Agenda of Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

14 June 2024

Subject: Te Awanga erosion issues and pathway considerations

Reason for report

1. This report has been prepared to accompany a presentation from members of the Te Awanga community.

Background

2. Damage to the foreshore adjacent to the Te Awanga lagoon at Te Awanga was caused by floodwaters from Cyclone Gabrielle. This damage left some properties at risk from water intrusion from high seas.

3. A public meeting was held with the community on 26 April 2023 to discuss possible solutions and how they might be funded. Joint Committee and Technical Advisory Group (TAG) members and staff and councillors from Hastings District Council (HDC) were invited and in attendance.

4. Further erosion and sea water intrusion occurred on 10 July 2023 in the same 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. Since then, there has been a replenishment of gravel to this area that has given some immediate respite to the problem but this needs ongoing monitoring.

5. Te Awanga representatives are keen to pursue a level of protection for the section of coast adjacent to the Te Awanga lagoon, with a preference for a revetment style intervention. The Te Awanga representatives, with support from HDC, are considering the Ecoreef solution for this section of coast and have obtained prices for a staged approach.

5.1. Stage 1 involves protection of the immediate 200m section of coast under threat adjacent to the Te Awanga lagoon, estimated at $730k for design, consent and construction.

5.2. Stage 2 involves a further 450m of protection from the Maraetotara river mouth to the northern end of the Te Awanga domain, estimated at a further $1.67m, giving a total project cost for all work as $2.4m.

6. Funding for these works needs to go through a public consultation process to determine an agreed way forward, with consideration of a targeted rating scheme similar to the Waimarama Seawall, and determination of public and private good benefits.

7. HDC infrastructure assets, including water and stormwater, along with Unison assets in the Wellwood Terrace area, are under threat should the barrier beach fail opposite the Te Awanga lagoon and allow seawater to inundate the area. Te Awanga representatives are seeking consideration of pre-emptive work to protect these assets, funded by HDC assets, to maintain the lagoon area as the stormwater receiving and discharge area.

8. The ‘do nothing’ option poses a significant risk to this area, with replenishment gravels providing a very short-term level of intervention.

9. On 12 May 2024, Te Awanga representatives met with Joint Committee and TAG members and staff from HDC to further discuss their preferred solution. It was agreed that the information should be presented to the Joint Committee, recognising that the Strategy is intended to be released for public consultation in September 2024 and is based on a different proposed solution for Te Awanga.

Discussion

10. The Strategy is a long-term approach for responding to coastal hazards in a coordinated way along a large stretch of coastline. Time is needed to consult with all communities along the coast and those living inland, confirm the Strategy, raise funds, secure resource consents, and commence works. This means that in practical terms, any solution for Te Awanga delivered under the Strategy is likely to be at least 3 to 4 years away.

11. The Strategy is based on recommendations developed by the Community Panels through a robust and extensive process in 2017-2018. For Te Awanga, after considering a range of possible solutions including sea walls, offshore reefs, retreat and others, the approach recommended by the Community Panels to respond to coastal erosion and coastal inundation risks is groynes and gravel nourishment, complemented with a raised beach crest.

12. In Stage 4 of the Strategy development process, concept designs have been prepared and costed based on that approach, with a coastal process model developed to test the optimal number and location of groynes and the height of the beach crest, and when the interventions may fail.

13. Acknowledging the Strategy is a long-term approach and has taken time to develop and confirm, the Councils have set up an Interim Response Plan that guides how urgent coastal hazards issues are to be managed until the Strategy is being implemented.

14. This plan confirms that until the Strategy is in place, coastal hazard mitigation projects should continue to be delivered where required and where they are not inconsistent with the overall direction of the Strategy. The plan confirms that the existing approach remains in place, where the relevant Territorial Authority (HDC or Napier City Council) leads the response, with HBRC acting in an advisory and regulatory capacity. This is how the Clifton, Cape View Corner and Rangatira revetments were delivered in recent years.

15. At this time, the Ecoreef proposal fits under the Interim Response Plan and the Te Awanga community continues to work with HDC to determine whether it can be progressed.

16. For completeness, it is noted that the Memorandum of Transition (MOT) establishes a process for transferring existing identified coastal hazard mitigation assets from the Territorial Authorities to HBRC following confirmation of the Strategy. The MOT requires that where a new coastal hazard asset is proposed by a Territorial Authority, it should consult with HBRC given that it may be subject to a future transfer of ownership.

17. An underlying tenant of the Strategy is that it needs to be flexible and adaptive to future uncertainty and changing circumstances. Adjusting the Strategy to accommodate alternative solutions will likely be necessary over time, however the process needs to be robust and transparent.

