Minutes January 2021

Feb 1, 2021 | RRBA Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held at Avebury House, Tuesday, 26 January, 2021

Present: Committee: V.Brown, D.Duffy, C.Given, H.Guglietta, M.James.

City Council: Y. Johannson,  R.Faimalo, B. Winder, K. McRae

Residents: C. Doig, P. Boland, R. Thomson, B. Rogers, J. McPhillips, C. McClement, R. Crawford, M. Hollobon, R. Sutton, C. Allden, D.Swiggs

Apologies: P.Cotter, A Davies

Minutes of the Previous Meeting – accepted: V.Ware/D.Duffy

Correspondence – received

Inwards: – received

  • Ed Leeson (OCHT) 
  • Betty Shore – re Gowerton Place

Outward

  • OCHT and others re Gowerton Place
  • Jill Hawkey – M.M.S.H.

Outwards: approved

Financial matters: 

Accounts to pay:

Akiva – $178.00 (Domain name renewal, web hosting service renewal, email hosting renewal)

Passed for payment: V.Ware/C.Given

River Road Developments:

Katy McRae, Manager Engagement, Strategy and Transformation, C.C.C., and Brenden Winder (Red Zone Manager) presented the plans for the new Medway Street bridge and surrounding area. The bridge has been designed for accessibility and safety and will infringe on the current carriageway.  Plans were shown to show this detail. Designers looked at options and decided that the best option was to close off a small part of River Road. The project proposed the permanent closing of River Road between the new bridge and a point approximately 30m north of the Casa Bambini School. Traffic will be redirected from River Road, down Medway Street, Flesher Avenue to North Avon Road. River Road between Banks Avenue and Medway Street will have minimal maintenance service. Substantial barriers will be used to prevent traffic moving along the closed portion of River Road. Tenders are currently out for the bridge and construction will probably start in winter and will take a year. 

The discussion talked through the following points:

  • Barriers design needs careful thought as previous barriers in other areas are constantly damaged. This will be considered in the contract details.
  • The road closing should reduce the amount of anti-social and dangerous vehicle behaviour.
  • From Medway Street, River Rd could be widened to provide parking facilities giving people access to the bridge and the Red Zone. The road is not in Regeneration Plan. 
  • There should be continued access for cyclists and walkers.
  • North Avon Road could be cut off at Flesher Ave or at the river end of the road with access to Casa Bambini arranged through from Flesher Ave. Katy – that is why they are not doing curb and channel. 
  • Future plans in the area may change. There is still a good deal of uncertainty about the future of various proposed projects. 
  • Land transfer hasn’t happened yet so the Council can’t have conversations about Casa access until then.
  • Traffic flows in Flesher Ave, River Road and at school opening and closing times were discussed.
  • Katy will find out about heavy machinery.
  • This in an intergenerational process and so funding is restricted. 
  • Trees – map for corridor for people to indicate tree that is important to them. No promises but they will take it in to account. Cult sign, ecological importance. This project will get off the ground later this year and she will be in touch.
  • Suggested that info be sent out to local residents re the bridge. Rough timeframes. Plans. Small section of River Rd. Medway Bridge build only. Site upkeep, planting, traffics calming etc will come later.
  • That any successful tender be required to have a community meeting, regardless of who wins it.
  • The maps are still in the developmental stage and are not available yet for general release to the public.
  • We are a community. 60 adults and 40 kids live in stretch of road and have been living there for long time. Need to consider all of the community. Bundled in with the red zone.

Other community comments

  • Focus on structure and access, not community. How road is closed is important and how it is maintained. Needs proper landscaping and friendly feeling.
  • Concern was expressed about the heavy machinery going down Flesher and Medway and the associated disturbance. 
  • Speed bumps at ends of Flesher should be included. 
  • No community feedback. Rationale is based on Regeneration Plan and board has received this. It has good rationale and has already had good consultation. In 2015 the C.C.C. signed off on road closure. 
  • Want to bring to life green spine.
  • Patrick Boland gave examples of successful collaborative enterprises which were characterised by the interaction of all people involved in the projects. This created a sense of ownership within the community. Continued communication was essential with ‘no secrets’ to enhance, knowledge, trust and project success.

Next Steps

  • When the project gets to the design point, the Council was urged to come back and consult with the community.
  • Council staff indicated that they were willing to receive feedback from RRBA. 
  • The project should become a standing item on future R.R.B.A. meetings.
  • It was suggested that information be sent out to local residents about the bridge through the current R.R.B.A. networks.
  • Items such as timeframes plan development, site upkeep, planting, traffic flows and calming etc, are all items for future discussion.

Council Reports: R.Faimolo

The parking policy is open for consultation. A follow up forum will come to the group. The Inner City Neighbourhood Programme initiative encouraging the growth of living in the city commences 18th February. 

Asset mapping is happening in a number of communities eg Phillipston. 

General Business: 

  • Methodist Mission Social Housing Project update: –a written report was received from Jill Hawkey and from Rene Demegilio (Community Developmet Worker):

Current Tenancy Status: Houses Occupied, 7 (others will be moving in over the next few weeks), No of adults, 10, Number of Children, 20 (oldest child = 14 yrs old)

Families have already bonded well, having lunch and dinner invitations together. Some children have already bonded well. 

