Agenda of Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

Meeting of the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

Date: 11 August 2023

Time: 10.00am

Venue:

Council Chamber

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

Agenda

Item Title Page

1. Welcome/ Karakia/ Apologies/ Housekeeping

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee meeting held on 12 May 2023

Decision Items

4. Coastal Hazards Management Interim Response Plan 3

Information or Performance Monitoring

5. Adaptation Thresholds Development Report 5

6. Real Options Analysis of Strategies to Manage Coastal Hazard Risks
in Hawke's Bay 7

7. Project Manager's update 9

8. Current coastal projects update 13

9. Recent coastal events 17

10. Follow-up actions update 19

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Coastal Hazards Management Interim Response Plan

Reason for report

1. This report presents a draft Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Interim Response Plan (Interim Response Plan) to guide Council actions for monitoring and responding to urgent and emerging coastal hazard issues while the strategy development process continues.

Background /Discussion

2. At the last meeting of the Joint Committee in the previous triennium (23 September 2022) a report was presented discussing the concept of an Interim Response Plan.

3. The report noted that a number of steps and decision points remain to be resolved in the strategy development process before the implementation of physical works to respond to coastal hazards risks can commence.

4. Since this report, Strategy implementation has been further delayed as a result of the impacts on Council resources and capability post Cyclone Gabrielle.

5. There continue to be a range of ongoing coastal hazard issues being faced by communities along the coast, including at Whirinaki, Bay View, Westshore and Te Awanga.

6. Emerging coastal hazard issues are managed on a case-by-case basis by the relevant Territorial Authority, supported by HBRC (typically in an advisory and/or regulatory capacity) where necessary.

7. This has long been the established approach under the Strategy; that existing and new projects would not be slowed or prevented by the Strategy development process.

8. However, this case-by-case approach introduces some uncertainty for communities about what will happen in response to immediate issues, by when, who to talk to, and what to expect, while the strategy development process continues.

9. There may also be some uncertainty regarding current Council roles, given the proposal in the Memorandum of Transition (MOT) to transfer functions to HBRC. The MOT requires a legal process under the Local Government Act (specifically a proposal for a significant new activity under s.16) to take effect; that is, the MOT remains a proposal only, until such time as it is formalised by HBRC through a public consultation and deliberations process.

10. A draft Interim Response Plan has been developed in response to these issues, with input from the Technical Advisory Group.

11. The draft plan is provided as Attachment 1.

Financial and resource implications

12. The Interim Response Plan largely confirms existing arrangements. Where new initiatives are proposed, they are low cost and can be undertaken within existing budgets.

13. Staff resources remain under significant pressure as recovery activities continue post Cyclone Gabrielle. These limitations have been taken into account in the development of the plan.

Decision-making process

14. Council and its committees are required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

14.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset, nor is it inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

14.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

14.3. The decision is not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy.

14.4. There are no persons affected by this decision, given that the proposed plan is intended to provide greater clarity and does not propose significant new activity in its own right.

14.5. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Next steps

15. The draft Coastal Hazards Interim Response Plan has been developed with input from staff at each Council, through the Technical Advisory Group.

16. With any feedback that the Joint Committee may have, staff will finalise and implement the plan, and propose to report back to each Joint Committee meeting on progress made, outcomes reached, and actions taken under the plan.

17. As a guidance document, staff do not propose to notify or consult on the plan, but will make it available through the project website. It can also be readily updated in response to changing practice or other matters. Any significant changes made to the plan will be reported back to the Joint Committee.

Recommendations

That the Clifton to Tangoio Costal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee:

1. Receives and considers the Coastal Hazards Management Interim Response Plan staff report.

2. Endorses the draft Coastal Hazards Interim Response Plan as proposed.

3. Directs the Technical Advisory Group to confirm and implement the final Coastal Hazards Interim Response Plan, and report on implementation and outcomes at each future Joint Committee meeting.

