Wainuiomata Community Board
Minutes of a meeting held in the Wainuiomata Community Library, Queen Street, Wainuiomata on
Wednesday 5 September 2018 commencing at 7.00pm
PRESENT:
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Mr G Tupou (Chair) |
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Cr C Barry |
Cr J Briggs |
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Ms K Brown |
Mr T Stallworth |
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Ms S Tuala-Le’afa |
Ms J Winterburn |
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APOLOGIES: Mr R Sinnott
IN ATTENDANCE: Mayor WR Wallace (part meeting)
Mr L Allott, Chief Information Officer
Mr D Wood, Traffic Engineer
Ms J Randall, Committee Advisor
PUBLIC BUSINESS
The Chair provided a Karakia.
1. APOLOGIES
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Briggs) Minute No. WCB 18401 “That the apology received from Mr Sinnott be accepted and leave of absence be granted.” |
PRECEDENCE OF BUSINESS
In accordance with Standing Order 10.4, the Chair accorded precedence to item 4, Statutory Briefing.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
Comments are recorded under the item to which they relate.
Speaking under public comment, Ms L Olsen advised the following:
· Russell Road had a continual problem with speeding cars.
· A blind corner on the paper road from the Marae had been the cause of several near-miss accidents. She requested Council take action before there was an accident.
· She considered the homeless from all cultures in Wainuiomata had their mana trampled by not having homes. She advised action was needed immediately to address the homeless situation in Wainuiomata.
In response to questions from members, Ms Olsen considered speed humps would be the most useful traffic slowing measure at the Marae. She suggested members attend Marae meetings to hear more about the homeless situation.
The Traffic Engineer agreed to investigate whether the Marae road was privately or publicly owned.
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4. |
Report No. WCB2018/4/218 by the General Counsel |
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Mayor Wallace elaborated on the report highlighting matters of particular relevance to the newly elected member in respect of the Acts. He welcomed Ms Brown and said he looked forward to working with her for the remainder of the triennium. |
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Ms Tuala-Le'afa) Minute No. WCB 18402 “That the Board notes the legislative provisions affecting the member.” |
5. Presentation
6. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
There were no conflict of interest declarations.
7. Minutes
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Mr Stallworth) Minute No. WCB 18403 “That the minutes of the meeting of the
Wainuiomata Community Board held on Wednesday, |
8. Reports referred for Committee input before being considered by Council
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a) |
Brookfield Lane - Proposed Give Way Control Crowther Road - Proposed Stop Control (18/1394) Report No. WCB2018/4/217 by the Traffic Engineer |
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The Traffic Engineer elaborated on the report. He advised that consultation on the proposed traffic control changes in the report closed on Friday 31 August. 60 consultation documents were delivered to local residents and eight were received back. Seven submissions received were in support of the proposal and one was in partial support. In response to a question from a member, the Traffic Engineer advised that if Give Way signs were installed on Moores Valley Road it could create problems when buses were waiting, due to the width of the road. |
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ReSOLVED: (Mr Tupou/Cr Briggs) Minute No. WCB 18404 “That the Wainuiomata Community Board endorses the recommendations contained within the officer’s report.” |
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b) |
Smokefree Queen Street, Wainuiomata (18/1211) Memorandum dated 16 July 2018 by the Committee Advisor |
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Ms Tuala Le’afa advised that Queen Street businesses were clear they did not want to enforce a smokefree area. Ms Winterburn added that businesses did not believe the smokefree designation would work but equally did not believe it would affect their patronage. Cr Briggs suggested the smokefee area was too limited and proposed it be extended to the opposite side of Queen Street. He requested that members note Homedale Village and the Norfolk Street shopping centre were also areas with the potential to become smokefree. |
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ReCOMMENDED: (Mr Tupou/Ms Winterburn) Minute No. WCB 18405
“The Board requests that Council: (i) designates the area of Queen Street in Wainuiomata attached as Appendix 3 to the memorandum as a smokefree area;
(ii) includes the footpath and carparking area on other side of street adjacent to the current designated area; and
(iii) continues to work alongside Healthy Families and Regional Public Health to allow families to have the best outcomes possible.”