The planting is doing well overall and the grass is growing well. Rene has spoken to Karen Terris, Community Development Manager of Delta Community Trust regarding the community garden project and she has offered to follow up with Mary for a meeting.

There is still some planting to be done which will occur when the weather is a little cooler. The ground cover natives are also doing well although some flax plants and heucheras have withered.

The residents have had their first community meeting (Fish and Chips Afternoon) and have discussed the borrowing scheme for the lawnmower and garden tools. Rene has also advised them about the lawnmowing of the public areas and their private areas.

The neighbours seem to be quite happy about what they see. Two have asked about the Community House and have been shown around.  I have also spoken to two neighbours to ask if they have encountered any issues with the residents and they said they have none. They have offered visiting opportunities to the community house in case they have some issues. 

There has been one dispute that we are aware of between a resident and a neighbour. This is being dealt with by the CMM Housing Team.

In conclusion, the development seems to be settling down well and families are being well supported by Rene.

  • Richmond Village Project Contract – Deon Swiggs has taken up this position. He will start getting out next week full time to meet people and to start co-ordinating the good information and goodwill. Deon has produced draft notes which summarised some priorities: engage business so staff are engaged; tidying up the duplication; API to google maps can be updated. He requested feedback about anything we want him to ask the businesses.
  • Richmond Road Repair programme update – A meeting with the Council Planning Team is scheduled for Feb 11th to discuss the next steps in this programme
  • Green Lab projects – We are waiting for final sign-off which will transfer responsibility for current projects to a group which includes RCG, AVON, RRBA and Riverlution. This group will then be able to initiate future projects and maintain existing sites.  
  • Planning for Future Submissions: Submission preparation for the LTP is well underway for the North Richmond Road repair programme and the Cycle Safety Route These will be presented to the Community Boards next month. Other developments where submissions should be prepared include Climate Change Strategy, and Representational Review. Y.Johannsen urged the committee to consider these submissions early especially if budgetary amounts were being requested. There will be a C.C.C. website to see what is proposed in our area but it won’t have lots of detail. Dion asked for year 2 &3 projects so one can see what is programmed, deleted etc. Yani can supply details.

  • Gowerton Place and other RMA/funding issues: 

Residents near the Gowerton Place development are seeking continued dialogue with the developers to continue to air their concerns. The residents were encouraged to keep the R.R.B.A. informed of the outcomes from future discussions.

H.Guglietta stated that developer contributions are supposed to go to the community but this has not been happening. Social housing is exempt from this. Council will be consulting on its developer contribution projects. (Y.Johannsen) There will be a chance to consult to achieve clarity about whether it goes back into community or not.

The CCC does not have a bond system for developers causing damage to the street/footpaths during the construction of building projects. Yani will follow this up. Meeting encouraged to use Snap Send Solve too.

The National policy is very permissive and concerning. It implies that things will be done to communities not with people. When the RMA changes we need to let MPs know our stories.

Concerns were expressed about the clear felling of all trees at the Banks Avenue site being developed by Williams Corporation. An update on resource consents will be sought.

There will be an update on the Urban Development policy will be available in March.

  • Poulton Ave – Suburban Trees – A meeting will be arranged for R.R.B.A. and Poulton Ave residents and Council staff once a decision has been made re protection for trees. 

Y.Johannsen: Tree Policy – internal policy document about trees on public land is being prepared. Yani is going to request urgent work on tree protection in private property. Need to do some property charts such as one that was done by Di Lucas. Need community plan identifying those that are special so we can get them protected.

An urban tree strategy prepared by Council would address improved canopy cover, biodiversity and improved ecology systems.

Hayley – There are trees in the red zone areas that can be moved to create orchards on other sites, eg. Medway Street, Swanns Road. We need to attract sponsorship. Richmond Community Garden will also be running workshops re pruning etc, composting etc.

  • Cycle Safety Route progress: Two draft concepts have been prepared – the first is the minimum cost option that will get the route up and running with adequate pavement marking and signage and one or two other improvements – the second plan is an improved version of the first, with several locations being upgraded to improve the existing layouts but obviously at a higher cost. Route implementation needs to be considered alongside the street reconstructions when it comes to discretionary raising of levels of service along the route above option 1 which will provide an acceptable level of service route.
  • S.B.H.S. Gymnasium complex and ground maintenance – the secretary was requested to write to the Ministry of Education to learn where the development of the Spartan Complex was at present.
  • Charities Registration – H.Guglietta requested that we become registered as a Charity. This would give us access to some more funding streams. The fee was $51.00 per year. It was moved that H.Guglietta could go ahed and register the R.R.B.A.: V.Ware,C.Given – passed.
  • Banks Avenue School site: the secretary was asked to write to the Ministry to get an update on the situation regarding the Spartan Centre and amenities. An inquiry is to be made to the Ministry to find out what the future holds for the current school site once the school moves to its new site in Averill Street/North Parade. A separate inquiry will also ask what, if any, progress has been made in securing the future of the ex S.B.H.S. Spartan complex.
  • Avebury House – Y. Johannsen spoke of moves to allow Avebury House to host more functions and events and of possible increased funding to allow this to happen.

The meeting closed at 9.30 p.m. 

Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 26 at Avebury House; 7.00 p.m.