At the public forum at the beginning of the meeting Half Mile resident and long-time opponent of removing the pine trees on the reserve Ken Churchill spoke.
Planting poplars was "ludicrous" due to the massive leaf drop in autumn affecting neighbours. Kōwhai would be a better shelter tree, he said.
Water source and irrigation needed to be in place before the planting started. It seemed unfair to use board money for the project and to rely on volunteer groups to plant thousands of plants highlighted a lack of funding, Mr Churchill said.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said the existing pine trees on the reserve would be felled in the first two weeks of next month.
He presented two options — A and B — for replacement planting, which were intended to restore the reserve to an authentic Central Otago landscape as agreed by the board last year.
Both landscape plans prepared for the council by consultants Boffa Miskell propose planting native species across the site. The more expensive option has a row of poplars on the northern boundary, with native shrubs and trees in front.
The poplars would give shelter to the native plants initially and would be removed in 8-10 years once the other plants were well-established. However, the poplars added $10,000 to the cost of planting and there would be more expense when they were cut down.
Areas for a community garden, a place for new citizens to plant the trees they are given at their ceremony and for Trees for Babies were included.
Cr Tracy Paterson said her personal experience with poplar trees was not great and suggested another variety be considered for the shelter belt, if that option was chosen.
She was also concerned that when the shelter belt reached its proposed life span of 8-10 years, the decision to remove it could end up back with the board.
"What can we do to protect both residents and the council so there is no confusion about it? I don’t want the community upset."
Mr Bailey said there could be a line item in the next long term plan to remove the trees.
Cr Paterson said if option B, which included the shelter belt, was agreed on, she wanted the community involved in the choice of shelter belt tree.
Cr Martin McPherson said his major concern was that the pine trees were coming down next month and there was no secure funding for the replanting plans.
Council group manager community experience David Scoones said there was funding in the long-term plan and council reserves. Staff would work to find external funding.
Cr McPherson said it was a council initiative and the cost should be spread across the district.
"The decision was made at a council level but the cost is coming from the board."
How to "bury the hatchet" between Half Mile residents and the board was a concern, he said.
"There is a major chasm between what we are proposing and what the community want."
There were no Kōwhai on the plan, yet it was indigenous to the area and we should be encouraging their planting, Cr McPherson said.
Cr Roger Browne said, while there could be a typical Central Otago landscape at the top of the reserve, there was scope for more ornamental planting on the lower reaches of the steep site. It could be a decorative entrance providing interest to people coming into Alexandra.
Mr Bailey said the plan was based on what was the community was consulted on last year. The plan was indicative and not a detailed planting plan. There were other fast-growing trees that could be planted instead of poplars. Planting on the lower areas would need consultation with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency due to shading of the state highway that ran past.
Mr Scoones said the community could be consulted about what plants should be put in.