For the reason that this option will increase the number of smokefree outdoor public places with a particular focus on areas where children and families congregate and socialise and where the impact from the visibility of smoking is greatest. |
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9. |
Report No. WCB2018/4/124 by the Chair |
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The Chair requested that members actively encourage nominations from the community for the Community Spirit Awards. |
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Briggs) Minute No. WCB 18406 “That the Board:
(i) notes the report; and
(ii) endorses the Board’s Representation Review submission, attached as Appendix 2 to the report.” |
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10. |
Committee Advisor's Report (18/1177) Report No. WCB2018/4/120 by the Committee Advisor |
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Cr Barry recommended the Young Elected Members Hui as a valuable opportunity for learning and information sharing between elected members. He advised he would arrange a collective mode of travel so expected travel costs could be kept to a minimum. |
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Mr Stallworth) Minute No. WCB 18407 “That the Board: (i) notes the report; (ii) holds an informal meeting in the week prior to 17 September 2018, to finalise the Community Spirit Awards nomination process; (iii) calls for nominations for the Community Spirit Awards, opening on Monday 24 September 2018 and closing on Friday 26 October 2018; (iv) holds an informal meeting in the week prior to its 7 November 2018 meeting to discuss nominations for the Community Spirit Awards, and notify the successful recipient/s; (v) organises caterers to provide finger food for the Community Spirit Awards ceremony; (vi) agrees that the Community Spirit Awards ceremony shall commence at 6pm, 7 November 2018, in the Wainuiomata Chambers, with its ordinary meeting to commence at 7pm, 7 November 2018; (vii) places two advertisements in the Wainuiomata News calling for nominations for the Community Spirit Awards; and (viii) contributes $200 from its miscellaneous budget towards Facebook articles highlighting past recipients of the Community Spirit Awards, detailing how the award influenced the recipient, including photographs.” |
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Briggs) Minute No. WCB 18408 “That the Board approves the approximate expense of $697.00 plus GST plus travel from the Board’s training budget for Ms Tuala-Le’afa to attend the Young Elected Members Hui, attached as Appendix 1 to the report.” |
11. Information Item
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Ecology and Landscapes Consultation Update (18/1404) Memorandum dated 23 August 2018 by the Divisional Manager District Plan |
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Speaking under public comment, Ms D Clark expressed concern that Council had not reviewed it’s District Plan over the last 10 years as was required by the Resource Management Act. She asked when this review would take place. She noted that Federated Farmers believed a non-regulatory approach encouraged more commitment to biodiversity protection. She regarded Council’s approach as bullying and suggested an incentive approach with education and support would work better than regulation.
Speaking under public comment, Mr C White said Council was effectively taking half his land under the proposed District Plan Change. He expressed concern he would be required to apply for resource consent to make any changes on his property. He maintained he had been told by officers that consent would not be granted. He expressed alarm that people did not understand the proposed changes and how the changes could affect their properties.
In response to questions from members, Mr White advised a recent residents’ meeting had not changed the situation and had not resulted in a collaborative approach. He added he would be willing to support a non-regulatory approach and work with Council to find a solution.
Speaking under public comment, Ms J Sylvester advised all members to act according to the Community Board terms of reference and listen to their community. She believed Council was manipulating the information it disseminated for its preferred result. She noted there had been a precedent in an Environmental Court decision in 2003 where a similar case was won by affected residents. She expressed concern the proposed District Plan Change would lead to mortgagee sales because of devalued property values and a loss of equity.
In response to a question from a member, Ms Sylvester said she would not be likely to work with Council on a non-regulatory incentive approach. She emphasised she was not interested in undertaking work on behalf of Council. She considered each individual’s land was different and could not be grouped together.
Speaking under public comment, Ms J Wootton believed the proposed District Plan Change constituted an erosion of human rights. She advised the proposal had caused health problems in affected residents and was an anathema to the freedom her forebears fought for. She requested a firm plan on Council’s intentions.
