Cr Andrew Whiley said the approach the Dunedin City Council was taking to the issue was affecting anyone with a pre-1945 weatherboard, or roughcast, home who wished to do a bedroom extension to their property, adding "many thousands" to what should be a simple addition.
Terramark resource management planner Darryl Sycamore used last week’s public forum at the council to advocate on the behalf of planners, surveyors and property investors to ask councillors to intervene and end the organisation’s "overly cautious" approach to the potentially toxic legacy of lead in the paint once used on old homes.
Mr Sycamore also called on the council to commission an independent review of its approach to implementing the government’s regulations around contaminated soils.
The council later that day said it was not planning to change its approach or commission a further independent review.
The Otago Daily Times asked all city councillors whether they had been convinced there was a need for change from the status quo.
Cr Whiley questioned the council’s claim its approach would only affect a small number of properties in the city and said he would continue to advocate for "a more sensible approach" that was better aligned with the approach taken by the majority of councils around the country.
"I’m frustrated that the DCC won’t take an approach more in line with other councils around the country.
"No council anywhere around the country would knowingly put their residents at risk.
"Is the DCC advocating that they are the only council in the country taking this seriously?"
Cr Carmen Houlahan said she raised "many concerns" with the council’s building services manager when she first learned of the city’s approach.
Cr Houlahan said she was concerned Dunedin’s housing stock was older than other areas and the rules the city enforced around soil testing for resource consent and building consent processes for older properties "could impact on most houses in the city".
"I think we need to review this and I’d like to discuss this with other councils who have interpreted it in a different way to us," she said.
Cr Lee Vandervis said Mr Sycamore’s public forum presentation was compelling.
Cr Vandervis said he was grateful the problem had been brought to the attention of elected representatives "in the interests of getting more houses built more affordably".
He said he knew two developers who had had "such a hard time" meeting council compliance interpretations and consent delays they would "never try any development in Dunedin again".
"DCC zoning regulations are ideologically driven to squeeze new development into a small area to reduce travel and people’s carbon footprints, driving up building section costs to unaffordable levels.
"DCC staff ‘not planning to change our approach’ is a common barrier to even considering what positive changes might be made," he said.
On the other hand, Cr Christine Garey said she "wholeheartedly" supported the council staff’s position.
"DCC is well versed in the health impacts of lead," Cr Garey said.
The council website said lead-based paint was a well-known source of potential contamination, particularly around weatherboard or roughcast-clad homes built before 1945.
"When this paint turns to dust or flakes off, it can contaminate surrounding soil, posing a risk to human health when disturbed — particularly for children and pregnant women."
