A second meeting of Dunedin property developers yesterday attracted twice the number of the first, and there was no decrease in the dire warnings espoused.
The meeting, at the Mosgiel Public Library, followed another on Tuesday at which developers said a new Dunedin City Council development contribution policy would make projects unviable, bring development to a halt, and suppress the construction industry.
Development contributions are charges paid by property developers to meet the demands on infrastructure such as water and wastewater, roads and reserves.
About 50 people attended yesterday's meeting, and council acting chief executive Athol Stephens was told industry members should have been brought into the debate earlier.
Others said they did not trust the council to listen to feedback, and the costs were "price gouging" to pay for the city's high debt levels.
Mr Stephens reiterated on several occasions the council had not made up its mind about the issue.
He said the money needed could all come from ratepayers, all from developers, or somewhere in between.
It was up to people making submissions to say what they thought was fair.
G. J. Gardner Homes Otago franchise owner Laurie Mains said many businesses benefited when residential developments were built, and the council benefited from rates.
"You should be encouraging people who want to develop in the city."
Mr Mains said he accepted the council needed to recover infrastructure costs, but a better way needed to be found.
Council strategy and development manager Sue Bidrose said the submission period had been extended by two weeks after concerns about the limited amount of time were raised on Tuesday, and the council was "open" to further extensions.
A flier was distributed advertising a meeting to fight the issue, and other concerns about the council, which would be held at the Otago Southland Employers' Association rooms on April 6.
