Category: Blog News/Updates

And This Mention from Metro

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Mentions and A Piece on Cycling

 

Well I have my copy of the July issue of Metro Magazine and you should get your copy too. I see Metro misquoted mayoral candidate John Palino on Manukau – groan and even has full length piece on cycling in Auckland and the hurdles Skypath faces (when it should not and is a case with the opposition that should be told “oi the 1950s want their planning methodology back.”)

To the matter at hand though – the Unitary Plan I suppose all that social media spam I sent over 11 weeks was going to get picked up somewhere. And it has both on Media-3 and now Metro magazine.

Short but you get the point (plus some other replies including from our resident grumps):

 

Talking Auckland commentary will continue on the UP as it happens. In an interesting sense of irony though looking at numbers; if I were to break story on a leak on transport AND then one on the Unitary Plan at the same time, guess which one would get the most “views?” It would be the Unitary Plan leak. Just seems even though when complain heaps about transport in Auckland, it is just simply not as sexy to run commentary on as much as the UP (generates in interest). Go figure…

 

As a quick side note I have my first speaking engagement next week in Manukau on Manukau (as the Second CBD of Auckland). Seems the idea is gathering pace and steam here and should be one Council be actively considering.

Checking in on Height and Metro Magazine

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Enquiry away with Council

And Apparently I got a mention in the July Issue of Metro

 

I have sent an email away to Council seeking clarification around the “themes” to which our submissions are being codified against. This has been done after a comment was raised by Mark Thomas of Orakei Local Board in regards to the issue of height and my comment on the first workshop that looked at height in particular.

The said comments were reflected in my “Update on Unitary Plan Submission Counts” in particular Mark’s comment:

And the top “themes” submitted on are:

  • “Rezoning requests”,
  • followed by ‘Natural Environment”,
  • “Residential”
  • and “Transportation”.
  • Oddly, height (which doesn’t need speech marks because you know what it means) is not a theme submissions are being coded against….

 

The extract from my email back to Council outlining the query and reason for the clarification around the issue:

Okay this is leading to confusion amongst my readers and even myself. Here we had the workshop on “principles of development” in regards to our centres in particular height yesterday.
Yet at this point in time knowing that height was a major issue right across the city (including where I live in Papakura and where I often conduct business in Manukau) (not just three particular areas that were in the MSM) it is not a theme in which submissions are being codified against – unlike zoning which is a theme (the biggest one) and being codified for.
Further more I know from blog correspondence that quite a few individualised submissions (that is those that were not pro-forma) when mentioning height as a “theme,” those particular submissions often had alternatives for the heights that were recommended in the Draft UP (including my own submission).
So height is not as a theme submissions are being codified against – yet we have individualised submissions talking about it as a theme and often with alternatives in contrast to the UP?

Once I get a reply back from Council in regards to issue I will post it back into the blog. Seems things have evolved from being just a blogger and commentator to now blogger, commentator and investigative journalist. Ah well such as the nature of the beast that is social media.

 

As for Metro Magazine; apparently I have received a mention in the editorial section of July’s issue of Metro Magazine. I believe it might be in relation to my Unitary Plan Twitter Spam but, will have to check. I shall get my copy of Metro today and take a look and if so inclined stick it up on the blog tomorrow.

In saying that make sure you get your July issue of Metro for some winter reading (Simon the invoice is being sent to you for that little spiel later today 😉 )

 

Main Internet Back

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6-Days Later

Some six days later and one fault-finding exercise at the exchange my main internet is fixed. No needing to tether the mobile up as the back up modem.

The restrictions (usually own moving large graphics around) can be finally lifted and blogging back at full capacity.

Compensation with Telecom will be worked out later but, for now a realisation on the reliance of IT in the digital age. This includes my line of work both as a consultant where I interact with clients a lot online (there is the face to face stuff too) and as a blogger.

Anyhow back to work

 

 

Update on Unitary Plan Submission Counts

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Thought You Might Want to Know

 

I just picked this up on Facebook (after the Great Facebook Crash of 2013) from Orakei Local Board Deputy Chair Mark Thomas in regards to an update on some of the Unitary Plan feedback and themes. While Mark has posted it on his page I will repost it here so it is a bit easier to read.