Authored by: Approved by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

(Draft) Coastal Hazards Interim Response Plan

Under Separate Cover

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Adaptation Thresholds Development Report

Reason for report

1. This report presents the Adaptation Thresholds Development Report for information.

Background /Discussion

2. At the 15 August 2022 meeting of the Joint Committee, the report Triggers Workstream Update outlined work underway through the Triggers Workstream.

3. The report noted that the 100-year pathways recommend by the community panels are not currently ‘adaptive’. As they stand, they are only a series of recommended actions over time, with no in-built method for responding to real world conditions and the uncertain effects of climate change.

4. For the pathways to be adaptive, tools are needed to drive decision making on when and under what conditions the next step in the pathway is implemented, or an alternative approach determined. These tools are known as signals, triggers and adaptation thresholds (STATs).

4.1. Signals are early warnings of change.

4.2. Triggers are a decision point(s) that have been identified to allow sufficient time to make a decision and take action prior to an adaptation threshold being reached.

4.3. Adaptation thresholds describe a situation where performance measures are no longer being met or start to fail, resulting in an outcome(s) that the community do not want.

5. The Triggers Workstream is tasked with developing STATs for the Strategy, with the first task to develop adaptation thresholds.

6. The 15 August Joint Committee report outlined the collaborative process taken to produce draft adaptation thresholds, which involved working with community members through community workshops and with council asset managers and planners.

7. Draft adaptation thresholds were presented and discussed with the Joint Committee at that meeting.

8. A final report has now been prepared to capture this development process, and the final proposed adaptation thresholds. This report is attached for the Joint Committee’s information.

Next Steps

9. The draft adaptation thresholds will be included for wider public consultation as part of notifying a proposed Strategy in 2024. It will be important to test the draft thresholds with community members to determine whether they are a fair representation of tolerance to hazard impacts.

10. The next key task is the development of signals and triggers.

11. The Strategy’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) has workshopped options for how signals and triggers can be developed in a way that can support monitoring of changes at the coast and drive responses to emerging hazards before adaptation thresholds are reached.

12. The following objectives for signals and triggers under the Strategy have been presented and discussed with TAG. They are:

12.1. Able to be monitored

12.2. Cost-effective for Council and the community

12.3. An efficient measure of change

12.4. Set to enable sufficient lead time to give effect to the next action, and

12.5. Relevant to determining whether unit thresholds are being approached.

13. A draft approach to how signals and triggers could look and function has also been workshopped with TAG.

14. The result of these discussions has been confirmation that the development of signals and triggers is a highly technical process. TAG has paused further work on signals and triggers development until the adaptation thresholds have been tested with the community through the strategy consultation process, and the Strategy itself has been confirmed and adopted.

15. At that time, the lead agency for strategy implementation will be confirmed and TAG considers it appropriate that signals and triggers are developed through a technical process led by that agency. This will enable more detailed consideration of the above proposed objectives, including matters, such as staff resourcing, alignment with and leveraging from existing monitoring programmes.

16. As a result, TAG proposes that with the receipt of the attached report, the Triggers Workstream is concluded until after the final Strategy is adopted.

Decision Making Process

17. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendations

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committeereceives and notes the Adaptation Thresholds Development Report and that the Triggers Workstream is concluded.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

Adaptation Thresholds Development Report

Under Separate Cover

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Real Options Analysis of Strategies to Manage Coastal Hazard Risks
in Hawke's Bay

Reason for Report

1. This report presents an updated Real Options Analysis of Strategies to Manage Coastal Hazard Risks in Hawke's Bay for the Joint Committee’s information.

Background / Discussion

2. As part of developing the 100-year adaptive pathways that have been recommended by the Community Assessment Panels in their 2018 report, the councils engaged Infometrics to undertake a Real Options Analysis (ROA).

3. Two reports were produced by Infometrics (one covering the northern units, the other southern) to analyse the costs and benefits of various strategies for adapting to coastal hazard risks caused by climate change.

4. ROA is a more advanced form of Cost Benefit Analysis, that includes valuing the option of waiting for more information before committing to an investment that could potentially be poor value for money.

5. ROA proved a useful tool when numerous possible pathways were being compared by the Panels, and as a check that the final recommended pathways held up under ROA.

