Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

Grey Lynn 2030 appeared today (3 March 2010) on the last day of the Select Committee hearings on Auckland Governance Legislation on the Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill.  The presentation is available here.

At tonight’s monthly meeting the Local Government Group invite you to join a round table discussion of the latest Super City developments and the proposed role of Grey Lynn 2030 in the lead up to the October elections.  All Welcome

Time: 7.30pm

Date: Wednesday 3 March

Place: Grey Lynn Community Centre, Richmond Road

Contact: pippacoom@gmail.com

Here is some text to send to your MP about the changes to the RMA Legislation.

Kia ora

I am writing to register my concern about the impact that Clause 52 of the proposed Resource Management (Simplifying & Streamlining) Amendment Bill 2009 will have on the urban tree population of New Zealand.

I request that you delete Clause 52 from the proposed Resource Management (Simplifying & Streamlining) Amendment Bill 2009 altogether, retain the existing tree protection provisions and seek to meaningfully engage with local communities in respect of any modifications of existing tree protection rules.

This proposal has the potential to decimate the trees that make our cities the special places that they are. Pohutakawa, kauri and all the other beautiful icons that live only in New Zealand are already under threat. Changing the law so that anyone with a chainsaw can chop them down with impunity is at best irresponsible and may, in future generations, be deemed criminal.

It is a myth that the current rules are both costly and restrictive to private property owners. Under the current rules it costs nothing to obtain a consent to fell a tree – Councils do not charge for consent, and advice from Council arborists is also free. In addition, over 85% of all current applications for tree felling are granted. We all agree the tree rules need to be reviewed; removing the blanket protection is not the answer. There will be far more problems and cost than savings.
What is being proposed will have a massive impact on property owners since neighbours will be able to fell trees with impunity. In many areas of New Zealand this will cause major landslips, damaging property and roads. We already suffer greatly from instability due to the steep clay slopes – removal of trees will have an incalculable cost to us all. There will be many houses that will simply collapse if the trees protecting the banks that they stand on are removed. Landslips are increasing. The effect of removing any conscious conservation of trees may well be devastating. Trees removal is a major cause of land instability.

Trees also are vital in attenuating stormwater. Covering the land in concrete & roofs increase runoff – each tree attenuates 17 cubic metres of water per year. Wholesale removal of trees in our suburbs will significantly generate flooding which will then require infrastructure upgrading. Climate change is also increasingly affecting our weather, with northern NZ becoming wetter. Sanity suggests we plant more trees, not make it easier for people to cut them down.

Removing the tree protection rules will result in massive tree loss. Not only will people cut down more trees, but when development occurs there will be no requirement to undertake mitigation planting, as is currently the case. Not only will we lose currently mature trees, we will not be replacing them. We do not know the economic cost to society of all this, and we need to.

As an example of one disastrous effect, in the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area local people campaigned for 35 years to get a special law to protect such a special place in perpetuity from inappropriate development and land clearance. The proposed law change will effectively castrate the Heritage Area Act, making protection of the very values that are its purpose impossible. People come to Titirangi because of the trees. It is ludicrous to suggest that the Council could schedule the hundreds of thousands of trees in Titirangi to protect them – if people are allowed to chop trees down, Titirangi will be destroyed.

What right do we have to destroy trees that are 100s of years old just because people don’t want to clear their gutters out or they’d like to have a better view. We are all just passing through our properties and if individuals don’t have the personal responsibility to recognise their role as guardians of the land then that needs to be legislated for.

Unfortunately we all know that this is the case with so many people who only have a short term view of the world. If you pass this law the chainsaws will be out the very next day and we will all suffer the consequences for generations to come. Our birds and insects will disappear, our cool and shade will be gone. We will have nothing to remove our pollution and CO2, or treat our stormwater and hold our soil together.

I ask you to find the courage and wisdom to see the stupidity of this law change and to protect the trees for generations to come. No one is saying the tree rules don’t need to be reviewed – everyone knows that – but please don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and destroy our urban forest by removing the basic protection. When it’s gone it will be forever, this is one mistake that cannot be put right.

Please use your vote to remove Clause 52 entirely or at least vote for one of the amendments and save our trees.

