February 2018 Residents’ Association meeting minutes

Tuesday 13 February 2018

Present: Kate Dreaver, Iain MacLean, Brian Sullivan, June Penhey, Pauline Morse, David Olsen, Dale Williams (PCC)
Community: Mike McDermott, Louise Beaufort, Ashley Blair, Margaret Blair
Apologies: Jonathan Harker, Paul FitzGerald, Guy Marriage, Jenny Brash

Approval of last minutes: Moved Pauline and seconded June.

Matters arising from previous minutes

  • It hasn’t been possible to get into contact Steve James from NZTA re- the crossing, signage, or retaining wall. Iain will try to make contact again this week.
  • Money has come from DOC for the penguin sign so that should be able to go up soon. Something similar is likely to go up at Whitireia. Louise Beaufort reports that residents are seeing more penguins. Tony Quayle saw a dog chase a penguin into the sea.
  • Te Araroa trail: Iain and Bill Inge have done two walk-throughs; the last one with John Craig and Gary Simpson. Update — the mysterious structure on the platform has come from the Regional Council. It contains some inaccurate information. Bill has gone to them to say that it needs correcting and they will split the cost.
  • District Plan: Nicola Etheridge (PCC) is looking for names of people to join the small advisory group. Dale suggests emailing her to suggest names. (Guy? Paul? Kate?)

Financial

December 2017 closing balances:

Not for profit: $2129.00
Fundraising: $2169.67

January 2018 balances:

Not for profit $2129.00
Fundraising: $3026.82

200 calendars have been sold. Kiwi rail has been paid the $410.55 access fee for Muri Station platform. Payments to go for:

Brian: $11 postage
Margaret: digital images from Auckland public library $15.50
Pauline’s expenses (previously approved in December as $367; correct total is $666.

Motion: reimburse Brian and Margaret, and approve new payment amount to Pauline. Moved Iain, seconded Kate. Carried.

Correspondence

None.

Proposal to rename part of Raroa Reserve

Presented by Ashley Blair.

To most people in PKB, Raroa is the bush area up behind Raroa Road. Surprised to find that it’s in two parts. Led to confusion when we had the working bee and when the emergency services were called to an event in Raroa Reserve last year. (They went to the wrong place).

Ashley proposes a change of name to Waimapehi Reserve in line with the name of the stream. Could call it Waimapehi Stream Reserve. He spoke to a Council officer, who suggested bringing it to the Residents Association.

Raroa and Waimapehi are not gazetted names and there is no gazetted name for this reserve.

Another common belief is that in theory you can walk around the point. However, there’s no path. Someone has moved the sign that said where you could go. Now, after Ashley pointed it out, the sign has been thrown down the cliff.

Dale suggests we prepare a submission to the Council and consider the other two streams. There also needs to be follow-up with Ngāti Toa.

Bill Inge already lodged it as a request at PCC, but then Ashley was told to bring to us — ensuring it’s from the community.

Also need appropriate signage.

Motion: We support the proposal to review the name of the Waimapehi Gully part of Raroa Reserve. We suggest the name Waimapehi Stream Reserve to create a clear distinction from the part of Raroa Reserve behind Raroa Road. This would, of course, be contingent on consultation with tangata whenua. We would like the change to be made apparent in the appropriate documents.

Wordsmithing of request to Council to be completed with Margaret and Ashley.

Streams’ names to be followed up later to avoid confusion.

Beach erosion

Iain contacted Martyn Cook and Greg Hamilton about the erosion at the beach and the measures PCC have taken to stabilise the bank — building another back of fill from a nearby building site. Martyn replied to say that residents now believe the exercise is ‘demonstrably ineffective’. The current remediation was never put forward as a permanent or long-term solution. Not all of the stretch of beach that needed stabilising was done, and waves are now damaging the fill material. A different approach is needed — one which will dissipate the energy of the waves at high tide.

Dale had sent us information from the project manager, which addresses residents’ concerns and answers many of their questions.

Seems apparent that the purpose was to protect the infrastructure, as pipes were exposed. Damage to the protective work is not seen as a problem.

Dale: Seaside erosion is an issue all along the coast, one that will get worse with climate change. Council is working with experts to work out how to address this in the Long Term Plan.

