VKK NEWSLETTERS
Newsletter June 2011
Annual General Meeting
Our AGM was held on Friday 27th March.
The new committee consists of Rod Brown- chairman, Iain Morrison –deputy chair, Rolf Mueller Glodde – interim secretary, Howard Smith – treasurer, Ruth Marsh, Allan McKenzie and Justin Topzand.
Guest Speaker
We are not making use of the sun in New Zealand which surprised Belgian Environmental Engineer Eric Janseunne who was addressing Vision Kerikeri’s AGM. He has been living in NZ and teaching at Auckland University of Technology for 5 years and has 25 years experience in Europe with alternative energy especially solar.
Energy is an essential ingredient for socio-economic development. NZ’s economy is very vulnerable because of oil dependency and electricity addiction. New Zealand has the 6th highest ecological footprint in the world and is 12th in CO2 emissions. We have had decades of low energy conversion and high daily electricity consumption of about 25Kwh per household based on low energy prices. However this has now changed because household electricity costs have increased more than 60% in 10 years while inflation was a fraction of this.
This is typified by our use of electricity for hot water cylinders, a very wasteful use of energy.
A growing problem of our dependence on private cars is fuel poverty. New Zealand has the 2nd highest use of private cars per capita in the world. Rising fuel prices, fixed low incomes and lack of public transport, are contributing to households turning to cheap low quality foods causing decline in socio-economic conditions.
Europe with a generally inferior climate and with much higher latitudes is much further advanced in the use of solar energy for hot water and power generation. Norway, Finland and Germany make significant use of the sun with excellent feed in tariffs to the grid making it desirable for households through rooftop solar voltaic cells, to contribute to national energy production.
New Zealand is ideally suited to decentralised energy production and has every opportunity to establish a mix of sustainable renewable energy using best available technology without any loss of comfort.
Plan Change 8 – Draft Amenity Chapter Submissions closed on May 27th. 2011
The next step is for a public hearing to be notified and those that wish to be heard in support or otherwise can attend to make their case. We will keep you informed.
Notable Trees
The FNDC is currently seeking nominations for notable trees worthy of protection through being added to the District Plan Schedule for Notable Trees. Recent legislation under the RMA has impacted on this process in that from 1st January 2012 trees in urban areas will only have protection if they are located on reserves, are individually listed in the District Plan or are protected by a caveat on land titles. In addition to this Nominations are restricted to urban sites of less than 4000sq.m which have reticulated water and sewerage and which contain a building. The property owner’s consent is also necessary. In addition the trees must have ecological benefits, contribute to the landscape, have landmark value, visual amenity value, are a rare species or have outstanding botanical values. The size and age of tree will also be considered. A further catch is that Council requires a nomination fee of $120 per tree to cover the cost of an arborist’s inspection! Nominations close on 10th June.
Nomination forms are available at Proctor Library. If you are aware of any suitable trees in the Kerikeri urban area which are not already protected let us know and we may be able to work with you on a nomination.
VKK Contacts Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc. P.O.Box 793, Kerikeri 0245 Chairperson: Rod Brown ph. 407 4294 rod@visionkerikeri.org Deputy chair: Iain Morrison ian@visionkerikeri.org ph 407 7330 Secretary: to be appointed ( Rolf Mueller Glodde will be acting as interim secretary) Treasurer: Howard Smith, Ruth Marsh, Allan McKenzie, Justin Topzand
Newsletter compiled by Ron Grant.
No. 34
April 2011
Vision Kerikeri & Environs Inc.
P.O.Box 793
Kerikeri 0245
April 2011
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
There are two current issues described below where we need our members to make submissions to Council. We strongly advise our members to make submissions to Council on these. Details and submission forms can be obtained from the Council counter at the Procter Library, downloaded or submitted through the FNDC website www.fndc.govt.nz (follow the links for the Annual Plan or Plan change 7 as applicable).
Far North Draft Annual Plan 2011-2012
This plan is now open for submissions which must be made by 15th April There are some significant changes since the last LTCCP which affect Kerikeri.. CBD Alternate Route “Additional land purchases for the Kerikeri CBD Alternate Route have been deferred. Given the current economic climate, this project will only proceed if funded by a local targeted rate. Council is seeking submissions on this point.” Vision Kerikeri has lobbied long and hard for this two way road linking Butler Road through Homestead Road to Clark Road. This will enable through traffic to avoid the Kerikeri Road retail centre, will encourage more compact commercial development along its route rather that ribbon development along Kerikeri Road, and divert northbound traffic from the new Countdown supermarket currently commencing construction. It will also enable the retail centre in Kerikeri Road to become more pedestrian friendly. Kerikeri has become the administrative and commercial centre of the mid north.
