Tag: Urban area

Karaka Unitary Plan Meeting

·

From Karaka On The Unitary Plan

 

Monday night I trundled over to the Karaka Unitary Plan community meeting to listen up on what was in store for the folk over to the west of me. Karaka is only 15 minutes away from where I live and is also affected by the Southern Rural Urban Boundary decisions. So for me it was of particular interest to hear what the residents had to say. Of note most that were there do oppose the Karaka-Weymouth bridge, a point I will cover on Friday.

 

The Karaka meeting was a bit different to most that I have been to. This was their second meeting on the Unitary Plan and this time round they had pre-written questions and answers gathered from the first meeting. Thus the presentation and any subsequent questions from the floor were framed around the written material. Of note that the Karaka Residents Association has invited the Karaka Collective to speak on their submission to Karaka North and West being developed, and the building of the multi million dollar bridge. As of now, no word has been received from the Collective on that invitation although I do have their submission over in my KARAKA COLLECTIVE SHARES post.

 

Below is the combined written questions and answers as well as the presentation given to the Karaka Residents;

 

A reminder that there is consultation in May on the Rural Urban Boundary. BR:AKL will keep tabs on that specific consultation as it happens.

 

BEN ROSS : AUCKLAND

BR:AKL: Bring Well Managed Progress

The Unitary Plan: Bringing Change

Auckland: 2013 – OUR CITY, OUR CALL

An Auckland Housing Redux

·

Battle on Housing Goes On

 

BR:AKL Has Viable Alternative Urban Land Use “Policy” Already

 

 

And I bet we are all sick of the Housing Affordability Debate swinging from one extreme to the other and back again; both at central and local government levels, both by the centre-left (social authoritarian section) and centre-right (neo-conservatism). The conservatives from both sides of the political spectrum are basically bashing each over the heads trying to score “up-man” points on one another with housing, yet really don’t offer what WE really want in housing (it is what THEY want in housing and telling US how and where to live). Interestingly Social Liberals (from the left), Neo Liberals (centre right) and even the libertarians (down the bottom of the political compass) have gone extremely quiet on housing and urban land use policy.

 

This is rather a shame as the liberals could very well offer some viable alternatives that we (the residents and businesses) could be very well-looking for. You know “US” making our own choices and working in a collaborative  manner and shape OUR CITY, OUR WAY (not the Government (Local and Central’s) way). Now before I post the “redux” on a social liberal‘s view for “housing” just a quick differentiation between how a social liberal and neo liberal would achieve similar goals.

 

What Social and Neo Libs share the same in housing:

  • Planning: Liberalising the planning rules and requirements (like ditching minimum parking requirements, setbacks, landscaping, etc. – basically getting planners out of the road)
  • No monopolies on construction goods (Fletchers would be “broken”)
  • Zoning: basically zone and let the people and developers do the rest (apart from Master Plans)

 

What Social and Neo Libs do not share the same in housing:

  • Provision of social housing provided by The State (not councils). Social Libs would allow it, Neo Libs not
  • Community Master Plans. Social Libs would allow a strict prescription based plan and development to occur in some areas (Town Centres), Neo Libs would still do the zone and let the people and developer do the rest right across the board

 

As for the “Redux” here it is; my social liberal (and well read) Submission to the (then) Draft Auckland Plan where extensive mention of land use was made out:

 

Unfortunately though despite the hearings and constant lobbying, this extensive submission gathers (digital and actual) dust sitting in the draw. So while the conservatives bludgeon each other and boring us with no actual solutions, this liberal document waits for some brave political soul to bring it into the light and see it through in execution.