May 2019 Residents’ Association meeting minutes

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Present: Iain MacLean, June Penhey, Brian Sullivan, Paul FitzGerald, Mel Galletly, Nikky Winchester, David Olsen, Pauline Morse, Dale Williams (PCC), Jenny Brash (GWRC)
Community: Barry Keane, Jenny Fletcher
Apologies: Kate Dreaver, Jonathan Harker
Approval of previous minutes: moved Brian Sullivan, seconded Paul FitzGerald, none opposed, carried.

Matters arising

Action: Jon to create a demonstration QR code on one of the plants in the community garden, pointing people to the RA website where they will find more information about what the plant is, when it flowers/fruits etc.

Action: Iain is organising a date for a meeting with Board of Trustees to discuss the School and Community Hall.

Action: Iain to talk to Chris at the school again about the steps and boardwalk at the edge of the field near the dairy.

Action: Iain to talk to NZTA and/or PCC re the land the daffodils grow on.

Financial

As at 1 May 2019:

Main account: -$42.91
Fundraising: $3453.83

Action: Iain and Pauline to sign a letter to the bank to confirm that June and Brian are signatories.

Action: Iain to take the letter in to the bank and ask them about the process of getting online banking.

Motion: Move $1500 from the fundraising account into the main account. Moved Iain, seconded Brian. None opposed, motion carried.

Motion: The committee confirms its earlier decisions to add Brian Sullivan and June Penhey to the signatories of the Residents’ Association bank accounts. Moved Iain, seconded David. None opposed, motion carried.

Correspondence

Received 17 April, an email from NZTA re the changes taking place at Paremata Roundabout; and an email from Katrina Evans about her son Blake having an accident in his wheelchair on Muri Road.

GWRC update

Jenny commented on the GWRC consultation, which is generally business as usual, for Porirua residents. There have been problems with maintenance on the train lines. GWRC are looking at the processes with TransDev. There is a shortage of train and bus drivers. Jenny encouraged people to contact her if they have any queries, particularly with regards to transport issues.

Pauline said that the earthworks done at the beach have washed away and covered the reef in silt, and destroying the local ocean life.

Action: Jenny and Dale to investigate.

Subdivision on Muri Road

Pauline informed the committee that a subdivision of 11 lots has been approved by PCC (with no community consultation). This will impact on local residents, particularly as it will involve a possible additional 100 cars per day moving along the road. There will be 5 or 6 new house entries onto Muri Road. Most of Muri Road is about 3.5-4 metres wide and two cars can’t pass without going onto the inadequate footpath, which is crumbling to one side and covered with blackberries. The resource consent application makes no mention of the number of truckloads of material that will need to be brought in, and has other mistakes in it. PCC added a condition to the approval that the road immediately outside the subdivision must be widened but there is no reference to the other narrow parts of the road. Dale pointed out that if near misses or accidents aren’t logged with PCC or the police then there is no record about danger points for them to take into account when assessing resource consent applications.

Action: Pauline to email the paperwork to the committee.

Action: Dale to speak to PCC about mistakes in the application, particularly with regards to the road width.

If the figures in the application are invalid then PCC is responsible for bringing the road up to the necessary width.

Raroa Reserve renaming

This was first discussed at the meeting in February 2018, when it was suggested that the reserve be formally renamed by PCC.

Action: Brian and Paul to write to Katie Brown, City Services Committee, PCC.

Crash barrier by pedestrian bridge

Several people have complained about the new crash barrier, which points straight up the road rather than following the curve of the road. It also extends the distance people need to walk to get to the bus stops for train replacement bus services. Brian suggested talking to PCC and NZTA about moving the bus stops closer to the station. There was some discussion about whether Transmission Gully will be a toll road or not, and the impact that decision will have on the current SH1.

Action: Iain to email Steve to express concern about the alignment of the barrier.

Rawhiti Road footpath

Survey results about a proposed footpath opposite the school were mixed. Some residents were very opposed to the idea. PCC has decided not to do anything for now. The committee agreed it’s not worth taking this idea forwards at this time.

PCC update

Dale informed the committee that all properties expected to be impacted by sea rise have been informed that this is now marked on their LIMs. Dale recommended that residents think about who is going to best represent the village’s interests in the coming PCC elections, particularly with regards to the coming subdivisions, Transmission Gully etc.

Community garden

A capital budget of $7,000 is available to further support establishment of the community food forest garden this financial year – including the purchase and installation of a secure tool shed (storage container) and purchase of additional plants.

The current plan (which includes provision to relocate the old station building onto the site, along with a mini-cube building) is now with the Parks team for approval. PCC is hopeful that the planned meeting with GWRC this Thursday will provide an opportunity to confirm ownership of the old station building which, at this stage, is believed to sit with the community, under care of the Pukerua Bay Residents Association.

