 22-Nov-2019 15:59

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The day we can deploy buildings like you can deploy infrastructure code will be an impressive future indeed.

mdooher

Hmm, what to write...
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# 2359374 22-Nov-2019 16:17

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mattwnz:

This is one of many reasons I am put of ever building again in the future. I prefer to be in control , building relies on too many people and relies on them doing things correctly.

Yep I built my own house, only tradies I had were my plasterer for the exterior and my plumber, who was also the council plumbing inspector... no stress

Matthew

mattwnz

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# 2359381 22-Nov-2019 16:44

mdooher:

mattwnz:

This is one of many reasons I am put of ever building again in the future. I prefer to be in control , building relies on too many people and relies on them doing things correctly.

Yep I built my own house, only tradies I had were my plasterer for the exterior and my plumber, who was also the council plumbing inspector... no stress

I built my own small workshop about 20 years ago, concrete slab, timber frame,, corrugated roof and macrocarpa cladding, and even built the timber window frames, and it is still as good today as it was when built. I imagine today that would be a lot harder to do.

billgates

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# 2359502 22-Nov-2019 20:34

@Paul1977 did your submitted house design consent not include the driveway location and it’s details which would have been approved by the council along with your house plan in same consent?

Do whatever you want to do man.

Paul1977

2843 posts

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# 2359505 22-Nov-2019 20:43

billgates: @Paul1977 did your submitted house design consent not include the driveway location and it’s details which would have been approved by the council along with your house plan in same consent?

Yes it did, that’s why council have come back to us.

The building consent has not yet been issued.

Jase2985

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# 2359516 22-Nov-2019 21:24

I have building consent approved but its got as a block on it as i require resource consent. The council wont sign off any of the building consent steps until resource consent is issued

its been 4 months of frustration, for a garage.

richms

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# 2359525 22-Nov-2019 21:51

Council do have some nutty rules. Friends had to lose 2 of their carparks and put up a tinpot little fence to give the council an approprate sized circle on the correct side of the house to satisfy some stupid rule. Guess whats happening once council have gone away. Anyone want to buy a lightly used cheapest possible fence?

Richard rich.ms

Paul1977

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# 2361472 27-Nov-2019 12:24

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Update:

A couple of polite emails and the council have now advised that it's OK for us to use the private lane for manoeuvring. It was actually all very painless.

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