Some FNDC administration, Top Energy are now based here and the new supermarket will add to the commercial services that the town provides. Kerikeri has grown rapidly, has been largely unplanned and has insufficient infrastructure. We feel that this road is necessary infrastructure for the development of the town, that a targeted rate is not appropriate as the benefit is far reaching, and Council must make the remaining land purchases for this route. For more detail refer to Rod Brown’s letter in the current (April 7) Bay Chronicle and also the Ross Forbes letter in the March 31 Bay Chronicle.
Klinac Lane to Waipapa Loop Road
We support the construction of this loop road which is a necessary precursor to a roundabout at the SH10/Waipapa Road intersection. An LTNZ subsidy is apparently expected for part of the construction cost, however we note that a targeted rate is not proposed for the Council proportion of the cost.
Rates We recognise that Council has significant financial constraints but are concerned that deferring some capital items and maintenance may result in running the infrastructure down and giving an unsustainable backlog which may not be readily recovered. No one likes paying rates but equally everyone expects services to be provided. We consider a modest increase in residential rates from the 1.9% increase proposed, which is much less than the inflation rate could be used as a pool of capital for important roading, water and waste water infrastructure, and future planning – especially for implementation of the Kerikeri/Waipapa Structure Plan. The draft Annual Plan recognises that current land costs and interest rates have dropped, and also it is evident that tendering for construction work is very competitive, so some of this work may never be cheaper. contd. Kerikeri Wastewater Wastewater Priorities in the Draft Annual plan include: “obtaining the Bay of Islands Wastewater Treatment Plant Resource Consent” And ”Agreeing the strategy for the implementation of Kerikeri reticulation” It is not clear how Kerikeri fits into this. The original proposal was too large and unaffordable for the community. Currently the area of benefit for reticulation within Kerikeri is too small and this is contributing to urban sprawl. We would support further investigation into an affordable and environmentally friendly system for Kerikeri. Kerikeri/Waipapa Amenity Corridor Plan Change 7 We described this in our last newsletter, and the Plan Change has now been publicly notified. Submissions on the Plan Change must be with Council by 11th May. This is the first Plan Change to implement one of the items in the 2007 Structure Plan adopted by Council. We strongly support this Plan Change which is the result of much community consultation and is designed to “maintain and enhance the character and quality of the approaches to the Kerikeri and Waipapa areas” It is a quality document which provides the rules to guide development and a set of design guidelines to help achieve this. You may choose to submit in support of this. AGM The date for the AGM is MAY 27th. As usual we have a good speaker lined up. More details in the next newsletter. Regional Transport Committee The Northland Regional Council Transport Committee includes representatives from the three District Councils, the Regional Council, and Land Transport. For details go to the NRC website www.nrc.govt.nz and under Transport Publications see the 30 year Transport Strategy for Northland. We look forward to hearing from this committee which will be considering airports, shipping and rail as well as roads and public transport. NRC Draft Annual Plan 2011-2012 This is now available for submissions which close on 6th May
VKK Contacts Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc. P.O.Box 793, Kerikeri 0245
Chairperson: Rod Brown ph. 407 4294 rod at visionkerikeri.org
Secretary: Bob Bubendorfer ph. 407 1623 bob at bubendorfer.net.nz
Treasurer: Howard Smith
Iain Morrison, Rolf Mueller-Glodde, Ruth Marsh, Allan McKenzie
Newsletter compiled by Ron Grant.Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc.
In our newsletters we have repeatedly referred to the “Kerikeri/Waipapa Structure Plan” (which we prefer to call our proposed Town Plan)
Since its adoption by Council in September 2007 progress towards its formal implementation has been painfully slow. We plan to discuss various aspects of the Plan in this newsletter. This month focus will be on the CBD because with the current economic downturn its resilience is really being tested.
Kerikeri CBD-Retail Centre
This proposed zone has a radius of approximately 400 metres from the Kerikeri Road/Cobham Road junction as shown below.
To the southeast a proposed mixed
use (commercial and residential zone) KCBD-MU is shown.