18. Careful consideration needs to be given to how or if the proposal being developed by the Te Awanga community fits within or alongside the Strategy. TAG is in the process of assessing this question.

Next steps

19. Following the presentation by the Te Awanga community, TAG will prepare a brief report for the Joint Committee to consider Strategy alignment questions and a proposed way forward. This will be presented at the next Joint Committee meeting, with a particular focus on how the Strategy consultation process in September should respond to the Ecoreef proposal.

20. HDC continues to function as the lead agency under the Interim Response Plan for any urgent coastal hazard mitigation works in Te Awanga.

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 and notes the Te Awanga erosion issues and pathway considerations staff report.

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

14 June 2024

Subject: Project Manager's June 2024 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 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: June 2024

Status:

On Track

Under Stress

Key Risk

Metric	Status	Commentary
Project Budget		2023/2024 budget underspent relative to forecast. Carryover unspent funds to 2024/2025.
Project Timeline		September 2024 target for notifying proposed Strategy on track to be achieved. However, ‘Key Risk’ status assigned to acknowledge continued delays that have occurred to date in progressing the Strategy and the challenges and uncertainty for communities experiencing ongoing effects from coastal hazards.
WS1: Funding / Governance		Funding model work progressing and on track for presenting to HBRC on 19 June. Status changed to reflect complex financial environment.
WS2: LGA Consultation		LGA Consultation requirements (Section 16 / LTP amendment) on track to be achieved.
WS3: Comms & Engagement		Comms and engagement plan for early engagement phase in implementation – activities commence July. September consultation phase activities scoped, external support sought to resource this effectively.
WS4: Design		Gravel nourishment feasibility assessment completed, confirming gravel is available to support beach nourishment activities although required volumes particularly for capital nourishment are high. CoastSnap on track for deployment during early engagement.
WS5: Mātauranga Māori		External contractor engaged to provide expertise and capacity. PSGEs have confirmed capacity constraints are limiting ability to engage in Strategy development at this time. Desktop work to develop draft cultural values frameworks based on existing information underway. Outcome to be provided to PSGE’s in the first instance for review.
WS6: Coastal Ecology		Draft coastal ecology monitoring plan has been received and reviewed by HBRC science team. Mana Whenua engagement sought to expand / refine monitoring plan. Recommended monitoring is currently cost-prohibitive. TAG working on options to progress.
WS7: Regulatory		Discussion document on key regulatory matters for the Strategy to drive through local planning frameworks presented to Joint Committee. Outcome now reflected in Strategy drafting.
WS8: Signals and Triggers		Thresholds development process completed and outcome will be reflected as draft thresholds in Strategy document. 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 is one status change to report for this period, related to the confirmation of the funding model. While the development process overall is on track, the lead role is now shifting to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to work the model through a Long Term Plan amendment process. The overall financial environment within which the funding model is being developed continues to be complex and challenging, prompting a higher risk rating to be applied in this reporting period.

Central Government: Climate Inquiry

5. As noted verbally in the May meeting, the Finance and Expenditure Committee's Inquiry into climate adaptation was announced on 10 May 2024. The approximately 150 public submissions made to the Environment Committee’s previous inquiry into climate adaptation, including the submission made by this Joint Committee, will be considered by the new inquiry.

6. The new inquiry has the following terms of reference:

6.1. The purpose of the inquiry is to develop and recommend high-level objectives and principles for the design of a climate change adaptation model for New Zealand, to support the development of policy and legislation to address climate adaptation.

6.2. For this purpose, the committee must consider the following topics:

6.2.1. the nature of the climate adaptation problem New Zealand faces

6.2.2. frameworks for investment and cost-sharing

6.2.3. roles and responsibilities

6.2.4. climate risk and response information-sharing.

6.3. The committee may, as it thinks fit, consider other matters relevant to the purpose of the inquiry.

6.4. The committee must take account of submissions received by the Environment Committee on its recent inquiry into climate adaptation.

6.5. The committee must finally report on the inquiry by 5 September 2024.

7. The Finance and Expenditure Committee has invited any new submissions to consider the following questions:

7.1. What would be a durable, affordable, and fair approach to adaptation for the existing built environment (i.e., where people live and work) in the future? How could that approach be phased in over time?

7.2. What outcomes should such an approach to adaptation lead to? What are the highest priorities to achieve?

7.3. What do you think the costs will be? How should these various costs be distributed (eg amongst property owners, widely across New Zealanders, ratepayers, now and in future)? Should this distribution change over time?

7.4. What do you think is the critical information that will inform people and help them understand future risks, costs, and impacts?

