Papakura Local Board Meeting – July 2015 #AKLPols

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Some small but significant local Transport projects up for discussion

As part of the focus on Southern Auckland, the blog will be keeping an eye on Local Board happenings and upcoming events in the Southern wards.

On Wednesday the Papakura Local Board meets (of which I will be present at) in which you can see the Agenda HERE.

Two items of note I did pick up from the Agenda:

Transport

Auckland Transport Update – July 2015

File No.: CP2015/13674

Purpose

  1. The purpose of the report is to respond to local board requests on transport-related matters and to provide information to Elected Members about Auckland Transport (AT) activities in the local board area.

Executive Summary

  1. This report covers matters of specific application and interest to the Papakura Local Board and its community; matters of general interest relating to AT activities or the transport sector; and AT media releases for the information of the Board and community.
Recommendation/s

That the Papakura Local Board:

a)      Receive the report entitled “Auckland Transport Update – July 2015”.

Discussion

Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF):

  1. The Papakura Local Board is allocated $306,184 per annum from the Local Board Transport Capital Fund. These funds can be used annually or rolled together to use the full three years’ of funding.
  2. Taking into account funding already allocated, The Papakura Local Board has $737,308 remaining to be utilised in this electoral term.
  3. For larger projects the 2016/17 financial year’s LBTCF ($306,184) can also be brought forward, providing a total of $1,043,492 to spend, if the Board wishes.
  4. The Board has asked Auckland Transport to investigate using the LBCTF allocation to undertake the following projects:
Project Description Status Projected Cost
Connection of Railway Station and Town Centre: Looking at ways of cognitively linking the town Centre with the Railway station.

Projects for further investigation include:

Transport leads have agreed to focus on the following:

·    Parklet outside Library

·    Public space – Gallery car park

·    Covered walkway between platform and Railway Street West

·    Extension of walkway along Railway Street West

·    Beautification – greenery

 Resolution requesting AT to proceed to design and provide a Rough Order of Cost (ROC) for the six identified projects was passed on 20 May 15.

Auckland Transport (AT) will work through options for the six identified projects and will come back with initial scheme drawings and a ROC as soon as practical.

 To be determined through the Rough Order of Cost phase.
Colour Treatment – Intersections Road treatment (red) on four entrance intersections into Papakura Resolution requesting AT to provide a Rough Order of Cost (ROC) passed on 20 May 15.

AT is working through its compatibility (at the proposed sites) with AT Code of Practice (ATCOP).

 To be determined through the Rough Order of Cost phase.
Blue disabled car park markings installation of full Blue disabled car parks in line with Mobility Parking recommendations. Resolution requesting AT to provide a Rough Order of Cost (ROC) was passed on 20 May 15.

AT is working through its compatibility with AT Code of Practice (ATCOP).

 To be determined through the Rough Order of Cost phase.

Current Papakura Local Board project update:

Project Description Status Projected Cost
Refresh of signage in Papakrua Refresh of navigation and directional signage, identification of parking buildings and areas of significance/interest (Maraes, galleries) AT provided Transport leads (26/2/15) further information and recommendations regarding the wayfinding project. At the time of writing the report, no response has been received from Transport Leads.

To ensure this project has a long enough timeframe to be implemented, the Local Board is urged to provide a response to this as soon as practical.

 On July 16. 2014 the Board approved a maximum of $110,000 to refresh the signage in the Papakura Local Board area.

Board Consultations:

  1. Consultation documents for the following proposals have been provided to the Papakura Local Board for its feedback.  As the Board’s transport portfolio holders provide feedback on the Board’s behalf, the material below is included for general information purposes only.

Addison Subdivision, Takanini – Traffic and Parking Controls in the Subdivision.

  1. Auckland Transport is proposing controls within the Addison Subdivision. These controls include a roundabout at the intersection of Arion Road and Kauri Heart Avenue with associated traffic islands and no-stopping at all times (NSAAT) restrictions; cycle facilities on the approaches to the roundabout; the installation of Give Way controls at new intersection and the installation of NSAAT restrictions at two cul-de-sac turning heads. The Board raised no objections to the proposal.

