If you don’t have a cat…

Above is a pic we took at the Rimu Street entrance to the Wi Parata Reserve this morning, which has the inevitable sign warning about Brodifacoum poison having been spread inside, the last time 2 weeks ago, and the danger to pets.  Welcome to another toxic paradise. Why can’t traps be used instead as described below?

It’s Conservation Week from the 14th – 22nd of October. You can get involved by protecting the native species in your neighborhood from rats and mice. To do that you’ll need a trap and a trapping tunnel.

via How to build a backyard trapping tunnel — Conservation blog

Missing since Wednesday morning. “Marley hasn’t been home today and usually doesn’t wander or miss a meal or treat. He’s approx 10 years, a big boy, very inquisitive and a chatterbox. Has a white chest and tummy, 4 white feet and a big bushy tail. Has a slight limp in his hind legs due to a previous injury. Unfortunately his microchip is a dud and he hasn’t yet been redone. Please contact Amanda on 027 2227 226 if you see him.”

This was mentioned at the time of the opening of Te Papa Motokā (see earlier). However, today at least there were no EVs in the three spaces.

There’s something a little disconcerting about a sign saying Spark above power points?

With all the new subdivision work underway in Waikanae, this guide to building consents is a first-step, must-consult document before you start planning/working on your section — (pdf, 39 pages)

There are also rules in the District Plan such as height control planes, yards, maximum height, and site coverage calculations.

One important District Plan rule in Residential Zones relates to how much of the ground can be covered by buildings:

“The maximum area of any site covered by all buildings shall be 40% except that this standard shall not apply to network utilities on sites less than 200 m2.”

As examples, if the section is 300 square metres then the footprint of the building(s) on it can’t be more than 120 square metres; with a 500 square-metre section it can’t be more than 200 square metres.

The council also tells us that the aggregate dimensions of ancillary buildings on a section can’t be more than 60 square metres; so you can’t plonk, for example, more than 6 garden sheds that are just under 10 square metres each on the land.

The height limit in residential zones is 8 metres above the natural ground level in all parts of the footprint (what our two-story house is).

A few rules have changed a little since we last checked a few years ago — for example fences can now be 2.5 metres (8 ft 3 inches) high without Council consent being required, rather than 2 metres.  (With boundary fences this is measured from the natural ground level before any retaining wall).

Of particular relevance for those intending something close to the beach is the part headed Applications for building work on land subject, or likely to be subject, to a natural hazard – Section 72 of the Building Act 2004

“Natural hazards mentioned in the Building Act 2004 are:
 erosion (including coastal erosion, bank erosion and sheet erosion);
 falling debris (including soil, rock snow and ice);
 subsidence;
 inundation (including flooding, overland flow, storm surge, tidal effects and ponding);
 slippage.”

“A Land Information Memorandum (LIM) or Project Information Memorandum (PIM) will identify hazards that the Council knows about for a particular land site.”

For existing properties close to the beach, this is and has been the subject of controversy.

Maps of what the Council considers hazards are on this webpage

Sue Lusk says: “We have over 80 stalls now, dancing from Waikanae Dance and music from Zeal Kapiti and buskers positioned from one end of the market to the other — and lots of car parking in the new commuter car park!”

This weekend there is also the Rotary Charity Art Show in nearby Otaihanga.  Although not stated in the flyer, this usually involves a small entrance fee.

One of the matters on WCB agenda tomorrow evening are names for three new streets in this development.

As a little suggestion to both developers and Iwi — maybe consider short and crisp names from now on, rather than ones that consist of several syllables?

In Australia the standard unofficial practice with names consisting of more than two syllables is to replace those after the first one or two with a vowel; for example, Darlo for Darlinghurst, Sutho for Sutherland, Baulko for Baulkham Hills, Rocky for Rockhampton, Willie for Williamstown.  Do we want to encourage that here?

Again some nice photos in the original post. 🙂

It’s Conservation Week from the 14th – 22nd of October. One of the ways you can get involved is by filling your garden with native plants.

via Native plants to spruce up your garden — Conservation blog

This old postcard is too pretty not to share. 🙂 1.4.10 may be the date?  It shows a steam train entering The Square southbound next to what was the Post Office.  This building still exists, but minus the clock tower; perhaps it was removed because it was considered an earthquake risk.

There are a lot of details that can be discerned upon inspection.

The band rotunda is now history, and as mentioned in an earlier post, the railway was shifted to the west side of town in 1963 because of traffic congestion issues by the 1950s when people started buying cars en masse (and crossings of it there were furnished with overpasses).

Railway/road congestion is, of course, a major problem for Waikanae.

“It all smells a bit fishy around here! Wondering what the smell is today? Seems to be some kind of jellyfish? Washed up on our beautiful beach as far as the eye can see (and the nose can smell).” (From the Waikanae Beach Residents Association Facebook page)

Not aliens but Velella.  It’s been reported all along the North Island west coast from Makara to the Taranaki.