Daughter's resolve saves dad $10,000

Andy Rahardja was ready to give in when the North Shore City Council insisted on a $10,000 fee if he put a bed up in his small Glenfield warehouse unit.

"I sent letters to the mayor and everyone asking why should I pay this and the replies drove me crazy," Mr Rahardja said yesterday. "I said I've had enough, I won't do it.

"But my daughter, Stephanie, said 'Not enough, dad - keep fighting'."

The 16-year-old Carmel College student wrote to councillor Gary Holmes, saying her father was being treated unfairly and requested a formal review of requiring a development contribution.

Mr Holmes, who is chairman of the strategic management committee, agreed. Stephanie stood by her father's side in the council chamber to help him explain his case.

He had come from Indonesia 18 years before to study at Auckland University. She was born in Auckland shortly before he graduated master of science in chemistry.

Stephanie told councillors it was ridiculous for the council to demand a development contribution when "the only change is we want to put in a bed instead of a table".

"It is unreasonable to categorise the placement of a bed as a construction development if there is no extra demand on the city's infrastructure."

Her father has the warehouse for his small business of importing and distributing Asian groceries.

In August 2003 he obtained a building consent to turn the mezzanine floor into a self-contained unit, with kitchen and bathroom facilities.

He wanted to have a bed there for a nap whenever it had been a long, tiring night unpacking a container.

Mr Rahardja said he was led to believe that he could use the room for sleeping but on rechecking with the council later was told he must now get a resource consent.

During the processing period, the council introduced a developer contribution policy and his levy was assessed at $10,615.88, plus GST.

Yesterday, after considering the arguments put by Mr Rahardja and Stephanie, the committee agreed to waive the developer contribution in return for heavy restrictions, which allow the bed to be used for business only.

Mr Rahardja said he had been penalised for honesty in wanting to comply with the rules. The council had imposed conditions as if he was going to use the unit as a flat.

"It is common in the neighbourhood for a warehouse unit to be used as a warehouse with accommodation.

"I wanted the freedom to lease the unit out as a live-in warehouse.

"But I have no option but to accept the conditions that I can stay there providing it's for business."

As for the prospect of a law career for his plucky and eloquent daughter, Mr Rahardja said she wanted to be a doctor.

* The committee yesterday turned down a request from property developer Cornerstone group to remit $100,000 of a million dollar levy on an Albany housing project.