Author: Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Admin and author of Talking Auckland Blog ( http://voakl.net )

Do Not Forget Your Unitary Plan, and Annual Plan Submissions

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Have Your Say

 

Do not forget to send in your submissions for both the Unitary Plan and the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 by their respective dates.

The Unitary Plan deadline is close of business on the 28th February while the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 deadline is 4pm Monday 24th February.

 

All your Unitary Plan information can be found at these two websites:

 

Be aware that to participate in the second submission round and the hearings later next year you MUST have sent in your first submission by the end of this month.

 

The Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 (the annual budget document) can be found here: http://www.annualplan.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/

Again to attend the hearings panel or forums on the Annual Plan you must have your formal submission handed in by the deadline first.

 

More chances to submit will be out later in the year when the Area Plans and Local Board Plan come out as well – so stay tuned

 

More News on the East West Link

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Options One, Two and Three seem to be abandoned

 

I caught this from the Respect our Community Campaign Facebook page:

Respect Our Community Campaign – ROCC

MORE GOOD NEWS!!

Via Donna, we have just heard from Maungakiekie Local Board chairman, Simon Randall that Auckland Transport have dropped plans to push their motorway through the northern foreshore of Manukau Harbour and Panama/Riverside! Great news … here is his email:

I have just gotten off the phone with Auckland Transport who has confirmed that the focus of the east west link will be between SH20 and SH1 on the northern side of the Mangere Inlet, meaning that initial suggestions that there may be new motorway connections through the Panama Road area are no longer going to be pursued. I hope that this is good news for you, the Local Board has pushed for this to be abandoned for some time and are pleased it now has been abandoned.

There may still be some minor works associated in the area to support the East West Link, these have yet to be developed but I have made it clear that the Panama Road / Riverside Community to be well engaged on this project and have urged early discussions with residents such as yourselves…etc etc

—-ends—-

That is news indeed.

So the question is – where next?

 

Mayor Len Brown Settles

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$40,000 of $250,000 cost to be paid by the mayor.

 

Two releases on the Len Brown Saga today.

From Auckland Council itself:

Negotiated payment from Mayor towards cost of EY report
Following publication of the EY report last year, Auckland Council’s Governing Body agreed that a group of councillors comprising Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, Christine Fletcher, George Wood, Dick Quax and Penny Webster would hold confidential discussions with the Mayor to agree a financial contribution from him towards the final cost of the report.

Speaking on behalf of the group of councillors, Christine Fletcher, Chair of the CEO Review Committee said today:

“Following discussions with the Mayor through Chief Executive Stephen Town, there has been a full and final agreement that he will make a contribution of $40,000 towards the final cost of the EY report. This is in addition to the Mayor meeting his own legal costs of $20,000.

“In the interests of open process and the public interest, we are releasing these numbers.”

Auckland Council Chief Executive Stephen Town confirmed the cost of the EY report and legal work was approximately $250,000.

—ends—

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1402/S00157/negotiated-payment-from-mayor-towards-cost-of-ey-report.htm

 

And from the Office of the Mayor:

Mayoral media statement on EY report costs

Mayor Len Brown says:

“I have agreed to make this payment out of respect to my fellow Councillors and to acknowledge the upset this issue has caused. I continue to be totally focussed on the issues that matter to Aucklanders.” “I do not intend to make any further comment on this matter.”

—ends—

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1402/S00158/mayoral-media-statement-on-ey-report-costs.htm

Well if nothing else it was a very short statement.

 

Rest I will leave over to you. If you do comment please remember The Rules for commenting.

 

Last Part of the Western Ring Route Contracts Awarded

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Contract Awarded for St Lukes Road Interchange to Great North Road Interchange of the North Western Motorway

 

I do not usually run NZTA media releases but this one I will as it shows we are nearly there with the completion of the long awaited Western Ring Route.

From NZTA:

Contract award for next stage of Western Ring Route

5 Feb 2014 04:35pm | NZ Transport Agency: Auckland and Northland

The contract to construct the next stage of Auckland’s Western Ring Route – upgrading the Northwestern Motorway (State Highway 16) between the St Lukes Road and Great North Road interchanges – has been awarded to the Australian-based infrastructure company, Leighton Contractors.

The $70m project is jointly funded by the NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport.

A two kilometre-long section of the motorway will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction.  There will also be improvements to the motorway ramps and the St Lukes Road -Great North Road intersection, while the St Lukes Road overbridge spanning the motorway will be widened to benefit drivers, walkers and cyclists.

