Global warming flood zone put to the test?

Last week TRM posted our appeal when Toe-paw Council formally advised this motel was now subject to flooding due to future global warming? That means new minimum height regulations as 60 year old TRM units no longer comply? On Easter Monday Turangi rained for about 12 hours and received about 40mm of rain. The perfect test. The images illustrate Piri Road outside of TRM with us assisting the tide retreating compared to TRM forecourt. OK. So where does it flood? More evidence for our appeal to the Environment Court.

Easter Monday – 23 April – Piri Road flooding blocked the motel entrance up to the footpath.
TRM main drive at the same time on 22 April – all surface water had drained away.
Entrance from Taupahi Road where a drain quickly removed all surface water after 12 hours of steady rain.

Council replied: Good morning Ross

If you wish to appeal the Council’s decisions on submissions to Plan Change 34 – Flood Hazard you will need to engage a lawyer as the appeal period officially closed on 22 February 2019.  

I have sent you screen shots of the location and depth of flooding on your property to you on numerous occasions over the last three years.  The most recent was an attachment to my e-mail to you dated 17 April 2019.  I have pasted the screen shot below.  The numbers are in metres so the flooding on your property will range from 10cms to 27cms in depth. 

Councils indecipherable plan needs to be expanded to read properly.

After further emails back & forth TRM replied:

Thank you for your advice on how to find the Environment Court… We would never have known…
Please answer the other more pertinent questions:

1   Could Toe-paw Council’s hydro-engineering experts explain the photo images – after 12 hours of steady rain, how water will flow uphill against gravity when we next experience flooding from Global Warming?

2 How adjoining properties – which have been identified as having greater potential for flooding according to Council’s plan – are immune from being included in Council’s Flood Hazard Zone?

3 Please explain why Council insist we have to appoint a solicitor?  Surely the BIG question to solve is whether and/or when flooding at TRM might occur from Global Warming?.  For Toe-paw Council’s “Monty Python” scenario the selection of a soothsayer is a much more important appointment.

But they refuse to answer such leading questions and continue hiding behind the Resource Management Act. What a dereliction of duty afraid to be accountable or be responsible. Their last response after the matter had been referred to their “Policy Manager”.

Hello Ross, I am afraid that I Council does not have any further information to provide you over and above what you have already been given.  As advised your next step is to the Environment Court if you wish to contest this matter.

So TRM are now appointing a wizard or soothsayer able to appear in front of an Environment Court hearing to expose their folly. Watch this space…