Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, 18 November 2014, 7.30 pm
Pukerua Bay Community Hall
Present
Committee members: Iain MacLean, Kate Dreaver, Pauline Morse, Geert van de Vorstenbosch, Ted Coats, Dagmar Pesendorfer, Tia Beaufort
Porirua City Council: Bronwyn Kropp, Anita Baker, Euon Murrell, Peter Bailey.
Community members: Ralph Johnson, Ara Swanney, Pamela Gerrish-Nunn, Gay Hay, Jenny Wrightson, Chris Paice, Jenny Dawson, Karen Apperley, Tony Quayle, Mack Morum, Pauline Morum, Jonathan Harker, Janice Rodenburg, Paul Clegg, Tainui Salzmann.
Apologies: Gill England, Bill Inge, June Penhey, Jonathan Jull
Minutes of last AGM
Approval of the minutes from 2013 AGM (moved Pauline Morse, seconded Geert van de Vorstenbosch). Carried.
Matters arising
Pamela Gerrish-Nunn asked whether the generator and defibrillator have been used. Both are intended primarily for emergencies, however, the generator has been used to provide power for the Beach Bash.
Chair’s report
Presented by Iain MacLean.
- Village Planning priorities have been the community garden, Green and Gold trails, and shared cycle way/footpath between the shops and Wairaka Road.
- Muri Reserve development planned to create a soft recreation area, and are consulting on it.
- Northern growth area structure plan has the potential to have an impact on Pukerua Bay and we will monitor development there.
- Environment: Significant Vegetation Consultative Group formed in response to community’s reaction to PCC’s significant vegetation proposals last year. Supported school’s Tag Free Kiwi anti-graffiti programme. Considering a street tree pruning proposal from PCC. Planning to make rat bait traps available to residents.
- Made submissions on draft Local Alcohol Policy for Porirua, and attended PCC place-making events on making central city more attractive.
- Continued support for Beach Bash.
- Very active civil defence group led by Robyn Moore and Geert van de Vorstenbosch.
Adoption moved Iain, seconded Pauline Morse. Carried.
Discussion on chair’s report
Gay Hay: The association had intended to hold a clean-up following Raroa Reserve success, and we need to capitalize on that. She is concerned about the corner of Wairaka Rd and SH1. Whose responsibility is it? Peter Bailey (PCC) recalls an agreement that NZTA would do some and then the community would take it over. We could hand it back to them to maintain if we want it to. He will get someone to check the details. Gay says it needs a partnership where the authorities remove the material but we do the work.
Geert van de Vorstenbosch: suggestion for next focus is the gully parallel to Pa Road. Not sure whose land it is.
Ted Coats: the beach frontage is an obvious choice and it will meet public benefit and Council objectives. A beach resident recalled a community initiative to clear up Cape Ivy and tidy up the escarpment. The area is a showcase for visitors, but often looks scruffy.
Pamela Gerrish-Nunn: can we propose what we will do? Iain said we will put it on a work plan.
Ted Coats: the authorities would take a dim view of the community working on the garden at the intersection of SH1 and Wairaka Road due to safety issues, but we should just do it and not involve children.
Financial report
Annual Financial Statements 2013–2014
| Income | $108.72 |
| Expenses | $569.56 |
| Depreciation | $347.65 |
| Net loss | $808.49 |
| Total assets | $8,228.03 |
| Total liabilities | $0 |
The Association’s assets are made up of cash in the bank, generator and defibrillator.
Acceptance moved Dagmar Pesendorfer, seconded Geert van de Vorstenbosch. Carried.
Discussion
Gay Hay asked whether we could get a grant from Creative Porirua to cover expenses at the Beach Bash, or charge for entry. Iain explained that community events have to allow free access or the PCC licensing conditions are more onerous, which is why we collect a koha just to cover expenses. Karen Apperley pointed out that grants can have complex compliance conditions.
Civil Defence report
Presented by Geert van de Vorstenbosch.
There were no major callouts during the year.
The local group used the Beach Bash as an opportunity for networking, and pushed Neighbors Day as a way of people getting to know their neighbours.
They promoting the purchase of an emergency kit and organization of a grab bag. The booklet ‘It’s Easy’ describes what to do to organize this and a neighborhood emergency plan.
They made submissions to Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management plan and PCC’s annual plan. They were concerned that a change to a regional focus on emergency management makes it harder for local people to keep their training up.
The continue to maintain the defibrillator and generator.
Plans for next year include a mock scenario, activating the Civil Defence Centre. They are keen to involve locals in this.
Discussion
Pamela Gerrish-Nunn: Concerned about care for animals in an emergency and suggests a workshop. Geert was happy to follow up on this. He notes that welfare centres in Christchurch were geared up to care for people and pets. Centres here are more information-gathering and -providing hubs rather than providing the direct care. He was not sure about intention with regards to PCC welfare centres.
Tag-free term at Pukerua Bay School
Presented by teacher Tara Taylor-Jorgenson and pupils Yuri Wrightson and Enya Pesendorfer. They celebrated with a movie that told the story.
The school worked with PCC on a programme where the children learned about graffiti and street art, and the differences. They learned about artists Banksie and Keith Harring as part of the programme. They created a mural at the skate park, and one for Raroa Block. They ran a poster competition about littering, with some being made into street signage. PCC funded the programme, including two professional artists who worked with the children.