The Transport Agency’s Highways Manager, Tommy Parker, says this is the last of six projects to connect the Northwestern and Southwestern (SH20) motorways.

“The upgrade is part of our programme to get our network ready for the increased volume of traffic when the Waterview tunnels connecting the Northwestern and Southwestern (SH20) motorways are completed in early 2017,” Mr Parker says.

Work is due to start in mid-autumn and be completed by late 2016.   The other projects to connect the two motorways are the upgrade of the Maioro Street interchanges (SH20) which is completed, and the upgrade of the Lincoln and Te Atatu interchanges, the Causeway Upgrade Project, and the Waterview Connection, which are all under construction.

“Leightons bring plenty of infrastructure experience to the St Lukes project. The company is part of the Causeway alliance, and has been involved in some of our biggest Auckland developments including the Northern Gateway Toll Road and the Newmarket Viaduct Replacement Project.” Mr Parker says.

The Western Ring Route is a Road of National Significance, and will provide a 47km-long alternative to SH1 between Albany and Manukau.  It will improve safety and city and regional transport connections for people and freight.

—-ends—-

Source: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/media/releases/3170/news.html

 

It will be good to have the entire project finished as for one I would be using it as the main highway between my place on Papakura and my mum’s place in Te Atatu (thus skipping the CBD and Central Motorway junction).

I was thinking once the Western Ring Route is fully completed, should it be converted to State Highway One with State Highway 20 taking the Manukau to CBD section while State Highway 18 taking the CBD to Albany section. State Highway one was always designed to be the inter-city and inter-regional road link with the State Highways 20, 16 and 18 being the intra-regional highways. So with the Western Ring Route soon to be completed and serving as the primary inter-regional route for cars and road freight (as it will by-pass the Harbour Bridge and the CBD) I believe it should carry the State Highway One shield.

I also noted this from the release:

The Western Ring Route is a Road of National Significance, and will provide a 47km-long alternative to SH1 between Albany and Manukau.  It will improve safety and city and regional transport connections for people and freight.

Manukau and Albany – the two touted Super Metropolitan Centres of Auckland serving as regional people, commerce, freight and industrial service (for Manukau) hubs for their areas and partnering areas (Manukau with the Northern Waikato and Albany for Northland). Both Super Metropolitan Centres sit on the two boundaries of the Western Ring Route.

 

Berms – The Final Mow

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Time for People’s Choice

Isthmus Conservatives Continue to Disappoint

 

Bernard Orsman of the NZ Herald picked up on two Auckland Council elected representatives “rebelling” against Auckland Transport rules and converting berms into something more “green.”

From the NZ Herald

Berms: Politicians say it with flowers

By Bernard Orsman 6:17 AM Wednesday Feb 5, 2014

Pippa Coom says bees and butterflies love her planted berm. Photo / Richard Robinson

Pippa Coom says bees and butterflies love her planted berm. Photo / Richard Robinson

 

Two Auckland Council politicians are flouting council rules by planting flower beds on their berms.

Councillor Cathy Casey and Waitemata Local Board member Pippa Coom are proud of their flower beds, with Dr Casey saying it was easier to maintain flowers than mow a berm against a wall at her Mt Albert home.

Ms Coom said not everyone wanted verges to be mowed and her planted berm in Grey Lynn was about having a diverse landscape.

The bees and butterflies loved it and it gave her a chance to talk to neighbours, she said.

Auckland Transport could help out, she said, by setting guidelines about what could be planted.

A council debate on the berm issue yesterday also heard of cases of people planting flax and corn on berms.

Defiance of the rules angered councillor Denise Krum, who said the approach of planting corn, flax and flowers and politicians’ behaviour sent a message to residents that anything goes.

“The whole thing is a dog’s breakfast,” Ms Krum said.

…

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11196784

Good on Pippa Coom and Councillor Casey for greening their little slice of the City up and converting the berm outside their property into something more friendly to nature (and appeasing to the eye). Also good to see Auckland Transport will not hound people down who do convert the berms over into a community garden as mentioned below:

Later, Auckland Transport communications manager Sharon Hunter said no action was taken against people who planted flowers and other plants on their berms. They would only be asked to remove plants that grew high, obscured a street sign or became a hazard.