He Are Pukerua heritage project (next stage)

This project ($14,500) comprises the next stage of the He Ara Pukerua (Heritage Trail) project – including additional research for, and the printing of information boards identifying areas of historic, cultural and natural significance for Pukerua Bay, and installation of a combination of (existing) large format signs and bollards.

It’s great to see the progress that’s being made. Approval has now been obtained for the signs and bollards to be located on Parks and Roading land. PCC is confident that the heritage trail infrastructure will be able to be installed by 30 June.

Pukerua Bay community hub initiatives

Operational funding of $2,750 (in the form of a grant) is available to support Pukerua Bay Community Hub initiatives (working in partnership with Porirua City) to address social isolation and improve connectedness in the community. While the team has been exploring survey development options, PCC understand the Hub would like to put this initiative on hold until the 2019/20 financial year.

Ara Harakeke shared pathway extension

A capital budget of $5,000 (which will supplement the $40,000 carried forward from 2017/18) has been approved for surfacing of the Ara Harakeke shared pathway between the Pukerua Bay shops and Wairaka Road (SH1). With the slip/footpath alongside SH1 having now been completed, PCC are exploring a range of pathway options including the resilience of each option and associated costings. PCC hope to be able to discuss the options with the Residents Association (as well as the constraints and risks associated with each option) in the next week or two.

PCC have recently sought approval to carry forward the $45,000 project budget to allow sufficient time to further assess the options and engage with the local community.

Muri Reserve way-finding signage – Te Araroa Trail

This project includes installing directional signs in agreed locations through Muri Reserve (linking the end of the trail at the former Muri Road Station site to Pukerua Bay Station) and an information panel and map at Muri Road Station (which has already been incorporated into the large MetLink sign). PCC have recently been approached by KiwiRail’s business development manager, who wants to conclude this agreement to facilitate installation of the remaining trail signs on KiwiRail land. PCC remain hopeful that these signs will be able to be installed by 30 June.

Annual Plan 2019/20 – Councillor Clinics in May

Although the Council won’t be formally consulting on the Annual Plan 2019/20, Councillor Clinics will be run in the following locations during May:

  • Porirua Club – Thursday 16 May at 6:00pm
  • Mana Cruising Club – Thursday 23 May at 6:00pm.

The clinics will provide an opportunity to meet and talk with local Councillors about the city’s plans for the year ahead. Everyone is welcome, and light refreshments will be available from 5:30pm. Click the following link for more details: https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/city-planning-and-reporting/annual-plan/

Dolly Varden foreshore management options

In recent months coastal specialist Jim Dahm has developed some preliminary foreshore management options for the area between Dolly Varden carpark and Pascoe Avenue. These include a combination of ‘living with erosion’, localised re-shaping of some banks and beach sand replenishment. A Community Workshop in February provided an opportunity to explain the preliminary path and layout options (and associated excavation and beach nourishment volumes) for the various sections of the reserve. It was also another valuable step in the process to understand community and stakeholder preferences.

PCC is hoping to go back to the community with a draft proposal (including a landscape/planting plan) in the next few months. This will be followed by an opportunity to provide feedback on various elements of the proposal – which will guide the detailed design, decision-making and consenting processes that will follow. This project was initiated by the Paremata Residents Association (in response to continued, observed erosion of the Dolly Varden foreshore) and is being funded through the Village Planning programme.

GWRC consultation on Annual Plan 2019/20 and draft Revenue and Financing Policy

GWRC is currently consulting on its Annual Plan for 2019/20 and an amendment to the Revenue and Financing Policy (which includes proposed changes to the way rates are allocated for 2019/20). Formal consultation is open – with comments closing on 24 May 2019. Click on the following link if you’d like to register to provide feedback: https://haveyoursay.gw.govt.nz/register

Waste Free PKB

The community recycling scheme has been extended to include yoghurt pouches and caps; cling wrap; plastic snaplock bags, freezer bags and zipslide bags; polypropylene food storage containers; protein powder pots and scoops; and Sealord Tuna Express pouches and pockets. For details email wastefreepkb@gmail.com or go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/WasteFreePKB/

All commercial operators in Pukerua Bay now have kerbside recycling bins from PCC (same as the residents).

Village Planning

PCC have received submissions and will now negotiate with each village. All project requests will be formally assessed and then considered for approval by the Council’s City Delivery Committee in early July.

Other business

Action: David to do some counting of pedestrian numbers along Muri Road.

Meeting ended: 21.28 pm
Next meeting: 11 June 2019