In response to a question from a member, Ms Wootton advised she was unsure if she would be willing to work with Council on a non-regulatory incentive approach. She said it would depend on the outcome of the first meeting.
Speaking under public comment, Ms P Innes requested clarification on points six and 12 in the memorandum. She was concerned the non-regulatory support and incentives mentioned in point 12 might allow for activities that could affect her property.
In response to questions from Ms Innes, Cr Briggs believed most of the Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) as mentioned in point six were removed from properties as a result of revised mapping criteria and some were reduced. He agreed to discuss her concerns with officers regarding non-regulatory support and incentives as mentioned in point 12.
In response to a question from a member, Ms Innes was unsure if she would be willing to work with Council on a non-regulatory approach.
Speaking under public comment, Mr D Innes referred to Environmental Court action around Significant Natural Resources at the time of a proposed District Plan Change in 2003. He said Council’s Resource Economist at the time had advised that placing regulations on land to protect vegetation was counter-productive and did not create incentives. Mr Innes agreed it was more constructive to work with voluntary agreements between landowners. He considered key stakeholders should be involved throughout the process with all options considered before decisions were made.
Speaking under public comment, Ms L Gerrard advised she was a Coast Road resident who had flooding on her property since the Greater Wellington Regional Council cut down pine trees in the Remutaka Forest Park. She added she was forced to raise her house and push stock into native bush on high land that was previously fenced off. She expressed concern the SNA proposal was an additional threat to the farm’s value and the family’s livelihood. Ms Gerrard found it contradictory that Council was intensifying housing in many areas and deforesting the Wainuiomata Hill for the cycle lane. She had not been invited to the Council facilitated meeting and had not received any substantial information in writing. She expressed frustration there had been no open communication and said she had lost trust in the process.
In response to questions from members, Ms Gerrard said she did not think a working group should be making decisions on her future and her land. She believed decisions needed to be made by individual landowners. She was willing to engage with Council to influence future policy change. Speaking under public comment, Mr B Desmond described himself as a conservationist who had been caring for his 120 acres of bush land for 35 years. He had subdivided the property for his children, added easements and laid power. He expressed frustration his entire property was overlaid as an SNA so the plan for his children was no longer possible. He noted residents who planted pine trees were getting carbon credits but residents whose land remained in native bush received nothing. He believed the proposed District Plan Change was contrary to the Bill of Rights. He asked the members to support its community rather than supporting SNAs.
In response to a question from a member, Mr Desmond said that in his experience any working group would largely consist of other stakeholders such as bike groups. He believed they would have a different focus from that of his own and other landowners.
Speaking under public comment, Ms L Olsen advised she supported the SNA protestors and offered support from Wainuiomata Marae. She considered their mana had been trampled.
Speaking under public comment, Ms S van de Wells advised 90% of her 10 acre property in Moores Valley had been overlaid as an SNA. She expressed frustration the SNA overlay would reduce her equity and the farm value significantly. She said the property had been bought only a year ago. She expressed concern the SNA designation had threatened her dream to create a sustainable life-style block.
Members discussed the idea of a non-regulatory approach and rebuilding trust with the community. They committed to ensuring they were available to liaise between Council officers and affected residents with regard to SNAs. Ms Brown, Ms Winterburn and Ms Tuala Le’afa volunteered to be liaison persons for rural residents and follow up on information requests with officers.
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Ms Winterburn) Minute No. WCB 18409 “That the Board receives and notes the memorandum.”
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Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Barry) Minute No. WCB 18410 “That the Board appoints Ms K Brown, Ms J Winterburn and Ms S Tuala Le’afa as the Board’s representatives to liaise with residents affected by the proposed Ecology and Landscapes District Plan Change and report back to the Board when necessary.” |
12. QUESTIONS
There were no questions.
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 9.34pm.
Mr G Tupou
CHAIR
CONFIRMED as a true and correct record
Dated this 7th day of November 2018