 

The real pity I have those is what Councillor Denise Krum (a member of the National Party which believes in Individual Freedom, Choice and Responsibility) said in the article. Rather than help the Local Boards, residents and Auckland Transport set up some basic guidelines on what can be planted, the responsibility and maintenance onus, and the knowledge that contractors can dig up the berm at any time to access utilities; Councillor Krum goes all Nanny State on us and would pretty much dictate what Auckland residents can not do – in greening up their city as a potential solution to the “berm issue” (the other being kicking it to Local Boards and Local Boards via targeted rates having their own contractors mowing their berms).

 

North America and the EU nations often run community garden schemes in cities to often great success. Not only is the respective city more “green” and friendly to wildlife (like bees) but social issues decrease as communities feel involved in something that is tangible. That is they take pride in their work and feel more connected with the city fabric rather than being isolated out. This can be seen as a win for the physical environment and win for the social environment. Another win could be the tourism element as tourists see a greening and varied cityscape from these “community” berms.

Or as Campbell Live pointed out when on tour with the Mayor, convert a few berms to either off street parking or cycle-ways.

Either way there are solutions and I believe it is time to hand this one to the City citizenry and the Local Boards. Especially as a “review” of the berm policy pushed for by some of the Isthmus Councillors was defeated 15-7 (68%) in Council yesterday. With those super-majority numbers I do not expect to see this issue of berms come back up again for the rest of the term of Council – outside of kicking it back to the Local Boards and some basic guidelines for those who wish to convert their berm into a garden.

 

Cycling carnival to happen this Saturday

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Is this what Auckland’s Downtown Waterfront could be like in the near future?

 

From Auckland Council

Cycling carnival captures Quay Street’s potential

 

Aucklanders will get a taste of Quay Street’s potential as a world-class waterfront boulevard this Saturday as it is closed off to traffic for the cycle-themed street carnival, ‘Ciclovia on Quay’.

Delivered by Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and Waterfront Auckland, the city’s harbour edge from Britomart Place through to Silo Park in Wynyard Quarter will be car-free for the enjoyment of people on foot, bikes, scooters and skateboards from 10am to 4pm.

An array of family-friendly cycle-themed activities will span the length of the event and will include cycling obstacle courses for all ages (bikes provided), bike decorating and bike maintenance tutorials, interactive games, face painters and a children’s carousel. The Velociteers, Auckland’s only synchronised bike dancing group are set to wow the crowd, as will a game of bike polo from the Auckland Hardcourt Bike Polo Club.

The ever popular Silo Park Markets and the Britomart Markets will be in full swing and there will also be a chance to participate in hands on, live and static displays at the Volunteer and Emergency Services expo on Queens Wharf.

The event is one of several Auckland Council place-making initiatives planned for Quay Street and aims to give Aucklanders a taste for what the Quay Street area may be like in future years. It is part of council’s long term vision to transform Auckland into the world’s most liveable city.

Mayor Len Brown says, “The new shared spaces at North Wharf and Wynyard Quarter have been an extraordinary success and it’s fantastic to see that vibrancy extending to Quay Street through events like Ciclovia on Quay. We have a unique opportunity in Auckland to merge the beating heart of the city centre with the water and Quay Street is an important part of that vision.”

Auckland Council Design Champion, Ludo Campbell-Reid adds, “We listened to the feedback from Aucklanders during consultation on the City Centre Masterplan 2012 and the Waterfront Plan 2012, which was to create a more vibrant people-focussed city and in the case of Quay Street, to reconnect the city with the harbour.” [Note: Mayor Len Brown and Urban Design Champion Ludo Campbell Reid will be at the event from 12:00 until 1:30pm at the Council information display next to The Fix on Princess Wharf to take questions and comments on the City Centre Masterplan 2012 and the Waterfront Plan 2012 which are both operative]

 

“Currently Quay Street serves the city as a major traffic arterial but its potential for greenery and recreation and as a high-quality pedestrian amenity remains untapped. We think events such as Ciclovia on Quay are the perfect way to test Aucklanders’ appetite for the potential Quay Street has as a people-friendly world-class waterfront boulevard.”

Ciclovia (si-kli-vi-a) is a Spanish term that means ‘bike path’. The Ciclovia event has its origins in Bogotá, Columbia where every Sunday and public holiday certain main streets are blocked off to cars for runners, skaters and cyclists. Ciclovia events have become popular worldwide with many major cities following the trend.  

Ciclovia on Quay is a free event.

 

—-ends—-

 

I might go trundling along for a bit to see what this event will be like. I note the trains are not going this weekend so its in the car and off to the Downtown Car Parking building again……..