The outcomes sought for the CBD policy area are:
Council will formulate objectives and policies to reflect these outcomes, and rules that will:
· Provide clear direction on the scale of development envisaged in this area including guidance on height (e.g.limited to 3 & 4 storey buildings) and direction to manage the effects of building dominance and response to the street in retail areas.
· Control or restrict activities that may have adverse effects, including noise, traffic generation, odour etc.
· Provide opportunities for increased density of development where such development may facilitate a change in land use activity (e.g. to promote mixed use residential and employment activities within the ‘mixed use’ sub-policy area.
· Seek to give guidance and direction on urban design, to maintain good response to the street and an appropriate mix of commercial and residential activities and provision of open space.
Comments:
In the methods of implementation high priority was given for the above provisions, and for progressing the Butler Road to Clark Street link without which it will not be possible to make mainstreet more pedestrian friendly.
Another high priority item is to rationalise parking. The present rules requiring businesses to provide their own on-site parking is inhibiting the development of the CBD and encouraging unsustainable sprawl along Kerikeri Road and Waipapa Road. The medium to high priority assigned to detailed design work relating to footpath widths, areas for plaza/civic square spaces, street planting (including proper trees, not only palms) etc. might also include the use of an urban design panel, which would be guided by the Urban Design Protocol, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design and similar initiatives.
Project Island Song
This project, a joint initiative by Guardians of the Bay Islands, DOC and the Te Rawhiti hapu aims to restore the natural values of the Eastern Bay of Islands including bringing back native birds and lizards. All 3 species of rats were removed by DOC about a year ago and it is essential to keep the islands pest free from rats and stoats for at least 2 years before bringing back rare species can be contemplated. Project Island Song is promoting every one doing their bit when you are out on the bay or visiting the islands. Check your boat and gear for pest rodents and ants (Argentine Ants present in KK are a threat). Tell your friends too. If you would like to become a Friend of Project Island Song volunteer or a member of the Guardians of the Bay of Islands, contact Adriana Rogowski (co-ordinator ph 0272902180) – you could find yourself getting involved in weeding, helping out at the Project Island Song Centre at Otehei Bay, or simply counting birds (the feathered kind).
Elections
The elections are now past. Our commiserations to Jill Smith and Ruth Marsh who did not get elected. We had hoped that these knowledgeable candidates would give a fresh outlook to the FNDC and NRC but it wasn’t to be. Our congratulations to Ann Court who is elevated to Deputy Mayor, and Florence Annison who is the new chair of our Community Board. The Mayor and Eastern Ward councillors are unchanged. Ann Court has made a commitment to the Structure Plan for this term.
We welcome the return of Doug Turner to the Community Board. Doug has battled year after year to realise the construction of The Centre, and completion of the final stage which has our support. We are fortunate in a small town to have had this vision realised.
Finally …
As Margaret Mead has said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world – indeed it is the only thing that ever has”.
VKK contacts
Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc. P.O.Box 793 Kerikeri 0245
Chairperson: Rod Brown ph.407 4294 rod at isionkerikeri.org , Secretary: Bob Bubendorfer ph. 407 1623 bubendorferat rcon.net.nz ,Treasurer: Howard Smith
Iain Morrison: Iain at visionkerikeri.org , Rolf Mueller –Glodde, Ruth Marsh
Newsletter compiled by Ron Grant saltriver at orcon.net.nz
September 2010
Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc.
Local Body Elections
The election is on October 9th and postal voting papers should be delivered from Friday 17th September. As a planning organisation your committee, as in the past, does not endorse any of the mayoral candidates. We must work with whoever is elected.
Two of your committee are standing for election, Jill Smith for the Eastern Ward of FNDC and Ruth Marsh for Northland Regional Council (NRC)
Jill was a founding member of Vision Kerikeri six years ago and was at the forefront of the battles over the 8 level building and the re-instatement of a height limit in Kerikeri, and also the saving of Aroha Island from development. She was a member of the Community Board for 3 years, and is the current chairperson of the Aroha Island Trust.
Ruth has been a committee member for 3 years. As you know NRC is responsible for environmental planning and management of our region. Ruth has wide experience working internationally, nationally and locally in wide ranging policy and development and governance areas including conservation, water management and economic development.