Iain: Camborne Walkway is being addressed and will be partly closed.

Dale: slightly different as it is affected by tidal movements rather than changes in sea level.

Iain: There was a report last year from a coastal expert. When does the Council begin work on all this?

Dale: Already begun — legislation requires constant review of LTP. They’re also looking at the 20-year plan — complexity, significance, and expense demand this. Current fous is on data gathering. Titahi Bay, Plimmerton and PKB are the most vulnerable areas.

Iain: If it’s all washed away, will Council come back to do a repair?

Dale: Notes from the project team say replenishment is ongoing.

Iain: How was it presented to residents at the beach? As a stopgap or a fix?

Mike: We attended a lot of the meetings. Explanation was no different to that given when the rip-rap wall went in. It’s worked well after 10 years. Had no expectation that it would just be a two-day solution. It seems PCC says you can use that sort of construction so long as it’s above mean high-water springs. This means nothing on a tidal beach. The footing will continue to erode and we will keep needing more dirt added. Would like to see something like the rip-rap.

An argument against rip-rap is that it will encroach on the usable part of the beach. This is not a swimming area — it’s largely a boat launching area. There is not much sand. And the wall wouldn’t invade the areas more than what is there.

Louise: They actually excavated into the cliff by the goat track to get the fill — didn’t just take the stockpile of dirt from the building site next to the car park. They have a photo of what they were intending to use. They’ve taken dirt from the base of the goat track where there was a nice sloping bank, planted with natives. The goat track is now at risk. It now needs to be reinstated. Louise spoke to the site manager and found they didn’t seem aware that they were cutting into the reserve. This was never up for discussion.

Dale doubts that permission was given to cut into the reserve. Response when he followed up was that the type of remedy was recommended by the coastal manager.

Mike: The tide that washed the toe away was not particularly unusual. He and Louise estimate 30-50% has already been washed away. Martin Cook has suggested at least protecting the toe with boulders. June wonders about a concrete structure if it isn’t going to be seen.

Pauline: What is the environmental impact of washing silt into the water? Could Council get the opinion of a marine biologist?

Iain: Recalls the coastal expert’s report said it was quite a stable beach.

Mike: Currently, the sand moves, but we don’t get silt. Why add silt? What could the impact be on the reserve, which has a rāhui on it?

Louise: Report said the work would take place outside of the tidal area. But the tidal area interacts with the bank.

Louise is also concerned that the report talked about using a cohesive clay material. That is not what this is. It seems to be a matter of taking advantage of an opportunity without considering the consequences.

Our message: The repair is not adequate and needs to be done in a semi-permanent way, rather than an ongoing way, as with the rip-rap wall that has worked for over fifteen years. We would like today’s engineers to take a more considered approach that considers the unintended consequences of changes to the beach front. Our expectations are different to theirs. It is not just about protecting services but about protecting the beach (anemity value) and marine environment that we value.

We recommend serious consideration of a further rip-rap wall, which we do not believe would encroach on the beach in the way the engineers suggest.

We are deeply concerned about damage to the reserve land and the undercutting of the goat track.

Dale will follow this up.

Porirua City Council update

Muri Road safety work (2016/17 year project)

While Downer has recently completed some of the outstanding work items, the following items are yet to be completed to finalise the project:

  • Completing outstanding flax removal
  • Connecting power to the two street lights
  • Re-grading the bank above and below the new pedestrian path (only partially completed)
  • Replacing a section of damaged concrete kerb
  • Encouraging the natural spring on the bank to drain off the path on the corner instead of over the track
  • Installing the outstanding ‘wash-over’ pad

We are continuing to work with Downer to ensure these items are completed as soon as practicable.

Muri Reserve way-finding signage — Te Araroa Trail (2016/17 year project)

Current plans include installing information signs at both ends of Muri Reserve (i.e. one at the site of the former Muri Road Station and another at Pukerua Bay Station) and further directional signs along the route. However, Metlink has today agreed to amend and include additional trail-related details on their recently-installed Pukerua Bay Station platform sign — meaning only information sign may be required.

We recently sent through a draft sign location plan and possible sign designs for comment and conducted a ‘walk-over’ with Iain MacLean to confirm the sign locations. The Te Araroa Trail Trust has also expressed its support for the project.

