So What Did Auckland Get after Five Days of Deliberations?

 

That I am still trying to figure out as I go through all my notes and Tweets from the five days of proceedings. I have also flicked some emails out to Council seeking clarification on issues such as the Rural Urban Boundary that went amok after a wrong Tweet went out (which have just come through).

Orsman from the Herald has run two summary pieces from the Unitary Plan proceedings (his accuracy is remarkably improved since he got last schooled on it for his Councillor Wood piece last week) which can be seen in the respective articles:

• Landscape of Super City shaping up (only error is that the Governing Body has NOT set a formal notification date yet as the Body does not meet until September 10)
• Unitary Plan: ‘Paddocks are not for houses’

 

As I get all the notes and emails compiled I will write-up some posts on where next with the Unitary Plan as we head towards formal notification (decided on September 10 and as mentioned below).

From Auckland Council:

Unitary Plan recommended for notification

 

Councillors today recommended that the revised version of the draft Unitary Plan be approved for notification and the formal submissions phase. 

Auckland Plan Committee Chair Penny Hulse says the recommendation underlined the many important decisions made by elected members over the last two weeks. 

“Today’s decision is a significant milestone in the Unitary Plan process. We now have a plan that prior to going out for public submissions has already been shaped and changed based on the feedback of thousands of Aucklanders.” 

The proposed Unitary Plan which includes amendments to the maps, policies and rules will now go to Auckland Council’s Governing Body who will be asked to officially endorse the plan for notification. 

Once approved, a date will be set for notification which marks the start of the formal public submission phase, and the next opportunity for people to have their say. 

The Governing Body will meet on Tuesday 10 September. 

Ends

 

My next post will be on the voting patterns on the vexed issue of intensity levels on the Auckland Isthmus. Will the wholesale downgrading (as mention in previous Talking Auckland posts) the issue comes back to how much strain will be placed on the Rural Urban Boundary and our Metropolitan Centres to take the load.

 

In light on the 90% Soils/RUB Tweet yesterday that caused one heck of a flap across Social Media, I think we might run down the more cautious path so as not to cause unnecessary alarm as that Tweet originally did. This may mean some posts will take a bit longer to get up as clarification is sort – in which I make no apologies for.

 

Finally I would like to thank all the blog readers, Facebook and Twitter followers who have put up with all my Unitary Plan spam since March this year. It has not been an easy mission running the commentary but I think the job was well done. Where next for me? Back to home and Southern Auckland in preparing that for 30 years growth under the Unitary Plan (once it becomes operative).

 

 

In saying all this no doubt the next big thing will soon come up for Talking Auckland

 

Related articles

• Unitary Plan: ‘Paddocks are not for houses’ (nzherald.co.nz)