The most searched for post on this blog is the one dealing with the effects of the Expressway on Waikanae and commercial development opportunities west of the Expressway route are certainly behind it. Although the local developer quartet have their notions — the comment in the feedback mentioned below ‘there was a lone call to “stop prescriptive measures in the PDP/SEV (let us live!)”’ was probably made by one of them — they are not the only ones; big Auckland-based developers are involved, too. Do you want that? If not, the time to start mitigating their impact with a comprehensive official policy is now. The council can’t stop developers from buying properties, but it can tell them what they can and can not do.
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Kia ora tâtou
Since the last drop-in session we have been working on a number of things:
- A document which reflects your input at the two drop-in sessions held on 6
and 22 September - A new online forum
information and discussion sessions on specific topics including the design
of urban form, land use planning and consenting processes, and traffic and transport planning and management.
- Drop-in sessions feedback
We’ve pulled together a document, attached, which summarises the rich and interesting feedback you have given us regarding what you love about Waikanae Beach and what your concerns are for its future. We’ve done our best to ensure your input is captured somewhere (even if not exactly in your words) under a number of themes.
Online forum
No doubt you’ll want to comment on the content or themes that emerged from the drop-ins and potentially build on some of the ideas, or suggest completely new ones. The best way to pursue this conversation with people in your neighbourhood will be to visit your new online forum –
Waikanae Beach community forum
We’ve set up the forum specifically for the use of Waikanae Beach residents and property owners to discuss ideas for the future and see how everyone else feels. We’ve started the ball rolling by posting the document summarising the drop-in themes. Now it’s over to you. Council will participate in this discussion as well.
The forum is a public site – anyone can read any post. However, in order to ensure that only bona fide members of the Waikanae Beach community are participating in the forum and sorting out the future of their neighbourhood, there are a couple of rules for people who want to post. These are contained in the registration agreement and reproduced below. Please read the registration agreement carefully or your registration may not be activated. These rules are also intended to help reduce the number of offensive posts and spam. When you have accepted the registration agreement, you will fill in a form which will be OKed by the site administrator. You will be asked:
1. to choose a user name. Please use your preferred name and last name initial, e.g. Alison L or alisonl.
2. to provide your address in Waikanae Beach. The administrator will check that you are the owner of the property before activating your membership account. If you live at the address but are not the owner, please email a scanned copy of a document which proves your residence such as a bill or dog registration form, to waikanaebeach@kapiticoast.govt.nz
You must e-mail it from the e-mail address on the registration form.
Please note that your physical address information will only be used for the purposes of registering to participate in this forum. It will not be used for any other purpose.
Information and discussion sessions
Lastly, just a reminder to keep the evenings of 10 and 18 November, and the afternoon of 29 November free.
On Tuesday 10 November, an expert will talk briefly about the design of urban form – what tools are available and what issues need to be considered – and then answer questions. This will include some discussion of examples of special character areas.
On Wednesday 18 November, Council planners and an external expert will talk about what can and can’t be done with land use planning and consenting processes. Bring all your expertise and questions about the complex world of land use planning.
On Sunday 29 November, experts from the Council and external organisations will talk about traffic and transport planning and management including cycleways, traffic calming measures, and what modelling has been done of the Expressway impacts. Greater Wellington Regional Council will also have someone present to answer questions about public transport services.
We will confirm details of these sessions (time and venue) very soon via e-mail and the online forum.
Ka kite anô
Alison Lash