6. An important question sought to be considered through ROA is whether managed retreat (from an economic analysis point of view) should be pursued as the favoured adaptation option instead of ‘buying time’ with interventions such as beach nourishment, groynes and sea walls.

7. Since the earlier work by Infometrics, the Design and Managed Retreat Workstreams have developed more accurate costs for the first actions in the recommended pathways, and for implementing managed retreat as an alternative response.

8. Last year, the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) requested an update to the earlier ROA from Infometrics, to utilise this new and more accurate cost information. This was an inexpensive process of revising and updating earlier analysis, to check that the new information has not materially changed outcomes.

9. Their report presenting the revised ROA, dated August 2022, is provided as Attachment 1.

10. TAG has not yet had the opportunity to bring this report to the Joint Committee given local body elections in October 2022 and the cancelled Joint Committee meetings earlier this year as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle.

11. In summary, and noting the assumptions and caveats listed in the report, the updated ROA using new and more accurate cost information does not result in materially different outcomes from the earlier analysis. The ROA generally aligns with and supports the Panel’s recommendations, at least over the next 20 to 30 years or so.

12. TAG proposes that, with the receipt of the attached report, no further action is required at this stage.

Decision Making Process

13. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendations

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives and notes the Real Options Analysis of Strategies to Manage Coastal Hazard Risks in Hawke's Bay report and that no further action on real options analysis is required at this stage.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

Real Options Analysis of Strategies to Manage Coastal Hazard Risks in Hawke's Bay

Under Separate Cover

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Project Manager's update

Reason for report

1. This report provides an update on project-related matters including timeframes, budgets and tracking towards milestones.

Project Dashboard

2. The following project dashboard (Table 1) is provided to summarise current project status for budget, timeline and all eight Strategy Workstreams (WS). An assessment of each project element is made on a ‘traffic light’ basis, with a brief commentary provided to explain the rating given.

3. Where a rating has changed from the preceding report, the metric is shown in red underline with an arrow showing the change in status.

Table 1: Project Dashboard Report: August 2023

Status:

On Track

Under Stress

Key Risk

Metric	Status	Commentary
Project Budget		Pause and delay to Strategy notification in response to Cyclone Gabrielle has led to project budget being underspent in 2022/2023 Financial Year. Partner Councils have agreed to carry forward unspent funds into 2023/2024.
Project Timeline		New August 2024 target for notifying proposed Strategy on track to be achieved. However, continued delay in progressing Strategy presents challenges and uncertainty for communities experiencing ongoing effects from coastal hazards.
WS1: Funding / Governance		Funding model is most significant and challenging task to complete in order to produce a complete Strategy - external expertise engaged to assist with development process. Funding Group of TAG formed and have held workshops recently to progress. Work underway and on track.
WS2: LGA Consultation		LGA Consultation now taking place in 2024.
WS3: Comms & Engagement		HBRC Comms team has previously supported Strategy Communications and Engagement. HBRC resource limitations prompted TAG to seek external resources which have now been secured and commenced development of the Comms and Engagement plan for next 12 months
WS4: Design		Substantially complete – no significant additional design work required prior to Strategy notification. Note very limited internal resources available.
WS5: Mātauranga Māori		Workstream scope confirmed by Joint Committee in September 2022. External contractor engaged to provide expertise and capacity. Project plan developed and workshopped with TAG recently. HBRC Māori Committee and Regional Planning Committee engagement underway. Work underway and on track.
WS6: Coastal Ecology		Monitoring plan in development through external expertise to set out where, and how often monitoring should take place in order to address data and knowledge gaps identified in coastal ecology gap analysis report completed in 2022. Draft monitoring plan due in August / September. HBRC science team assisting with scoping and review. Mana Whenua engagement sought to develop monitoring plan.
WS7: Regulatory		Limited progress in last 6 months. National regulatory framework is going through period of significant change. Strategy will need to set out how a revised regulatory approach will align with it to avoid moral hazard risks. Work in progress with internal resources.
WS8: Signals and Triggers		Thresholds development process completed. TAG has assessed the development of signals and triggers and has determined to pause further work until the Strategy has been adopted with confirmed thresholds. Workstream currently on hold.