Update through on unitary plan submission numbers/issues.

They are still being collated but in terms of local board submissions, it’s now:

  • 2,074 from Devonport-Takapuna with 1,167 pro-forma; (56% pro-forma)
  • 1,663 from Orakei with 181 pro-forma; (11% pro-forma)
  • 1,468 from Albert-Eden with 46 pro-forma. (3% pro-forma)
  • Then Kaipatiki and Hibiscus & Bays on 1,354 and 1,314 (897 and 692 pro-forma). (66% and 51% respectively with Pro-Forma)

Counted numbers are at 15,710 but total is apparently around 22,000 (including social media comments!). Of course it’s quality that counts (!)

And the top “themes” submitted on are:
  • “Rezoning requests”,
  • followed by ‘Natural Environment”,
  • “Residential”
  • and “Transportation”.
  • Oddly, height (which doesn’t need speech marks because you know what it means) is not a theme submissions are being coded against….

And that is the latest at hand with the feedback and top themes so far.

Of course Mark’s post did attract comments including from me:

 

  • Ben Ross I’ll comment about the Pro-Forma’s later. But for the rest of it Mark it is a case of WTH? Okay so they are not codifying height so then I ask why is there an entire workshop around that particular issue today? Desley and Penny?

    As for Rezoning Requests can someone ask for Council to be extremely specific here. It is those in residential and rural zones wanting a change from say Mixed Housing back down to single housing, and Rural Zoning to full urban zoning. Is it Business zones being changed? Or are the Centres being asked to be up or downgraded from their current UP categories?
  • Desley Simpson Ben ask Penny- still on principles an hour late already – lots of discussion
    • Ben Ross Ask her to check her FB please then as I have tagged her. And an hour late already? Somewhat expected although still that deserves my  face
  • David Thornton Thanks for the update Mark – as I have been preaching from day 1 ‘Zoning is the critical issue’ because every piece of land in Auckland has been re-zoned in the draft UP, and that is a recipe for chaos.
  • Desley Simpson And officers still not able to feedback as we request for useful 
    input/ discussion
    • Ben Ross Yeah a bit pointless when not all 22,700 pieces (including Social Media (of which I made up around now 12% of total Social Media comments (ooops))) have been codified yet
  • Desley Simpson Indeed!!!

 

And at that I shall leave you with Captain Picard’s double face-palm moment – for when one face palm will simply not cut it

 

 

Auckland 2040 – So We Need to Talk

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But Please – Lay Off the Main Stream Media

 

This is a message for the Auckland 2040 Lobby Group

I have received and noted feedback from you (2040) via a third-party on me. I have noted that you have seen my often scathing remarks against you in regards to the Unitary Plan but; I have also noted that you (2040) have read my 104 page submission which included the Special Character Zones, and Manukau and were “impressed” (words handed back this way).

Admittedly relations between myself and Auckland 2040 would be “frosty” and that can be owed to the heavy debunking spearheaded from this end in the last weeks of the Unitary Plan feedback process. Those relations as of current are still frosty.

However, if truce flags are willing to be raised the guns will fall silent for the duration. That is Auckland 2040 – if you were “impressed” at the submission I wrote and the introduction of the Special Character Zone then the next move is yours – you know where to find me or contact me.

 

In saying that I do have on request though for Auckland 2040. Lay of the Main Stream Media appearances please – for your sakes not mine nor the City’s.

Why do I ask this? I saw your interview on the NZ Herald yesterday (Friday) and heard your question at the Auckland Conversations on Population Trends. From those I can deduce that your fixation on three set issues are truly annoying the city to no-ends of the Earth and will not win you any allies in getting the Unitary Plan modified to something more palatable to the city as a whole. Oh and the wider city also does not care if one of your “heads” has 30-years of planning experience if the humility and “nous” is somewhat lacking (meaning get a PR guru and a face that can sell your message without annoying the city (Of particular note here: If I as an individual can sell off a successful message in the social media and MSM realms and get mentioned for it – without annoying the bulk of the wider city there might be some lessons here for you guys on “facilitating the debate”)).