Pupils went to the skate park every Tuesday for a term. They helped design the mural for the skatepark, which is about the sea. The artists ensured all students were included, and even the five year olds were involved — it was timed perfectly for hand print time. The children enjoyed seeing the slow evolution of the two large pieces of art. However, they realize the skate park mural won’t last long as it’s a high use area.
The school had a skateboard teacher (an ex-student) come in to talk to the children. PCC supplied skate board ramps during the programme.
The long-term effects are unknown as yet. However, it was a bad year for tagging last year, but there has been nothing significant this year. The children learned about tagging culture, e.g. only tag a blank wall, not a mural.
SH1 after Transmission Gully
Presented by Peter Bailey, PCC Asset Management and Operations General Manager.
Peter said PCC hasn’t decided what will happen to SH1 after Transmission Gully is built. They have been focussed on the contract of the link road at Pauatahanui so haven’t started the work on SH1 yet. He assured us that we will be a key influence on how it developed. PCC will get NZTA to do some work, but some of the work will rest on ratepayers.
Peter thinks biggest issue may be balance between degree of traffic/road calming between here and Paekakariki. An increased traffic/road calming helps reduce outside traffic, but also makes it a slower route for locals.
Transmission Gully is supposed to be built in four years, and the contractor doesn’t get paid till traffic starts to flow.
When the western corridor study was done they modeled the effect of a 50kph limit on SH1 north. It was based on local traffic plus 100 extra vehicle movements per day. Currently, over 23,000 vehicle movements per day, so traffic movement will go well down.
If the speed limit is kept at 80kph, more vehicles are likely to come this way.
Discussion
Pamela Gerrish-Nunn: What is PCC’s attitude to tolls?
Peter: They would have to be legislated for. Legislation says any toll cannot significantly divert traffic from the road. The issue may not even arise.
Gay Hay: What about safety in the Bay in the meantime?
Peter: He doubts NZTA would invest now without a major crisis. Build of Transmission Gully and Kapiti expressway are likely to stimulate economic activity so likely to have a knock-on effect during this construction period.
Geert van de Vorstenbosch: Will NZTA subsidise road maintenance after handover?
Peter: Part of PCC road programme is currently subsidised (going up to 52%).
Geert van de Vorstenbosch: Is there an obligation or NZTA to hand over the road in a certain condition?
Peter: There are no guarantees but it has to be in a fit state. They’re keen to get it off their books, but PCC will push for it to be in a sound condition. Any work is likely to happen after the heavy traffic moves off it. As a local road it won’t need to be designed for such heavy trucks. But routine maintenance is a big ongoing cost. There is also an issue with the southern part of SH1 — do we need a 4-lane highway between Paremata and Porirua? The road can’t stay with NZTA because they don’t want duplicate highways. From a community perspective, a hand-over means we can make more of our own decisions.
Dagmar Pesendorfer: Could the road become a scenic state highway?
Peter: These tend to be in large DOC/scenic areas that don’t have a lot of local traffic and are quieter routes. They also seems to be used as a marketing term. Under legislation a road is either a state highway or a local road.
Ted Coats: If it is a local road, does PCC, and therefore us, have complete discretion over traffic calming measures? Or will NZTA set requirements so it’s a useful alternative route?
Peter: That is over to the Council, with input from the community. PCC’s strategy is to delay taking over the road so they don’t have to take on the cost until completely necessary. Consultation is not likely to start till about July next year – it’s more appropriate after the Long Term Plan has been worked through.
Karen Apperly: What about measures in the meantime? Some streetlights are currently not very effective due to vegetation. Could we have red road marks, like Paekakariki has? Iain — what is stopping us getting these measures?
Peter: PCC will take this up with the NZTA.
Jonathan Harker: Who decides where speed cameras go?
Peter: The Police decide that, but there’s consultation with PCC.
Tia Beaufort: On the main road south, where it merges, it would be better to drop the speed limit sooner.
Peter: We will ask NZTA about that. Philosophy has changed to posting signs that set the safe speed rather than the maximum allowable speed. The goal of good road design is to create good natural transitions in speed.
Muri Reserve Development
There are plans to change the undeveloped area. Currently looking at a food forest, and the area of protected vegetation in the swamp area.
Jonathan Harker is leading a group who are keen to contribute to a community garden. They are keen on a ‘food forest’ as a long-term plan. This would include fruits and nut trees, rather than vegetables. It will be low maintenance if they make the right choices and create an ecosystem. They need to work through red tape by first negotiating a development plan. They need formal permission from PCC to change the space. They can do some things now that would be classified as re-vegetation, but ‘gardening’ requires permission. RA is currently getting feedback and consulting on what people want in the reserve, and can then move forward on permissions.
Gay Hay: Is there a connection to Te Araroa Track?
Iain MacLean: Potentially, but would not be part of the track.
The community are encouraged to fill out the survey form on the website. Open for the next couple of weeks.
Election of Executive Committee Members
There are two vacancies. Iain thanked Gill England and Ted Coats for their valued contribution.
Election: Janice Rodenburg moved and Ted Coats seconded election of current committee plus Jonathan Harker.