4. There are three status changes to report for this period, all related to Strategy notification being delayed to August 2024 following the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle. In summary, the delayed notification date has created more space and reduced risk for these workstreams.

5. The Project Timeline status remains as a key risk. Coastal hazard risks are not diminishing, while Strategy timelines continue to extend. The proposed Interim Response Plan (a sperate Agenda item) is an initiative in direct response to these risks. The development of a new communications and engagement plan is also underway (discussed below).

Communications and Engagement Plan – 2023 – 2024

6. In previous reports to the Joint Committee, the development of an updated Communications and Engagement Plan (C&E Plan) for the Strategy has been discussed, and it has been indicated that the new C&E Plan would be presented to the Joint Committee at their next meeting.

7. The C&E Plan is an important tool to guide engagement activities over the coming year through until the August 2024 consultation process. As the Strategy development process has been delayed, it is critical to ensure that we are communicating effectively.

8. The Strategy has historically been supported through HBRC’s communications team, and the C&E Plan was being developed accordingly. However, internal resources have been allocated to recovery activities post Cyclone Gabrielle, and the Strategy’s C&E Plan has not been progressed.

9. TAG has now engaged external resources to assist with C&E Plan and the advisors briefed. Work on the C&E Plan has now recommenced, but the new advisors have not had enough time to prepare the plan ahead of this meeting.

10. The following paragraphs provide an update on work that has been progressed on the C&E Plan to date.

11. Four draft objectives for the C&E Plan have been developed, as follows:

11.1. Maintain and increase community awareness, understanding, and interest.

11.2. Enable and facilitate meaningful engagement with people and communities using effective and innovative approaches.

11.3. Align with and complement engagement activities occurring through the Mātauranga Māori Workstream.

11.4. Support initiatives to effectively test and refine key concepts ahead of formal consultation.

12. Discussion and any feedback from the Joint Committee on these draft objectives is welcomed.

13. Initial planning for activities under the C&E Plan has engagement occurring in three key phases through 2024:

13.1. Long Term Plan (April 2024): use this engagement period as an opportunity to inform the community on the Strategy and upcoming consultation, lay the framework for pre-engagement.

13.2. Pre-engagement (May/June/July 2024): pre-engagement to raise awareness, test concepts, with a view to taking a ‘no surprises’ approach in the formal consultation period.

13.3. Formal consultation (August 2024): The current approach is to formally consult on the Strategy as a proposed amendment to HBRC’s Long Term Plan. This will require an audited consultation proposal and document, hearings and deliberations etc.

14. Alongside these key phases, the C&E Plan is intended to set out ongoing engagement initiatives including e-newsletters, project website updates and improvements, support for work under the Mātauranga Māori workstream, and support for aligned initiatives including the Interim Response Plan.

15. TAG will be holding a workshop shortly to undertake a ‘stakeholder mapping’ exercise as part of the C&E Plan development process.

16. The proposed C&E Plan will be developed ahead of the next Joint Committee meeting in September.

Decision Making Process

Recommendation

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives and notes the Project Manager’s update.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Current coastal projects update

Reason for Report

1. This report provides an opportunity for the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to update the Joint Committee on various coastal projects that members have expressed an interest in keeping abreast of.

Rangatira Revetment

2. Rangatira Revetment (previously Whakarire Ave Revetment): the contractors are 40% complete – there have been some delays due to ocean swells and wet weather, likely to be complete in October 2023.

3. It is noted that clause 7.5 of the Coastal Hazards Memorandum of Transition (MOT) requires consultation with HBRC for any new coastal hazards assets not listed in the MOT. In accordance with this clause, a letter was sent by Napier City Council’s Chief Executive to HBRC on 9 November 2022.

Westshore resource consent renewal

4. This work package is to secure a new consent for the renourishment of Westshore Beach that expires in 2027.

5. Due to Cyclone Gabrielle response and ongoing recovery works, staff availability has been limited and therefore this work package has not progressed.