We know Jill Smith and Ruth Marsh well, and do endorse them as strong candidates for your consideration. We also endorse Ann Court who alone of the councillors has been a consistent and strong supporter of planning in Kerikeri/Waipapa including our town plan (Structure Plan) and the Gateway Amenity Zone to protect the entries to our town. The same applies to Florence Annison standing for the Community Board.
Planning has not progressed with any urgency during the term of this Council. You might consider asking your favourite candidates about their views on progressing the Kerikeri/Waipapa Town Plan (Structure Plan) including the Gateway Amenity Zone and the western ring road – along Butler/Homestead/Clarke Roads.
Gateway Amenity Zone
Chairperson Rod Brown comments:
As reported in our August Newsletter a new draft Amenity Chapter of the District Plan for the whole of the Far North was received by Council at its meeting on July 29th. Draft guidelines which would apply to our Kerikeri/Waipapa area have also been drawn up and the council planner advised Council that more consultation was required. Some landowners are concerned about rules which are perceived as interfering with individual property rights and intended to control rural property. The Guidelines are being simplified and clarified and discussed with representatives of the land owners. The Structure Plan – we prefer the name “Kerikeri/Waipapa Town Plan” – was devised after 10 well attended public meetings and 700 to 800 submissions from all sections of the community including rural land owners. It was adopted by Council 3 years ago as a strategic plan or vision for our area and includes protecting the amenity values along Kerikeri road, and parts of Waipapa Road and SH10 by corridors known as the “Gateway Amenity Zone”. Farming, forestry and horticultural activities are exempt which should allay fears of rural landowners.
The Council is required under the RMA S7 to maintain and enhance amenity values and the Environment Court has indicated to Council that our Rural Production Zone is too permissive. Tourism is Northland’s second biggest industry earning about $650m/year. Kerikeri is an important tourist focus with its unique amenity values which also attract permanent residents who contribute to our economic wellbeing. Reduced to individual self interest, not only our local economy, but our property values are largely dependent on looking after the town.
When towns are un-attractive population may decline, shops close, services diminish and property values fall. The whole community benefits if coherent planning, including landscaping along our town entries, is put in place to maintain amenity values.
Fine tuning of the proposals before public notification is continuing by Council planners at the time of writing.
Sustainability and Employment
Two workshops will be held in Kerikeri over the next few weeks.
Sustainability – the New Business Model will be held at Kingston House
7.00 – 9.00 pm on Tuesday 28th September. The facilitator will be Peter Bruce (author of “Business for a Better World”) who teaches at Northtec’s Business Management programme and will describe the emergence of a new wave of sustainability initiatives worldwide and explore diverse examples and business models that sustain them.
Employment forum –what are our best employment ideas? Will be held at Kingston House 12.30 to 5.00pm on Tuesday 28th October. Ruth Marsh will facilitate an exploration of – what is happening in our communities?; what is causing this situation and resulting loss of jobs?; and – what new jobs and opportunities can we create now?
To register for one or both events contact Ruth Marsh at ruth@ourcommonfuture.co.nz or phone 09 407 1399
An entry fee of $10 will apply at each event.
“Community”
One of the key trends of the 21st century is the urge to create sustainable, caring and environmentally aware communities.
Albert Einstein made the following statement in the 20th century:
“A human being is a part of the whole called by us “Universe”
A part limited in time and space.
We now experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings
As something separated from the rest … a kind of optical
Delusion of our consciousness. This delusion is a prison for us.
Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening
Our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the
whole of nature in her beauty”.
VKK contacts
Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc. P.O.Box 793 Kerikeri 0245
Chairperson: Rod Brown ph.407 4294 rod@visionkerikeri.org
Secretary: Bob Bubendorfer ph. 407 1623 bob@ bubendorfer.net.nz
Treasurer: Howard Smith
Iain Morrison : Iain@visionkerikeri.org , Rolf Mueller –Glodde, Ruth Marsh
Newsletter compiled by Ron Grant saltriver@orcon.net.nz
August 2010
Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc.
Gateway Amenity Zone
The protection of our approaches to Kerikeri took another step forward when a Draft District Plan Change was received by Council at its meeting on Thursday 29th July. Some more discussion with some land owners will take place by Council planning staff before it is taken further, but we consider that, as drafted this is a great advance on the minimal rules at present which govern activities in the Rural Production and Rural Living Zones. It proposes to implement the policies of the Structure Plan so as to maintain the distinctiveness and character of the key routes that access the town centres. It proposes among other things that car yards, boat sales, repair or maintenance workshops would be subject to full Council Discretion (i.e. scrutiny). It proposes guidelines for landscaping and signage – both subject to great neglect.
