Monday, Feb 20, 2017
Since Sept 27, 1879
Retail $1.70 Home delivered from $1.05
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Dogs in the spotlight FULL STORY
P7
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Robert DeBoyer (left) proudly showed his English Cocker Spaniels, Freddie and Ingrid, at the Mid Canterbury Kennel Association’s championship show over the weekend. Geoff Pigou (right) helped out during the judging rounds. PHOTO ROBYN HOOD 190217-RH-0090
Cycling for charity P2
Big rate rise in wind for Lake Hood? BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Luxury on wheels P3
Lake Hood homeowners could be faced with a 25 per cent rate rise if their zoning is changed from rural to urban. The Ashburton District Council is likely to review the rating status of Lake Hood properties later this year with a view to rezoning the housing estate. The move would have a downside for property owners, however as rates for the average capital value property ($671,000) would rise from $1900 per year to $2388. When the first houses were built they had none of the amenities that were provided for urban properties and the council of the day believed a rural zoning was a fairer way to rate the area, said council business support manager Paul Brake. “There were very few houses out there and we weren’t responsible initially for
maintenance of the lake; there were no assets vested in council so there were no costs involved,” he said. From the outset houses at the lake were connected to the urban sewer but had their own water supply. They are now connected to the urban water supply. Over the years roads have been formed and the lake and large tracts of land vested in the council. Today Lake Hood residents have the same amenities and services available to people living in Ashburton. The council spends $113,000 a year on maintenance work at the lake. Currently residents do not have a refuse collection and on top of rates, they pay a residents’ fee of $316 plus GST to the Aquatic Park Trust to cover this service and maintenance of some areas of the park precinct. Yesterday in a workshop district councillors were told the time had come to
look at how they wanted Lake Hood rated in the future. “You have to ask yourselves should Lake Hood be treated as urban. It has an urban water supply and waste water, it will ultimately have 500 properties and eventually the boundary between Tinwald and Lake Hood will blur. “Its infrastructural assets are now similar to town,” Brake said. “There’s a really strong argument to say Lake Hood is urban, but if you change it to urban there will be a significant increase in Lake Hood rates.” The impact, however, would be reduced if they were no longer required to pay the residents’ fee, he said. Councillors will decide during their long term plan discussions later this year on the future zoning of Lake Hood. If a decision is made to rate the area as an urban settlement the change will go through a process of public consultation.
Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!
House of Hearing Weather: High 29˚ - Overnight 14˚ Page 22
Puzzles: Page 21
Television: Page 23
Family Notices: Page 22
CLINIC
PHONE
Ashburton Halswell Rangiora Fendalton
03 307 8949 03 322 4326 03 310 7355 03 351 3535 www.guardianonline.co.nz