Orange Zone meeting - Friday night

CERA hosted an Avonside Orange Zone meeting in the Wainoni Scout Hall last night. For those who weren't able to attend here is a very brief report:

• there were no new announcements
• a major reason for the delay in rezoning our area is the complexity and variability of the underlying geology. Our part of Avonside has been the most complex of all the areas affected by the earthquake. 
• the geotechnical work has been completed and the zoning decision process now rests with those who look at the aspects of cost and timeliness. After that it goes to Cabinet.
• CERA are open to improving communications and are willing to have more meetings.
• CERA will try to give advance notice of major announcements.

Timing of the rezoning announcement is crucial. The period around Christmas and New Year is not a good time for people to receive critically important news (especially if on holiday). Whichever way the decision goes there will be some who will suffer and, with support and information services closing down, there may be no one to call for help or advice. This point was made to one of the CERA reps and to MP Nicky Wagner. While neither can influence Cabinet's timing of the release, they may be able to bring it to the attention of others who can (which Nicky has undertaken to do).