Plan changes 5 & 6
The District Plan in some places lacks clarity. The Plan Changes amend and clarify definitions, aid interpretation, update statistics and incorporate recent legislative changes. In Plan change 6 minor changes are proposed to the format of the Subdivision Chapter to provide clearer section headings and better cross referencing.
These changes are sensible and practical for everyone. New wording and clearer definitions such as “sunlight”,”impermeable surfaces”, “height” and “cut face” should clear up serious interpretation problems, aided by diagrams where necessary. We will support these changes and make suggestions where some clarifications may still be necessary.
Oceans 20/20 Study
A recent public meeting at the Centre focused on the state of our rivers and harbour.
On 13 and 14 July a team of scientists from NIWA came to the
Good water quality is essential for life and for most human activity. Most human activity however has the potential to lead to contamination of water, lessen its life supporting capacity, and limit its suitability for other uses. Severely reduced water quality occurs in Northland. A 2008
All land based activities have a signature. Much like a fingerprint, that allows sediment to be traced to its source. Isotopes are used to trace sediments over time. NIWA found that both land based and marine activities impact on our rivers and marine environment. Most river nitrate samples were well above levels set to protect the environment. Sedimentation in the Bay is significant and began with deforestation in pre-European times.
Today, overall in the
Different areas in the Bay are under pressure from different land based activities. Sediment may be deposited, then re-suspended and carried to other parts of the Bay. The heavy sediment load from the
Under the auspices of the Bay of Islands Maritime Park the BayCare group have commenced the advocacy of riparian planting and fencing in the river and stream catchments which flow into the
VKK has strongly supported BayCare, is represented on the committee, and was actively involved in organising the planting of the kowhai.
For more information: www.marinereserve.co.nz
Renewable Energy
On 17 June Council approved Plan Change 1 – Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency which will encourage individuals and communities to both conserve and generate their own energy. Although Top Energy has a comprehensive programme to improve the local distribution network, the Far North is dependent on locally produced power from Ngawha and supply from south of Auckland, and we have a need for greater self sufficiency. The closing date for appeals to the High Court close on 20 August and we are optimistic that the change will be adopted.
NZS 4404:2010
This NZ Standard dealing with Land Development and subdivision infrastructure has been revised. The previous(2004) version dealt mainly with engineering works and roading design, and the new version is much more comprehensive, and incorporates ”up-to-date design principles such as low impact design solutions to stormwater management, and urban design principles that encourage more sustainable places, spaces and networks in towns and cities”.
The standard provides local authorities, developers, and their professional advisers with criteria for design and construction of land development and subdivision infrastructure.
The standard can be used on its own, or together with local codes, as a means to comply with RMA consent conditions.
VKK made submissions on the draft standard and strongly supports it, and will encourage Council to adopt it in full.
Commentary
There used to be a beautiful old house called Coolangatta in
The moral of this story is that it could happen in Kerikeri. To a very minor extent it already has happened. The Choritsia tree on the corner of
planted to replace it – a bushy shrub with a much greater potential to block the view of pedestrians. The
It gets worse, though – the government, in the process of “streamlining” the RMA has determined that from January 1st 2012 councils will have to remove any rules in their district plans that restrict or prohibit tree felling in urban environments. The only trees still protected will be those that have been specifically picked out and noted down as trees worthy of keeping.
( details of Coolangatta acknowledged from Peter Macky’s book of the same name)
VKK comes of age!
In 2004, when an eight storey building was proposed in Butler Road
How things have changed ! VKK is still around and now has good relationships with both Council staff and the mayor, and is recognised as a responsible stake-holder in the community. We have worked untiringly to achieve the Structure Plan, adopted by Council after widespread public participation, languishing over the last three years, but now showing signs of some progress.
VKK contacts
Vision Kerikeri and Environs Inc.
Chairperson: rod brown ph.407 4924 rod@visionkerikeri.org
Deputy Chair Jill Smith : ngapuke@paradise.net.nz
Secretary: Bob Bubendorfer ph. 407 1623 bob@bubendorfer.net.nz
Treasurer: Howard Smith
Iain Morrison: Iain@visionkerikeri.org , Rolf Mueller –Glodde, Ruth Marsh
Newsletter compiled by Ron Grant saltriver@orcon.net.nz