contents feature stories 3 2 5 6 16 17 22 22 - Kumeu Courier

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In an
emergency
dial 111
Fire fighters preventing fires
Recently we were called to a family home where a dehumidifier was on fire in a bedroom. The occupants of the home
were well prepared. There were numerous working smoke alarms, a fire extinguisher that was used to take the heat out
of the fire, after this they evacuated the home and called 111 from the neighbours. This was a great example of a family
that had a fire safety plan. Luckily for the family we were on site within 4 ½ minutes. The loss of furniture and clothing
close to the fire was relatively small but the smoke damage throughout the home was extensive with black soot in over
half the home. Here are some tips to keep your dehumidifier from becoming a fire or electrical safety hazard:
• Make sure you clean or replace the air filters to avoid overheating and check power cords.
• Make sure your unit is placed on a level surface, clear of other objects and that there are no obstructions to
its air intake. Blocked air intakes can cause dehumidifiers to overheat and lead to increased fire hazard risk.
For further information on energy safety visit www.med.govt.nz/energysafety. Keep warm and stay safe - Denis Cooper,
Waitakere Fire Force, For information or to join Waitakere Fire Force phone 09 810 9251
Shared land value uplift—Ak Council response
Rezoning of land often sees land values increase, although it is possible the increase in value occurs before finalisation of a
zoning. This increase comes from the extra development potential resulting from the rezoning. At the moment any increase
in value from the rezoning decision remains with the landowner. A number of countries allow councils to obtain a share of
the land value increase from rezoning the land for a more intensive use. The council received some informal feedback during
the preparation of the Housing Action Plan and the draft Unitary Plan querying whether or not a similar tool called
Shared Land Value Uplift (SLVU) could be used to help fund infrastructure and/or affordable housing. The SLVU option and
examples of how it applies overseas were included in the Addendum to the Draft Unitary Plan seeking people’s views on
this type of funding tool. The Government would need to pass new legislation to allow the council to introduce a SLVU .The
council is undertaking preliminary investigation to evaluate the merits and market impacts (including the cost of housing) of
a SLVU tool. The introduction of a SLVU cannot be considered in isolation to other funding tools. The council would need to
consider whether a SLVU would complement or substitute existing funding tools, including development contributions. The
evaluation and feedback of a SLVU will be reported to the Auckland Plan Committee in July. The report would be available
to the public at that stage.