Purpose

This report covers my Waitematā Local Board Activities during May 2015 as Deputy Chair of the Finance Committee, Deputy Chair of the Hearings Committee, Lead of the Parks and Open Spaces portfolio, Heritage, Urban Design and Planning portfolio co-holder and Local Board representative on the K Road Business Association.

Executive Summary

• Renewals of playgrounds at Salisbury and Tole Reserves start this month
• Local Dog Access rules are being reviewed by the local board. The Statement of Proposal for public consultation was completed this month
• Instruction for use signs installed on Cox’s Bay fitness trail equipment
• Two applications considered confidentially for Special Housing Area tranche 7
• Appointed to the Auckland Domain Committee
• Fukuoka Garden concept design approved by the Local Board
• ‘Proposal Review of Alcohol Bans – Waitematā Local Board Area May 2015’ has been adopted and will be publicly consulted with Local Board Hearings Committee delegated to hear submissions
• ‘Statement of Proposal Amendments to Auckland Council Policy on Dogs 2012 – Waitematā Local Board Area May 2015’ has been adopted and will be publicly consulted with Local Board Hearings Committee delegated to hear submissions
• Newmarket Laneway consultation began on 18 May
• Upgrade and extension of Victoria Park premier cricket pitch in final week of May

Portfolio Report: Parks & Open Spaces

Portfolio Responsibilities

Decision-making for and oversight of local parks and public council open spaces, including beaches, coastal walkways, reserves, sports fields, playgrounds, non-road reserve plazas and boat ramps. This includes location and naming of new parks, design and maintenance of park facilities and settings, and supporting community events and planting programmes in parks. Landowner consent delegation in respect of local parks and open spaces. Regulatory and policy oversight of local dog management. Advocacy to achieve local priorities relating to parks network development and input into the management and use of regional parks located within the local area.

Playground Renewals: Salisbury and Tole Reserves

As part of a programme of five playgrounds (Grey Lynn Park north and south, Salisbury Reserve, Tole Reserve, Western Park) targeted for renewal as a ‘bundled’ funding project, two have had renewal work – i.e. replacement of the equipment and resurfacing of play areas – done starting in mid-May to finish in June. The old equipment cannot be re-used in New Zealand but the company renewing the equipment there plans to send that equipment to Fiji to be installed in playgrounds there. We support this re-use.

Auckland Domain Committee Appointments

The Auckland Domain Committee is a newly-created joint governance committee of the Governing Body and the Local Board. Since the establishment of the Auckland Council in 2010, the Auckland Domain has had split governance with the sports fields under the governance of the Local Board and the remainder administrated as a regional asset by the Governing Body. There were limitations to this approach and more integrated approach to the governance of the Domain will likely deliver better outcomes. The Committee is comprised of three Governing Body members, three Local Board members and two members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board. The Chair is Cr Christine Fletcher and Deputy Chair, Local Board Chair Shale Chambers. I have been appointed qua Parks and Open Spaces Portfolio Lead and Member Rob Thomas qua Sports and Recreation Portfolio Holder.

Myers Park Stage II Works

The City Centre Advisory Board (CCAB) approved a budget of $3.3m in November 2014 for the Myers Park stage II works. That funding was based on high-level and indicative project budget estimates. Following further project costing and detailed design, a budget shortfall of $1.25m was identified. The project team reported the budget shortfall to the 15 May 2015 CCAB meeting seeking to bring the total budget up to $4.55m. The development of the pedestrian link along Poynton Terrace between Pitt Street and Myers Park has been removed from the scope of stage II due to the construction of a private development at 26 Poynton Terrace. The splash pad (already designed and fully consented as part of stage I) has been added to the stage II works.

Western Park draft Development Plan Public Consultation

Public consultation ended on 14 May after being extended for two weeks, making a total of six weeks.

Victoria Park Cricket Pitch

An extension and upgrade of the Victoria Park premier cricket pitch was carried out in the last week of May.

Installation of signs on Cox’s Bay Fitness Trail

The Cox’s Bay Reserve fitness trail had no signs instructing users how to the use the equipment. Signs were installed in the first week of May.

Fukuoka Friendship Garden

The Local Board approved the design for the garden to go to detailed design.

Portfolio Report: Heritage, Urban Design & Planning

Portfolio Responsibilities

Heritage, Urban Design and Planning covers a mix of regulatory and non-regulatory activities  including city planning and growth, heritage protection, urban design requirements, Local Board resource consent application input, and bylaw development, including advocacy to achieve local priorities relating to heritage preservation, good urban design and spatial planning. Regulatory and policy oversight of local liquor licensing, signs & billboards, brothels.