We look forward to sharing details of the proposal with the local community in due course. This project is being completed with funds carried-forward from the 2016/17 year.

Community garden (food forest)

We understand the grass within the area to be occupied by the community garden was recently cut by a local farmer (at no cost the Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association).

We are planning to meet with Robert Oscroft and the team this Thursday to discuss next steps for this project.

Ara Harakeke shared pathway (footpath from shops to Wairaka ROAD)

The New Zealand transport Agency (NZTA) is leading the slip repairs and all related work remains on-hold.

As noted previously, formation of the proposed shared pathway would have an impact on some local residents in Te Kura Road. While we had anticipated that consultation on the proposed pathway would be undertaken prior to Christmas, this has been subject to continued delays.

We’ll be in touch again once we know more about the timing of the slip repairs and consultation for the proposed shared pathway.

Heritage trail (part 2)

Wording for four additional bollard signs has now been approved by the Pukerua Bay Heritage Group and Ngāti Toa. While we’ve also obtained approval from the council’s heritage and communications teams, we haven’t yet obtained approval from Ngāti Toa for use of their logo.

The construction timber for the signs has now been transferred for temporary storage at Ted Coates property.

District Plan Review & engagement

Consultation on the review of Porirua’s District Plan ran for six weeks and finished on 24 November. In that time the District Planning team attended 19 events, including community meetings, hui, school fairs and markets. We had a great response from the community, receiving 197 formal submissions, more than 300 doodles and drawings from children and adults, who we encouraged to ‘make their mark’ on big photographs of the city, and lots of verbal feedback.

The ideas expressed included support for more diverse housing types, coastal walkways and parks, and cafes and shops around the city. There was an acceptance of the need to grow, but most people wanted less outward sprawl, more high density housing and more attention paid to improving the CBD and harbour health.

The feedback will be used to create a Draft District Plan that will go back out for consultation around October 2018. Thank you to the Pukerua Bay Residents Association for welcoming the team into your meeting and for the useful feedback you provided.

The Porirua District Plan is a document that manages the balance between development and use of the environment, while protecting and safeguarding it for future generations. It will guide Porirua’s future land use and development over the next 10-30 years.

Dale’s comments:

Still nothing on the path. Difficult to get any response out of NZTA. PCC’s main concern is revocation of the state highway. PCC wants it to the highest possible standard, whereas NZTA wants the reverse. If handed back to PCC and Transmission Gully is not tolled, it will be funded on the usual rate for local roads so very expensive. If it’s tolled, there’s a legal requirement to provide an alternative free route, so there would be a higher financial assistance rate.

Long-Term Plan consultation will be in August.

Village plan activities

He Ara Pukerua

Activity today. They’ve consolidated the timbers from the bridge and they have been taken to Ted’s place. Today, the contractors have begun work on cutting the timber into signs so that they form kitsets. There’s a surprising amount of timber available. They will be stockpiled and stored.

A problem that the storage space turns out to be too difficult to access, as there is a tricky turn. We need to find a place to store it. Brian has contacted the owner of the storage shed by the station. He will measure the land and, if logistically possible, we can store the timber there.

Noise complaint: A neighbour from across the road has complained about the noise of the chainsaw cutting the timbers. Bill is getting the noise control officer out tomorrow to measure the sound.

Community garden

A meeting will be held at the RSA on Thursday night. There’s money in the PCC Village Planning budget that needs to be spent this financial year.

Other business

Taupo Swamp Sign

Ashley and Margaret’s grandson found QE2’s missing sign last year. Ashley and Brian have cleaned it all up, and it now looks fantastic. They’re going to paint it.

Rubbish

A lot of rubbish appearing at the carpark at the bottom of the hill. The Marine Reserve sign has also vanished from there. Iain will email MPI.

Sheep

A lot have got out over summer. Locals have been returning them. They’ve had up to two or three per day. The fences are pretty poor. Ashley has spoken to John Caird. The line of fence by Raroa Reserve is in poor condition, and none behind some of the properties. Still the original fence and the strainers are broken. Two issues – common boundary with the locals and Council. Legally, it is the responsibility of the people adjoining land to keep the animals out.

Dale: notify animal control to pick the animals up.

Meeting finished 9:00pm.

Next meeting 13 March 2018

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