Thanks for your time

Dear Grey Lynn 2030,

Thank you for providing us with your feedback in relation to the speed limit change from 50km/h to 40km/h on Ponsonby Road.

Consultation was undertaken between the 13th of June to the 15th of July 2009. 932 responses were received of which 736 (79%) supported the proposal and 172 (18%) opposed the proposal. The remaining 24 responses did not indicate a firm view on the speed limit reduction.

In addition to the community consultation and considering the petition with more than 600 signatures, there is strong community support for the proposed speed limit reduction to 40km/h.

Additional feedback from the consultation process could be summarised by saying that presently the street is unpleasant as it feels like a major highway, there is no sense of community, more pedestrian friendly environments is required with more and varied crossings, paving changes and landscaping. In addition, education and enforcement measures need be undertaken to address the issues.

A project team has been set up with representation from the Western Bays Community Board, Ponsonby Road businesses and resident representatives to develop an action plan to address improved pedestrian safety raised via the petition and through the consultation process.

Auckland City Council’s Transport Committee considered the consultation feedback at the 6th of August 2009 meeting and has approved the lowering of the speed limit, as has the Western Bays Community Board.

The changes are planned to take place in September 2009, when the new speed limit signs will be installed and the new speed limit will be in place. There will be an education campaign via media of the speed limit change, and we will be engaging with local businesses on Ponsonby Road to assist with promoting the change to patrons and customers. The NZ Police will enforce the new speed limit once it has been implemented.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the proposal and your feedback has been valuable.

Yours sincerely

Karen Hay
Road safety manager
Network Performance
Transport Assets

Great to see that the Grey Lynn Farmers Market has received funding from the Western Bays Community Board.

Here are the minutes of the meeting

MOTAT extends a warm invitation to Auckland City residents

For the month of August Auckland City residents can look forward to free fun and interactive experiences at MOTAT – the Museum of Transport and Technology.

Auckland City residents can gain free entry to MOTAT by presenting vouchers that will appear in local papers throughout the month, flyers available at local libraries, or displaying their rates bill or proof of address.

MOTAT Operations Manager Derek Grieve says that MOTAT prides itself on offering exciting and fun exhibitions and displays that are popular all year round – rain or shine.

“We want to show Auckland City that MOTAT has something for every member of the family, whether it’s mum or dad interested in the history of aviation and transport or the kids who can’t wait to have a go at the controls of our FlightSim 5 flight simulator,” says Mr Grieve.

Some of MOTAT’s latest exhibitions include ‘900 South – Sir Edmund Hillary and the NZ Antarctic Expedition 1956-8’ where Sir Ed led the New Zealand Ross Sea Party team to complete the first vehicular over land journey to the South Pole; and ‘Signposts to Godzone’, which explores all things Kiwiana.

Auckland City residents can also enjoy MOTAT’s most popular attractions, including the Tactile Dome, Mirror Maze, Challenge Zone, Voyager 1 and MOTAT’s very own Blacksmith who can be seen every Tuesday and Thursday between 11am-3pm.

Dates
Saturday 1 August – 31 August 2009
Location
MOTAT, Great North Road & Meola Road, Western Springs.

Costs
Entry is free for all Auckland City residents. Access will be permitted by presenting one of the advertised vouchers for the free day that will appear in the Auckland City Harbour News, the Central Leader and the East & Bays Courier in the weeks commencing Monday 27 July and Monday 10 August, as well as The Aucklander City edition in the week commencing Monday 3 August. Free admission is also allowed for Auckland City residents on presentation of a flyer, their rates bill or proof of address. Public Information Number
Phone: 0800 MOTAT NZ (0800 668 286) or visit www.motat.org.nz for further information and activity times.
For more information, photos, media passes or interviews please contact:

Gag Sells Public Assets On Trademe – Monday, 27 July 2009, 8:59 amThe Grassroots Action Group is selling photographs of public assets currently owned by the 5 Auckland councils on the internet trading web site www.trademe.co.nz this week.
The stunt is intended to raise awareness of the impact that privatisation of public assets would have on the lives of every Aucklander as the country awaits the outcome from the select committee on Auckland Governance.

