May 14: Raglan Community Board meeting- Bow Street trees to be removed and Gilmour Street to be widened

This summary of the Raglan Community Board agenda was prepared by John Lawson, secretary of  Whaingaroa Environmental Defence Incorporated. John Lawson, 51 Cliff St, Raglan 07 825 7866, email johnrag@vodafone.co.nz

The next Board meeting is Tuesday 14 May at 2pm in the Town Hall Supper Room. The public forum starts at 1.30pm, giving an opportunity to discuss issues, but you can also contact the Community Board members who are:- Alan Vink alan.vink1@gmail.com, Bob MacLeod bobmacleod66@gmail.com, Gabrielle Parson gabe_nz@hotmail.com, Lisa Thomson lisa.thomson@waidc.govt.nz, PJ peterjohnhaworth@gmail.com, Rangi Kereopa RangiK1948@gmail.com, Tony Oosten tony.oosten@xtra.co.nz.

The agenda includes –

  1. Bow St Titoki trees The Community Board have previously approved the removal of the titoki trees (alectryon excelsus) on Bow Street. The trees are scheduled to be removed on 13 May 2019. Additional vegetation removal will also occur at this time throughout Bow Street. After the vegetation is removed the soil will be conditioned for planting by adding compost. Once the plant selection is approved, planting will occur within four weeks of the completion of the soil conditioning. The estimated time frame is between June and July. Council Staff have engaged with local shop owners to determine their preferences for the gardens immediately adjacent to their premises. The feedback has been positive and is being incorporated into the final planting design.” The previous minutes said, “No plan for replacement has been sighted yet. Request for an arborist report to be provided to the next meeting in May 2019.”

  2. Gilmour St to be “7.4m wide allowing 2.4m wide parking on one side or the other with 3m wide lane both directions.” [2.4+3+3=8.4] The drawing shows the width of seal increased by 50%, plus a 1.5m footpath. Options for cleaning stormwater shown as gross pollutant traps, rain gardens, filters, or a wetland built on the beach.

  3. Manu Bay breakwateran existing scour trough adjacent to the old breakwater, which allowed spent waves to empty quickly out to sea prior to the approach of the following wave, was filled with surplus rock during replacement works, reducing the effectiveness of the structure to protect the boat ramp. . . Initial assessment of volumes to be removed to reinstate the scour trough suggest a consent will be required from the Regional Council.

  4. Sewage – Step screens contract still to be awardedTertiary membranes postponed till Watercare take over. No report on spills, etc this month.

  5. Year to Date Service Request Report to 31 March – Dog – Immediate threat to life response took longer than 1 hour target. 2 Environmental Health, 2 blocked waste pipes and 2 public toilet complaints took over 4 hours. Overall 80.61%, down from 84.58% success rate to December.

  6. Toilet replacements – Ngarunui Beach “will be delayed from the initial schedule due to archaeological and co-design work taking longer than planned, to autumn/winter (April-July). . . A request for a variation for additional time to the Tourism Infrastructure Fund Funding Agreement will be submitted to MBIE.

Ngarunui main car park “Due to the deferring of the Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive site, due to cultural concerns, this site was introduced . . . increasing capacity . . . feasibility study for the installation of an electrical supply for lighting and ventilation, and additional water supply, both which could enable this building to be upgraded to flushing toilets at a later stage.

  1. Coastal Reserves 11 Feb & 8 Apr minutes – Soundsplash review in May [next meeting 5.30pm Supper Rm Mon 13]

  2. Proposed $79.29 Raglan Food Waste Targeted Rate over 670 submissions going to Strategy & Finance Committee on 22 May.

  3. Childcare allowance for elected members.

  4. Raglan Naturally draft plan [deadline for Raglan Naturally feedback Sat 18]

  5. Community Workshop only 3 Board members present. [Lisa’s report on radio.] One idea was to include the public forum in the middle of the meeting.

  6. Community Board national hui – involving Māori and youth.

  7. Weedbusters meeting held in March.

  8. Discretionary fund has $1,373. Deadline for next fund applications 5 July.

Should WED be taking up these or other issues missing from the agenda, such as providing a street cleaning update, Holiday Park stormwater, Coastal Hazard report, i-SITE tender, Wharf boardwalk, Hills Rd water tower, footpaths, cutting trees on reserves, glyphosate, Trails Strategy ($278,280 to be spent in 2018), volunteer worker safety, parking infringement money, harbour lease, coastguard lease, Puriri Park, cycleways, land disposal of sewage, District Plan further submissions (let me know if you’d like to see my summary of the issues), Blueprint, or SH23 speeds and signs?

Hope to see you on Tuesday

John.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *