~Balconies Rated?

So I was reading in the Messenger that the ACC is starting to charge buildings for having a balcony. Allegedly there are safety issues, and the rates reflect the liability incurred by the council for allowing them to exist.
I think that's crap, and I would never have supported such a policy. Balconies do not impress upon publich space, except for their supports, which is fine because the footpath is littered with obstructions anyway.
I do not know what the policy is on street dining, but I assume the council earns tidily from that.
Insofar as they ought to be accounted for, a good balcony would raise the value of a property, so the ratepayer is already paying for the privelige of having it: don't slug them twice!
As for safety issues: let's be sensible and say the onus is on the building's owner to make sure it's safe, and if there is criminal neglect, and someone died from a falling railing or something, it's the land lord's fault, not the council's.