Dec 2: Raglan Community Board Meeting

Summary of Community Board agenda prepared by:

Whaingaroa Environmental Defence Incorporated Registered no.1912150 from Secretary: John Lawson, 51 Cliff St, Raglan 07 825 7866 email johnrag@vodafone.co.nz

The next Board meeting is Tuesday 2 December at 6pm in the Town Hall Supper Room. The public forum starts at 5.30pm, giving an opportunity to discuss issues.

The agenda is at http://waidc.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Agendas-2014/141202_RCB_AGENDA.aspx. Items on the agenda include –

1. Long Term Plan Priority Project questionnaire – http://waidc.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Minutes-2014-(1)/141111_RCB_Raglan-Community-Board—Survey-Results.aspx.
2. Resource consent applications not to be shared with the public prior to a decision being made on notification – summary of legal advice refers to “improper pressure”; WDC is checking if it looked at the ombudsman’s guidelines – http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/system/paperclip/document_files/document_files/189/original/part_2c__other_reasons_for_refusing_information_-_improper_pressure_or_harassment.docx?1344201712 . http://waidc.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Services/Resource-and-subdivision-consents/Weekly-Decisions-Report.aspx still only shows last week’s consents.
3. Review of public places bylaw proposes to ban fires on beach, model aircraft and paragliders, parking in the centre of Bow St, and add a disabled park outside Orca (but not the Laundromat) and convert a boat trailer space at the wharf to car parking.
4. WDC Annual Report (http://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Documents/Plans,-reports,-publications/Annual-reports/AnnualReport1314.aspx) says 12% rise in water rate has put council ahead of its target and completion of Riki Spring treatment works will will meet the requirements of the drinking water standards and comply with resource consent conditions.
5. Rezoning “staff are planning open days early in the New Year.” Only 5 property owners talked to so far. More detail is at http://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Agendas-2014/141204_S-F_A_Pt-I.aspx.
6. Freedom camping report to go to Tue 10 Feb meeting.
7. Whaanga Coast sewage completed with 78 connections. Developing a procedure for checking remaining septic tanks.
8. Wharf safety lighting, rails, life buoys and emergency phone “will be addressed” after a fisherman fell off the dolphin on 8 November.
9. Customer Report Management calls dealt with on time in the first 3 weeks of November fell to 88% after 89.1% and 88.5% in previous periods.
10. Coastal Reserves Committee minutes of 13/10 and 10/11(next meeting 5.30pm Mon 8 Dec Supper Room). Manu Bay boat ramp “repair work needs to be followed up on”.
11. Discretionary fund has $13,241. 5pm Fri 9/1 is the next deadline for applications.
12. Sewage plant improvements listed with planned dates.
13. Raglan/Hamilton bus. Although not minuted and not on the RCB agenda, WDC says, “it was agreed that the Community Board would put in a submission”.. Last month Regional Council proposed a target of an hourly bus service on weekdays and a draft submission read – I support the target (page 73) of an hourly Raglan weekday service but believe Sunday and evening buses are also needed. There is no explanation, but presumably it’s been recognised that the contract, which expires in 2017, is costing about twice as much as the Education Ministry would pay for the number of buses and that extra fares will make up any difference. It will help put Raglan on the main tourist route and allow GoldCard holders to travel both ways, without adding to our traffic and parking problems. Thank you.

Several items are not on the RCB agenda, but are on other WDC agendas.

The Infrastructure agenda (http://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Agendas-2014/141202_INF_AGENDA-PT-3.aspx) shows $100,000 a year to be spent on lighting, $1.5m on Opotoru bay road and $400,000 on Opotoru/Wainui intersection in 2015/17, $1.8m on Greenslade/Lorenzen Bay Rd in 2020/21, $371,000 on resurfacing Wainui Rd beside Wainui Reserve in 2016/17, $432,000 on Ohautira Rd in 2017/18, $462,000 on Hills Rd in 2018/19, $121,000 on Stewart St in 2020/21, $96,000 and Gilmour St in 2021/22. It also mentions a $150,000 boat ramp for Whatawhata.

Oil drilling is on the Strategy agenda (page 108 http://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Agendas-2014/141204_S-F_A_Pt-II.aspx), but staff recommend no response as the drilling is off the Waikato cast and not in the WDC area.

Parks and Sports Park Management Plans are linked at http://waidc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Meetings-(1)/Committees/Infrastructure.aspx.

46 people responded to the survey about late night library opening (see page 150 http://www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Documents-Library/Files/Your-Council/Agendas-2014/141204_S-F_A_Pt-III.aspx.

Should WED be taking up these, or any other issues? There is still no report on a heated swimming pool and no mention of items previously left unresolved, such as a water meter cost/benefit analysis, road upgrades, Waingaro Hot Springs, wharf pontoon, Vodafone, or footbridge signs.

Thanks
John.