7.5. What are the particular issues facing Māori, especially sites, assets, and land vulnerable to climate-driven natural hazards?

7.6. What are the problems with New Zealand's approach to managing climate-related natural hazards? What are the underlying drivers of these problems?

7.7. What adaptation-related costs are you facing now? How are you planning on addressing these costs?

7.8. What adaptation related risks are you facing now and how are you planning to address these risks?

8. The submissions period for the injury is open now, and closes 11:59pm, Sunday 16 June.

9. The Joint Committee’s submission to the previous inquiry is provided as Attachment 1 for reference. While this submission will be considered, the new inquiry has a different focus and approach. The Joint Committee and TAG have also continued to develop the Strategy since the last submission was lodged, particularly focusing on funding adaptation actions. With these factors in mind, TAG recommends that a new submission is prepared to reinforce previous messaging and comment on at least some of the questions posed above.

10. A draft submission is in preparation at time of writing this report to enable meeting the submissions deadline. With the Joint Committee’s support, TAG will complete the submission and, with the Chair’s endorsement, lodge it on the Joint Committee’s behalf.

Central Government: Fast Track Approvals Bill

11. In April 2024 the Joint Committee entered a submission on the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The submission is provided as Attachment 2.

12. The three key points made by the submissions were:

12.1. The risk of decision-making on fast-track approvals failing to consider local natural hazard risks and strategies, resulting in people, homes, businesses and infrastructure being located in areas where the risks from natural hazards are, or are likely to be, significant in the short, medium or longer term.

12.2. The risk of projects being granted fast-track approvals that undermine collaborative approaches and excludes or minimises meaningful input from those that are directly affected by the decisions being made.

12.3. The potential opportunity for projects and programmes of work proposed by the Strategy to be approved swiftly, but only once the Strategy itself has been widely endorsed through a public consultation process.

13. The Joint Committee confirmed a desire to speak in support of the submission.

14. On 29 May, the Environment Committee contacted TAG to offer a 10-minute speaking slot to make an oral submission. Limited options were available, and a response was required by 31 May. In consultation with the joint committee Chair, TAG requested a time between 9am and 1pm on Friday 14 June (during this Joint Committee meeting).

15. At the time of writing this report, TAG has not had a reply or confirmation of a speaking slot. Should this be confirmed, the Joint Committee will be updated by email. As it is only a 10-minute slot, it is suggested that the Chair, with support from TAG as required, makes some brief comments to highlight the three key aspects of our submission and then invites questions from the Environment Committee.

General updates

16. A Regulatory Workstream background paper (May 2024) was presented to the Joint Committee’s 17 May meeting. As requested by the Joint Committee, that paper has since been circulated to policy planning leads at each of the five Hawke’s Bay councils with a note drawing their attention to the report’s recommendations and potential work to incorporate into councils’ respective RMA plan development work programmes.

17. The next key milestone for the Strategy development process is the workshop with HBRC on 19 June 2024, where the funding model as developed by the Joint Committee will be presented by TAG.

18. The next Joint Committee meeting on 5 July 2024 will seek Joint Committee endorsement for the full proposed Strategy document to be recommended to HBRC.

Decision-making process

19. 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 Project Manager's June 2024 update.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

1 ⇩	Submission on Inquiry into Climate Adaptation by Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee 1Nov2023
2 ⇩	Fast Track Approvals Bill submission by Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee 19 April 2024

Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

14 June 2024

Subject: Communications and engagement update

Reason for report

1. This report updates the committee on communications and engagement since May 2024, and discusses the communications and engagement plan for the period July – September 2024.

Background

2. A communications and engagement strategy is guiding efforts to reconnect with the community over the next four months for pre-consultation engagement and formal consultation on the Strategy.

3. This plan aims to:

3.1. maintain and increase community understanding of, interest in, and build buy-in to the coastal hazards mahi.

3.2. enable and facilitate meaningful engagement with communities using effective and innovative approaches.

3.3. align with and complement engagement activities occurring through the Mātauranga Māori Workstream.

Discussion

4. There has been a low level of engagement activity since the last Joint Committee meeting as the focus of the Strategy has been on funding model development and testing.

5. As brought to the last Joint Committee meeting in May, further communications and engagement will occur in two phases over the next four months.

6. In the lead up to HBRC’s formal Strategy consultation in September, we will be engaging with the community over a three-week period in July (1-21) to provide information to assist understanding of the proposed Strategy.

7. TAG is in the process of confirming Joint Committee member availability to attend events and support with communications during this period.

8. Pre-consultation engagement will include:

8.1. A three-part video series which will take the community through the coastal hazard risks, the development process of the Strategy, the proposed short-term solutions, the principles of the funding model, and the next steps of implementing the strategy. These videos will be fronted by a combination of Joint Committee and TAG members.

8.2. A number of community events were proposed in the initial engagement plan shown to the Joint Committee in December 2023. Since then the number and types of events has been amended to fit within the wider Regional Council engagements for 2024. TAG have agreed to facilitate three community pop-ups, which is where a stall is set up with TAG and Joint Committee members at an event or place where the community are. At the request of the Joint Committee Chair we will continue to plan for two community meetings. As the focus of this pre-consultation engagement is to inform the community on the mahi of the Strategy, and in particular communicate coastal hazard risks and show in detail the proposed solutions, we will also hold two coastal walks and talks with the engineering staff to walk the community through the proposed interventions along the coast at Westshore, Haumoana and Te Awanga.

8.3. Matahiwi Marae have reached out to the strategy team to seek some engagement. We will confirm details for this with the Joint Committee once it is confirmed.

8.4. Two media releases and two opinion pieces will be shared with the community to highlight the overall ongoing work and the events and information available ahead of formal consultation. The opinion pieces will come from Joint Committee members.

8.5. A social media campaign will sit alongside the video series and media collateral over the three-week period, covering in more detail the risks, proposed solutions, funding principles, address community concerns, and more. We will use partner channels to distribute the messaging appropriately, including tangata whenua.

8.6. The website will be refined and updated with content to make it easier for the community to understand what is being proposed. As part of this, a short survey will be developed asking the community questions around the funding model principles including their willingness to pay to reduce exposure to natural hazard risks, implementation timeline, and the proposed solutions and their impact.

8.7. A community newsletter will be sent out following this Joint Committee meeting, and cover the May Joint Committee meeting. It will be timed it to let the community know about pre-consultation engagement, including the events and information available. This will also be shared through partner channels, including tangata whenua.

8.8. CoastSnap will be launched during pre-engagement, which will involve one of the media releases, website updates, social media, and a short video.

9. Formal consultation is proposed to occur through the month of September as a proposed amendment to HBRC’s Long Term Plan. This will include a consultation document and submission form, media, social media, events, advertising, videos, and other initiatives.

Next steps

10. TAG will be commencing pre-consultation engagement in July.

11. Reporting at each Joint Committee meeting will be provided to update on engagement activities and outcomes.

12. In addition, Joint Committee members will be advised of key engagement activities by email, so they have the opportunity to participate. In some cases, TAG will be asking for Joint Committee members to attend / present at events and we will be seeking your availability for those events in due course.

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.

Recommendation

That the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee receives and notes the Communications and engagement update staff report.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Rebecca Ashcroft

Consultant Frank Engagement

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

14 June 2024

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.

Westshore resource consent renewal

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

3. Discussions have been held with NCC regarding the alignment of the gravel bund and the option to extend the rock armouring of the Rangatira sea wall. Extension of the sea wall was not considered as an option thus far due to the high cost. We are considering an alternative solution. Extension of the bund to tie into seawall is the preferred short-term solution with while the alternative sea wall long term solution is confirmed and designed. Other options will be considered during the review of the renourishment programme.

4. Annual beach renourishment works for 2024 have been completed. Monitoring of the bund performance over autumn and winter is underway. The design for the 2025/26 renourishment will begin in July.

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

5.1. Costs associated with the continuation of the beach renourishment option will be similar.

5.2. 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 so consultation will be required. For comparison, an initial cost estimate of $1.4M has been received for the extension of the rock armouring (79m) to the Rangatira sea wall.

6. On completion of the beach renourishment works review, the consenting costs for the preferred option will be able to be better defined.

Haumoana shingle crest height

7. No further activity in this period.

Haumoana 18

8. No further activity in this period.

Maraetotara River at Te Awanga

9. The Te Awanga community reps have submitted to both Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s LTP processes seeking direction on next steps and funding, as part of furthering this project.

Whirinaki

10. No further activity in this period.

Coastal Inundation Assessment Project update

11. Nothing further to report. Business as usual.

Hawke’s Bay Climate Action

12. The next meeting of the Climate Action Joint Committee is scheduled on 5 August.

13. The Joint Committee will continue to progress a Climate Action Plan with a focus on emissions reduction and climate adaptation.

14. Of interest to the Joint Committee is an external advisor has been engaged to scope what a Climate Vulnerability Risk Assessment would entail and scan what is happening nationwide in this space. The early findings will be presented to the Climate Action Joint Committee in August.

Decision-making process

15. 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.