Auckland Development Committee – February 2014

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Agenda for February 2014

 

The agenda and attachments for the February Auckland Development Committee is now up for your reading pleasure. Taking a glance through it I see the Committee this month is dealing with the nitty-gritty business of Plan Changes across the City – including setting a scoping task for industrial land to be zoned west of State Highway 20 at Wiri (currently market gardens).

You can read the agenda (207 pages + attachments) below with the further attachments here: http://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2014/02/AUC_20140213_ATT_4737_EXCLUDED_WEB.HTM

Agenda

 

At the same time the Committee will be ratifying the November Minutes which means the Manukau site visit becomes official “policy” of the Council. Meaning now we try to get a date set soon for the visit.

Those who have read my Civics series would know that the Auckland Development Committee is where I am usually found. Looking at the agenda the material does look incredibly boring I’ll give you that. But this kind of work with Plan Changes and scoping exercises is often the bread and butter stuff this Committee will be dealing with from time to time. Do they changes affect you? Yes they do as it could allow the development of an industrial site (jobs), residential centre, or even parks and conservation spaces.

 

Live commentary and Tweeting will be running from the Committee. And will Councillors answer their emails please…… 

 

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.