Category: General

Everything else

Resolutions to the Special Character Zone

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Work Underway on the SCZ

 

While considerations and deliberations over Manukau are underway, another piece of work that I undertook with the Unitary Plan is also being worked on. Last month I gave a presentation to the Orakei Local Board in regards to concerns by St Heliers over Unitary Plan development in their area. Hence the Special Character Zone was born, and the Centralised Master Community Plan brought back out of the cupboard.

Two resolutions were passed by the Local Board that night and the SCZ work strengthened before it is taken around the rest of Auckland. The resolutions were (and is on public record):

OR/2013/84 Unitary Plan Zoning Issues
FILE REF CP2013/08075
AGENDA ITEM NO. 9.4
 
MOVED by Member DEC Simpson, seconded Member M Thomas:
a)      That the Orakei Local Board thanks Benjamin Ross for his presentation and asks his permission to forward the presentation to key stakeholders to possibly consider when they make their submissions to the Unitary Plan.
b)      That the Orakei Local Board asks regional and local planning officers for comment on the feasibility of Mr Ross’ proposed Special Character Zones (SCZ) and Centralised Master Community Plans (CMCP).

 

The Abridged Version of the SCZ-CMCP Presentation can be found in the embed below:

 

So now I await the officer feedback on the proposals. This will be important before the concept is taken to the Albert-Eden Local Board as a potential solution to the Mt Eden Village situation that is still unfolding. In the mean time submission compiling and writing continues

 

BEN ROSS : AUCKLAND

BR:AKL: Bring Well Managed Progress

The Unitary Plan: Bringing Change

Auckland: 2013 – OUR CITY, OUR CALL

 

 

The Public Meeting Over The Mill Road Corridor

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Not So Sure on the Result

 

Last night the public meeting over the Redoubt Road/Mill Road was held at the Vodafone Events Centre where around 160 people showed up. My apologies in not attending that particular meeting last night as I was home on both family time and completing my Manukau CBD presentation. Just noting a sense of what could be irony; while I am not a big fan of the corridor up Redoubt Road and down part of Mill Road (basically to the Alfriston Road intersection), if Manukau is going to be brought up as a CBD and the existing industry expands in the area we will need to be looking at some serious transport options rather quick.

Any how so the meeting went ahead last night although from what I can fathom no one from Auckland Transport nor the Council’s Transport Committee was present.Councillors Calum Penrose and Sir John Walker as the Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillors were present though. I also note that Green MP Julie Ann Genter was present however as well as Forest and Bird? Enough for me to raise an eye brow at this point in time as I wonder what alternatives this group would propose (apart from the Takanini Interchange upgrade allowing the 6-lane-ing of State Highway One) when Manukau takes off again and the Rural Urban Boundary has a very good chance moving East to Mill Road in the next 30-years.

 

I have written two particular posts on the Mill Road Corridor so far (along with the AT Plans attached). Yes I am meaning to write-up an alternative but, will not do so until my submission to the Unitary Plan is in at the end of the month:

 

The Herald also wrote a piece on last night’s public meeting as well: “324 properties in road’s path”

I did particularly note from that Herald article a quip about the Eastern Highway being defeated. Umm no it has not. The designation is still there and part of it is being built as a legacy project that we know as AMETI. At the same time there is nothing stopping NZTA from taking the reigns and building the Highway project, something that I would not put pass them with the current Government in power. In any case the failure of that highway being built along with the Botany Line which was to come with it is already costing the city as it is most days of the week in bottle-necking and economic inefficiencies. So I would be very careful in making analogies to the Eastern Highway (and Botany Line) in regards to other projects in the pipeline.

 

If anyone that did go last night would like to drop a guest commentary on the public meeting, drop me a line either in the comment box or via email and I’ll see what I can arrange.

 

In the mean time, we continue to wait on Auckland Transport’s fine grain analysis of the corridor.

 

THAT Bridge a Reality

· 6 Comments ·

Err-What

 

I got told yesterday by the Deputy Mayor that the Karaka-Weymouth Bridge was removed from the Unitary Plan draft maps and even have the PDF to prove it:

 

However someone forgot to tell Dr Google:

 

 

Seems the bridge and link road are already there – we just don’t know it.

Roll eyes material there Google :p

 

Updated Southern Rural Urban Boundary Maps

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RUB Map – Without THAT Bridge

 

Finally got them sent through from the Deputy Mayor’s Office but, I now have the map of the Southern RUB – with no bridge. There is even a note on page two of the map for your reading:

 

A reminder though that the Karaka Collective are presenting their view on development in the Southern RUB – and that does include the Karaka-Weymouth Bridge. You can find out more here in my “KARAKA PUBLIC MEETING – KARAKA COLLECTIVE PRESENTS” post.