Local voice at heart of region’s concerns – New Zealand Herald – 27th Jul 2009
LOCAL BOARDS There is nothing more basic to the success or failure of the Super City than local boards.

Super city water needs accountability – Sunday, 26 July 2009The Government must give urgent consideration to protecting Auckland ratepayers from the super city’s new monopoly water company, says Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford.

Matt McCarten: Super Mayor poll show Brown ahead – 4:00AM Sunday Jul 26, 2009

Up to now there’s been a seemingly certain inevitability that the new Mayor of the Supercity would be John Banks. But this week a polling result from UMR shattered that illusion.

Councils should be able to compete for ratepayers, says Sir Roger – 4:00AM Saturday Jul 25, 2009

Sir Roger Douglas wants ratepayers to be able to shop around for the best local council, saying that being able to defect to one nearby even if they do not live there will invoke the spirit of competition.

Community councils should run Super City, MPs told – New Zealand Herald – 24th Jul 2009
Auckland should be largely run by community councils with powers to set rates and compete for ratepayers and each others businesses, Act MP Sir Roger Douglas said today.

Proposal calls for Waikato region to become super city – TVNZ – 24th Jul 2009
A proposal calling for the Waikato region to also become a super city has been put before a select committee…

Waikato super-city? – Waikato Times – 24th Jul 2009
Auckland’s “super city” plan should be extended to the Waikato with one council formed in time for next year’s local body elections in October, according to a high-powered Waikato lobby group.

Other want to follow Auckland super city model – TVNZ – 25th Jul 2009
Other North Island towns and cities want to follow the Auckland supercity proposal and have their local government structures streamlined

Plea to give local boards real clout – New Zealand Herald – 24th Jul 2009
The combined wisdom of New Zealand’s community boards and Auckland’s legal fraternity say local boards in the Super City must have powers and functions set in law to succeed.

Plea for libraries, galleries – 5:00AM Friday Jul 24, 2009

The Government needs to ensure local government continues to provide free public access to community facilities, the New Zealand Society of Authors says.

Southerners take pride in self-governance – 4:00AM Friday Jul 24, 2009

Wanaka has more than skiing, boating and the Warbirds airshow going for it. It has a model of local democracy that puts Auckland to shame.

Letter to Manukau – Issue 78 – Friday, 24 July 2009

The Select Committee into Auckland governance sat in our city last week and we had an opportunity to make a submission on behalf of our council and community.

Speech to St Heliers Probus Club – Rodney Hide 24 July, 2009
… The question that I have been focused on since I took up my role as Minister of Local Government, and I have to say long before that, is how do we make Auckland an even better city.

Council Committee Chairman seeks further discussions over Watercare confidentiality issue – 23 July 2009
Councillor Grant Gillon, Chair of the North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Committee, has suggested a meeting with Watercare Chairman Graeme Hawkins to discuss ways to address the need for cooperation for the Watercare integration project whilst recognising the respective responsibilities of each organisation.

Banks behind in Auckland mayor poll – Otago Daily Times – 23rd Jul 2009
Manukau Mayor Len Brown leads Auckland City Mayor John Banks in the race to be the proposed Super City’s first mayor, according to a new poll.

Manukau mayor beating John Banks in super city poll – TVNZ – 23rd Jul 2009
Auckland Mayor John Banks is beingpipped by his Manukau counterpart in the battle to be super city mayor

Brown pips Banks in preferred mayor poll – New Zealand Herald – 23rd Jul 2009
Manukau Mayor Len Brown has leapfrogged Auckland City Mayor John Banks in a head-to-head poll for the first mayor of the Super City.

John Banks: It still holds true – Auckland’s future calls for bold ideas – Thursday Jul 23, 2009

On June 2, 1964, the New Zealand Herald marked Auckland’s population reaching half a million with the headline – “The future calls for bold ideas”.

Supercity senior fears – Manukau Courier Last updated 05:00 23/07/2009
Older ratepayers of Counties Manukau have invested significantly in the region and Age Concern doesn’t want to see that go to waste under the Auckland supercity.

Better Democracy NZ: Sir Roger Douglas on Supercity – Monday, 27 July 2009
- The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, however, focussed only on structure. That is why the mayors and councillors have spent the whole duration of .