6. Next step is to undertake and complete the review of the beach renourishment works.

7. Consent costs will vary depending on what type of works that will be considered in the future.

7.1. Costs associated for the continuation of the beach renourishment option will be similar.

7.2. For the construction of a structure on the foreshore (i.e. groynes or rock revetment) the consent requirements will increase due to additional engineering and environmental investigations and consultation will be required.

8. On completion of the beach renourishment works review, we will have a better understanding of the consenting costs.

Haumoana Shingle Crest Height

9. Replenishment of the Te Awanga to Haumoana shingle crest has continued to help maintain a consistent crest height profile, with the works typically carried out by the HBRC Works Group.

Haumoana 18

10. There has been no recent interaction between HDC and the H18 residents during this period.

Maraetotara River at Te Awanga

11. Damage to the channel of the Maraetotara River at Te Awanga was caused by floodwaters from the Cyclone. This damage left some properties at risk from water intrusion from high seas. A public meeting was held within the community on 26 April to discuss possible solutions and how they might be funded.

12. The Heretaunga Recovery Plan includes for consideration, a proposed action to construct a revetment to repair damage to the Maraetotara River channel in order to increase the resilience of the area to future weather events and protect homes in Wellwood Terrace and Kuku Street.

13. Further erosion and sea water intrusion occurred on 10 July 2023 in the Te Awanga lagoon area, with some metres of erosion to a 200m section of coast, impacting the beach access and parking area, as well as causing power outages.

14. Discussions are ongoing with a landowner representative group to consider a range of possible protection options, which will be presented to the wider community and to support ongoing discussions with HDC as to possible funding mechanisms. RMA Emergency provisions are also being explored as it relates to this problem.

Whirinaki

15. HDC Council staff have continued to engage with North Shore Road representatives as the erosion problems in this area are aggravated by recent cyclone and sea events.

16. The Cyclone Gabrielle event has caused a greater level of damage to the coastline immediately north of North Shore Road and to a section at the Esk River end of North Shore Road. The section of road near the Esk River section has required a response from the HDC Roading section and has involved the placement of limestone rock as foundation and protection works along with backfilling and reinstatement to road level. This work has been carried out as part of emergency works associated with the Cyclone. Further investigations are required to determine the next steps for the northern section.

17. The erosion to the north of North Shore Road has eroded the access track, back into private property and residents are seeking advice and assistance to address this issue. The priority has been a commitment to cyclone related works so no progress has been made with this issue.

Coastal Inundation Assessment Project update

18. The report was workshopped with the Joint Committee after their May meeting. It was agreed that the report would be presented to Councillors from all three Council however it has not yet been possible to find a suitable date due to existing Council commitments and pressures. Officers will continue to try and secure a suitable date.

Hawke’s Bay Climate Action

19. The Climate Action Joint Committee met on May 22. Urban Intelligence presented a spatial-based climate change vulnerabilities assessment; NIWA presented data about the role of climate change in severe weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle and Council staff presented on Climate Action Plans and Climate-Resilient Development.

20. The Climate Action Joint Committee will next meet on 14 August and will consider the regional Emissions Reduction Plan and setting emissions targets for the region.

Decision-making process

21. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives the Current coastal projects update.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Recent coastal events

Reason for report

1. This report provides an opportunity for the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to update the Joint Committee on the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle on the coast between Clifton and Tangoio.

Discussion

2. A PowerPoint presentation and verbal update will be given by Jose Beya from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to provide a summary for the Joint Committee on how Cyclone Gabrille has affected the coast within the Strategy area.

Decision-making process

3. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives and notes the Recent coastal events staff report.

Authored by:

José Beya

Principal Engineer

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

11 August 2023

Subject: Follow-up actions update

Reason for report

1. This item tracks items raised at previous meetings that require action. A list of outstanding items is prepared for each meeting, including who is responsible for each, when it is expected to be completed and a brief status comment.

2. Once the items have been completed and reported to the Committee they will be removed from the list.

Decision-making process

Recommendation

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives and notes the Follow-up actions update.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Follow up actions from previous Joint Committee meetings