As for the three issues annoying the city they are:

  1. Fixation on the North Shore with little regards for elsewhere in the city including the South and the West
  2. Fixation of trying to lower the population projection. The statistics are saying otherwise to your claims. So at least just pause until we get the latest Census results to see where things are going on a more up to date reflection. You did seriously annoy the audience with your fixation at that Conversation piece last week earning you no favours.
  3. And for heaven’s sake – drop the three storey issue in the Mixed Housing Zone. I and others have already debunked that piece (Guy Haddleton’s house in a Single Housing Zone) and will always have it as ammunition if need be against you. Three storey pieces can already happen under the existing plans and not much changes in the Unitary Plan. Constantly banging on about it especially in regards to the North Shore will definitely earn you no favours. If you want my advice on this; three storey pieces will happen, let’s get the quality right and in-line with our population growth. Do that and you would win more friends.

Now was that advice harsh? Maybe but, it is also valid. Valid in me laying out my concerns to you so we have a no surprises policy when reaching out and thawing relations as well as where I currently stand.

 

As mentioned earlier – your move next.

Ben Ross
Talking Auckland

 

Unitary Plan and that Twitter Spam

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Not bad for an individual

And for Auckland – Our Auckland

 

While my main internet is down and I have let rip back to Telecom for taking 6 days to restore my internet (even though it is Chorus which probably deserves something placed under their backside) I have hooked up my 2-Degree Mobile to the main PC. Okay the connection is slow but it is working (and thanks to 2-Degrees for carry-over data. All that spare data will be going to use) 😀

 

This major pain for me in not having my main internet does show the reliance on the Digital Age. But what the Digital Age does show is that some of us will use it to its full and utter potential.

This morning I got mentioned in the Council/Local Body Chairs’ workshop on the Feedback for the Unitary Plan (that closed May 31) that I was the top Tweeter on the #shapeauckland (shapeauckland.co.nz) feed amongst other things. Apparently I dropped 250+ Tweets over the 11-week feedback period. 

So what was the numbers of that feedback for the UP:

  • 22,700 pieces of feedback (both individual and Pro-Forma)
  • 2,000 News items (1,150 on the internet)
  • 6,500 Social Media pieces from Facebook, Twitter and blogs to which I provided the following:
    • 250+ Tweets
    • 104 blog posts
    • 208 combined Facebook posts via the Blog
    • 100 individual stand along Facebook posts not connected to the blog
    • 10% of all Social Media “feeds” and “posts

Not particularly bad for me running this all on my own from Talking Auckland.

While things have calmed down for now with Unitary Plan posts, it will ramp up again most likely when the UP goes for formal notification. And that notification is a three-year period :O

But hey, Civic and Professional Duty here in traversing both sides of the spectrum and being your Number One leading and independent Unitary Plan commentator 😀

Job well done (okay patting myself on the back here)

 

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and The Unitary Plan

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL

 

Follow Up to The Block and The Unitary Plan Article

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An Acknowledgement

 

Yesterday I wrote what could be deemed a very heavy broadside commentary piece against a North Shore Local Board member and her comments in the Herald on Sunday in regards to The Block.

The said commentary can be found here: The Block, The Unitary Plan And What?

I have acknowledged feedback that the commentary in the said post is the equivalent of taking a nuke to cracking a walnut open rather than being more “tactful” in response to the comments made in the particular Herald article yesterday. Using the nuke approach has caused upset on the North Shore and again I have acknowledged this as such.

I could write a whole spiel on errors from yesterday but that would be inconsiderate. Needless to say there were errors yesterday and errors I picked up on as well. But with the errors there are ways of handling them including using a nuke. That particular option was not the best option given

My indiscretion from yesterday has been noted and will follow-up with more appropriate responses next time such an article from the MSM comes to light.

In saying that our old buddy Orsman has written a piece on the Unitary Plan…

Time for a look 😀

 

Experience from the Unitary Plan – Part Two

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Part Two of my reflections of the last 11 weeks with the Unitary Plan

April: Community Meetings and THAT Bridge

 

April would prove to be the busiest of months for me in regards to clocking up the kilometres across the city attending community meetings on the Unitary Plan. By the end of it I would have attended around 14 community Unitary Plan meetings and a Civic Forum right across the city (apart from West Auckland).