Minor Improvements – Dominion Road and Willis Road/Kelvin Road Intersection.

  1. Auckland Transport consulted the Papakura Local Board on three minor improvement projects,  namely a proposed pedestrian refuge island on Dominion Road near Dent Place; a proposed pedestrian refuge island on Dominion Road near Eastburn Place and pedestrian improvements at the Willis Road/Kelvin Road intersection. The Board raised no objections to this proposal.

Bus Stop Improvement – Route 378

  1. Auckland Transport consulted on proposed new bus stop markings required for the implementation of route 378.
  2.  The Papakura Local Board requested and subsequently met Auckland Transport on site. The Board has safety concerns about one of the proposed Beach Road bus stop. Auckland Transport is investigating this and will report back to the Board in due course.

General Information Items

Auckland Council Adopts 10-year Budget

  1. Auckland Council has adopted its 10-year budget, setting rates, introducing an interim transport levy and agreeing on the level of investment in the region for the next 10 years.
  2. In addition to general rates increases, to help fund a number of crucial transport projects including busways, cycleways and walking options over the next three years, an interim transport levy will be introduced while the council works with central government on a transport accord to find alternative funding sources.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

…………….

It seems the Local Board is making efforts in connecting Papakura Station to the main Town Centre. An excellent idea as the station is seen more as a commuter station rather than a “destination” leaving Papakura Town Centre isolated.

Given that Papakura is a Metropolitan Centre under the Unitary Plan (although that has now come under debate) connecting your Centre with your large transport interchange would be logical.

I also see some more traffic improvements are going into Addison as the big 500 housing development is being prepared for the upcoming construction season. The question yet to be answered is what is going to happen to the area of land zoned Local Centre under the Unitary Plan on Porchester Road.

Speaking of housing I also see the Local Board is going to prepare a submission on the Productivity Commission’s draft Housing Report:

Papakura Local Board Submission to the Productivity Commission’s Using Land for Housing Draft Report

File No.: CP2015/13518

Purpose

  1. To provide the Papakura Local Board with the opportunity to provide feedback to Auckland Council’s submission to the Productivity Commissions “Using Land for Housing Draft Report”.

Executive Summary

  1. The Productivity Commission is undertaking an inquiry into the processes that New Zealand’s fastest growing councils use to provide land for housing.  The Commission has released its draft report and is seeking submissions on it by 4 August 2015 (15 August for Auckland Council as they have been given an extension).  Auckland Council is putting together a submission for this consultation and there are opportunities for local boards to provide input.
  2. Local boards can provide informal feedback on points to be included in the council’s submission, this feedback is due by 22 July 2015 or they can provide formal written feedback which will be appended to the Council’s submission.  The formal feedback is due by 11 August 2015
Recommendation/s

That the Papakura Local Board:

a)      Provide informal feedback on the Productivity Commission’s “Using Land for Housing Draft Report”, to be included in the Auckland Council’s formal submission;  or

b)      Provide formal written feedback on the Productivity Commission’s “Using Land for Housing Draft Report:, to be appended to Auckland Council’s formal submission.

c)      Delegate to the Chair and Deputy Chair the power to approve the Board’s feedback to the Productivity Commission’s “Using Land for Housing Draft Report”.

Attachments

No. Title Page
AView PLB Attachment_Memo dated 17 June 2015_15 July 2015 129

………..

Finally and as usual the two (well three) Ward Councillors will be giving their update on what has come from the Governing Body recently, mainly the Long Term Plan. Let’s hope my Local Board is more civilised if they have concerns about the Transport Levy then the Omnishambles that was the Manurewa Local Board meeting last week.

Put it this way I don’t have time for faction identity politics nor Local Boards undermining their Ward Councillors through belittling when those Councillors had to make a tough call. In this case short-term pain for long-term gain in getting our transport going to which the Levy funds some significant transport projects in Southern Auckland.