Heritage

Pre-1944 Survey update

The purpose of the Pre-1944 Survey is to identify at-risk sites before the hearings at which Heritage will be submitting to the Unitary Plan Commissioners. This work will be fed to a Pre-1944 Survey Team that has been established by the Heritage department. The Survey Team have identified 12 priority areas including Grey Lynn, Ponsonby and the Res 1 fringe. They have identified ‘hot spots’ where there is high development pressure and mapped proposals for Special Housing Areas in the pre-1944 overlay areas. As at the time of this report, the Survey Team have completed assessments for Westmere, Grey Lynn, Ponsonby and Freemans Bay. Unitary Plan hearings for Pre-1944 and special character rules are starting on 11 June with a focus at this point on the survey methodology rather than substantive decisions. Their fieldwork and preliminary mapping will be complete by September with Unitary Plan hearings in December 2015 – January 2016. Assessments have been completed for Westmere, Grey Lynn, Ponsonby and Freemans Bay. The Local Board is pursuing this as a matter of urgency to ensure that important heritage sites are properly identified and protected.

Seismic Exemplar Guidebook

The draft document is completed and is currently with the studio for design and branding. In early-May Government announced their intention to review the legislation and methodologies. This will mean major changes to how quickly earthquake-prone buildings will need to be assessed and strengthened. In Auckland this will mean that buildings will need to be assessed within 15 years and strengthened within 35 years instead of the current 5 and 15 years respectively. The select committee report will be presented to Parliament in July. The guidebook should be online before the end of June. Once the legislation has been updated, necessary amendments can be made to the book and the Local Board can consider hard copy publication then.

Planning

Newmarket Laneways

Public Consultation began on the 18^th of May.

Resource Consents

We have, as usual, given feedback on significant resource consent applications.

Special Housing Areas Tranche 7

This month have considered tranche 7 of the Special Housing Areas with two applications in the Waitematā Local Board area. The details of the applications themselves are confidential.  The Local Board gave detailed feedback by confidential resolution at the May Business Meeting.

Regulatory

Local Dog Access Rules

The Local Board is reviewing the local dog access rules in our area, as required by the Dog Control Bylaw. We will be focusing particularly on the rules regarding beach, foreshore and selected park areas. The timeline is as follows:

• August 2014-March 2015: internal research and pre-consultation
• October 2014-March 2015: external research and pre-consultation
• April 2015: Local Board considered changes to draft Statement of Proposal for changes to the local dog control rules
• May 2015: Local Board finalised the Statement of Proposal for public consultation
• June-July 2015:  formal public consultation
• August/September 2015: Local Board decision following hearings and deliberations
• September 2015: Governing Body update the Dog Control Bylaw
• October 2015: changes take effect

At the May business meeting, the Local Board approved the Statement of Proposal to go out to public consultation. We have appointed the Local Board’s Hearings Committee to hear submitters and review written submissions in August to September.

Meetings/Events Attended

5 May:

• Local Board workshop
  • Local Board agreement update
  • Auckland Transport update
    • Franklin Road upgrade
    • CRL designation for Britomart
  • Auckland Council Property Limited update on six-monthly report

6 May:

• Auckland Stormwater network discharge consent
• Meeting with Freemans Bay Residents Association about Western Park draft Development Plan

7 May:

• Parks Portfolio meeting
• Special Housing Area Tranche 7 briefing

12 May:

• QEII Square briefing
• Cox’s Bay freedom camping meeting
• Local Board Business Meeting

13 May:

• Meeting with White Ribbon Auckland Central Committee
• Official opening of the Newmarket University of Auckland Campus

14 May:

• Local Board workshop
  •  City Centre Integration update
  • Local Board Agreement
  • Library Opening Hours
  • Library Renewals Programme
• Natural Environment portfolio meeting – sat in for discussion of Low Carbon Implementation Plan

19 May:

• Local Board workshop

• Discussion of Local Development Initiative budgets

• 254 Ponsonby Road engagement plan discussion
• Karangahape Business Association meeting

20 May:

• Auckland Domain Committee workshop

21 May:

• Parks Portfolio meeting

26 May:

• Local Board Workshop
  • Stormwater Options Report
  • Simplified fare zones
  • Regional Public Transport Plan
  • Aotea Quarter Plan update
• Pre-1944 Survey Update
• Citizenship Ceremony – Town Hall

28 May:

• Finance Committee & LIPS meeting