April would also prove to me a more “heartbreaking” month as a folly from Auckland Council led to anger and upset for residents down in Southern Auckland. The cause? A (which ended up being called “THAT”) bridge that spanned from Karaka to Weymouth over the Manukau Harbour. That bridge had shown up in  the Unitary Plan – Rural Urban Boundary Addendum as a “possible option” needing to be built somewhere down the track.

The only catch was that the bridge showed up in all three southern RUB options and has not even been “vetted” by Auckland Transport and NZTA yet. When pressed and after a more heated meeting in Weymouth did the Deputy Mayor and Chief Planning Officer realise “oops” and got a new set of RUB maps out with the bridge removed. The only problem was that the horse had already bolted on the issue and was continued to be further fuelled by a group known as the Karaka Collective.

While the Collective would give a presentation in May on their options (and I have their literature as well), it was basically known that certain landowners were looking at having their land come under potential development options through the life of the Unitary Plan. It was also known that they were keen on the bridge to act as a short cut in skipping out State Highway One. However, the negative consequences to both the Karaka North and West development as well as the bridge would be deemed too high on existing Karaka and Weymouth residents. If the bridge was to be built it should have been done 70 years ago before Weymouth was truly established. But, now it is too late and alternatives must be found. In essence we await Council’s decisions on the southern RUB before formal notification on the Unitary Plan. Once known then the next stage of the “battle” begins…

 

While things were heated in Karaka and Weymouth over the Unitary Plan and THAT bridge, things were also running high in St Heliers.

It is of note that in these meetings I would usually sit quietly with my notebook and pen and take notes on the proceedings. These notes would form commentary here on the blog as well as any “battle plans” required in the Unitary Plan feedback round. After the meetings I would talk to people (ranging from the Deputy Mayor to planners, to Local Board members and councillors, to residents) in their thoughts and seeking out dialogue. This dialogue (especially in Weymouth and St Heliers) would form two battle-plans (or rather alternatives) that I later drew up. I would ask questions in the meetings later in the game but, were only done so at the Southern Auckland meetings.

The St Heliers experience was an interesting one. What would be deemed at first pretty much naked hostility towards to main Council and the planners became in fact a community giving a damn and trying to seek out a solution not only for their own place but also the wider city. What would give the initial reaction to St Heliers was a piece from Eye-On-Auckland on NIMBYism that would set the city off. It also woke the Main Stream Media up and set off some of the more shrill-aspects of opposition to the Unitary Plan. Those shrill-aspects would eventually lead to near daily debunking on not only my blog but, else where as well.

With the Weymouth and St Heliers experience though came two alternatives from here. The first was more widely publicised – the Special Character Zone, while the second in staving off THAT bridge was a more quiet and behind the scenes affair.

Both alternatives have landed in my feedback to the Unitary Plan with other people using the Special Character Zone concept as well. Again we await the council to point out what changes they have made to the Unitary Plan prior to formal notification to see what we essentially got.

 

While Weymouth, Karaka and St Heliers would be more “noisy” meetings I did attend the Civic Forum in Manukau which was a more tame affair. In saying that though the discussion was lively as the future of Southern Auckland through the Unitary Plan were debated at length. Four main aspects would come out of that forum which were:

  1. The socio-economic and demographic consequences behind the level of intensification indicated in the Unitary Plan
  2. Height on the Town Centres
  3. Zones and Centres needed a rework
  4. Manukau as the Second CBD of Auckland

While all four points would end up mentioned in my own feedback to the Unitary Plan, Manukau as the Second CBD would be an idea that was picked up and ran with all the way to the Auckland Plan Committee last month.

 

So was April a busy month? In the terms of clocking up those kilometres it sure was. But the final month of the Unitary Plan feedback would prove to be the actual busiest month for me. How? Find out in my next “Experience from the Unitary Plan” post.

 

Experience from the Unitary Plan

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Part One of my reflections of the last 11 weeks with the Unitary Plan

 

Writing this while listening to Q & A on TVNZ-on-demand is going to be an interesting exercise. Reactions on Susan Wood’s interview with Mayor Brown at the end of this post.

