Compromise has quelled some concerns of Alexandra residents regarding the expansion of the cemetery and relocation of the community garden.
At a Vincent Community Board meeting last week it was decided to continue with the reclassification of a 7.2ha area next to the Alexandra Cemetery to provide room for future growth.
The board resolved to do this in May, but was required to publicly notify it and ask for submissions before the reclassification could continue.
In 2021-22, a shelter belt will be built that will intersect the community garden run by the Salvation Army on Central Otago District Council land.
The group that runs the garden said it was willing to move to a 1200m plot of council land in Dunstan Rd.
The board received nine supporting and two opposing submissions regarding the reclassification.
However, several supporting submissions, both from neighbours of the land the cemetery will expand into and those of the future community garden site, expressed concerns about the changes.
Supporting submitter Russell McDonald, who lives next to the site where the garden plans to move to, spoke at the meeting.
He was concerned plantings planned as a buffer between the site and his Arnott St property would grow to more than the proposed 1.5m.
"Any higher and this would have a detrimental effect on the pretty much million-dollar view we have."
He was also concerned about firewood which was to be placed near his boundary.
The board agreed a buffer should be created with plants that would grow no higher than 1.5m and should have low rabbit-proof fencing behind it.
Garden manager Brian Seymour said the group would be happy to move the wood to another part of the area.
● CODC property and facilities officer Christina Martin said some submitters expressed concerns their properties would be devalued if next to a cemetery.
Discussions with Quotable Value revealed this was generally not the case, she said.
The gardens will move in 2019.
The reclassified land will not be used as part of the cemetery for decades.