My own experiences with the Unitary Plan at this stage of the (long) game has been real interesting and an eye opener (and that is still being an underestimate as well) since the launch on March 15.

The Unitary Plan was launched on March 15 with the first round of engagement with the wider city having just closed (on May 31). I was in Australia on holiday when the Unitary Plan was launched and was not back until a week after the launch. But, once back in the country the extensive and leading independent commentary on the Unitary Plan would begin.

“Part One” in my experience journey of the Unitary Plan – essentially the first four weeks (March 27-April 2) was reading sections of the Unitary Plan and attending my first round of community Unitary Plan meetings.

The particular sections of the Unitary Plan are (and would be what I would submit on):

  1. Section 3 – The Zones and Centres
  2. Section 4 – The Rules and Definitions
  3. The Rural Urban Boundary Addendum (which includes the two new “taxes”)

The first round of community meetings would be on the North Shore and out in the East. However, a Council run Civic Forum was also run in Manukau which I attended.

 

This part of the experience with the particular three sections of the Unitary Plan will be the learning and networking part. Brushing up on what the Unitary Plan has installed for me personally and the wider city, seeing initial reactions from communities, and forging or strengthening relationships with both ordinary people and key players were occurring in this part. All this work in the part would be required later on as the UP debate became increasingly political and divisive from some quarters.

But keeping the commentary balanced (the Deputy Mayor has acknowledged my opposition to some aspects of “The Clunker” but also keeping mature through keeping the commentary balanced on both sides (what works and what does not work)) and running those thought-provoking alternatives – all starting from Day One is what kept me honestly sane as well as acting a moderator to a very hot reactor about to meltdown (the reactor being the city, the fuel being the Unitary Plan).

I suppose the question is; ‘Would I do this all again?’ Would I be a moderator plunging myself into a very hot reactor that could meltdown any time – again? The answer is yes I would and will actually be doing so again. Again being when the Unitary Plan goes for formal notification at the end of the year.

My next “Experience from the Unitary Plan” post will cover the month of April. The month where the commentary was running hot, the alternatives running hotter, the Rural Urban Boundary saga running white-hot, and the opposition finally getting a clue on the UP.

All here at Talking Auckland

Oh and as for TVNZ’s Q&A program. Note to TVNZ; get better interviewers who know how to interview. Oh and do your actual homework on the Unitary Plan and who is actually running for mayor. I want dialogue and critique, not Len’s predetermined PR spin and an ill-informed panel looking at our Super City elections…

 

 

Record Month for the Blog

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NZ Blog Rankings Out

And the Open Parachute NZ blog rankings for May are out. Talking Auckland (formally BR:AKL) took 46th place for the month on the back of strong Unitary Plan coverage.

From Open Parachute:

May ’13 – NZ blogs sitemeter ranking

46 Ben Ross: Auckland 4766 7815

It all seems we had plenty to talk about with the Unitary Plan – now closed for this round of feedback with BR:AKL leading the charge on the commentary from Day One (even while in Australia).

A massive thanks to the readers and those who commented. Big shout outs to Generation Zero, ATB, Russell Brown at Public Address and Metro Magazine for keeping the sanity and balance in the Unitary Plan commentary.

With the Unitary Plan to one-side and a hot topic issue now died down for now, it is a case of what next. There does not seem to be many things as “sexy” as the UP that stirs the passion of the city. While I will cover the 2013 Elections and resume coverage on transport and Port of Auckland, I ask the readers what are you looking for or want covered between now and the next round of Unitary Plan submissions (the formal notification).

Although again folks no I am not running for a Council seat on Auckland Council. My apologies there for this round. 2016 however – well I won’t rule that out 😉

Drop a comment below or leave an email.

Regards

Ben
Admin to Talking Auckland

TALKING AUCKLAND

Talking Auckland: Blog of TotaRim Consultancy Limited

TotaRim Consultancy
Bringing Well Managed Progress to Auckland and The Unitary Plan

Auckland: 2013 – YOUR CITY, YOUR CALL