Tuesday, 8 March 2016, 7:30pm
Present: committee members: Iain MacLean, Kate Dreaver, Paul FitzGerald, Pauline Morse, June Penhey, Brian Sullivan, Nick Vincent, Jonathan Harker; Bronwyn Kropp (PCC), Tim Sheppard (PCC), Gay Hay, Lottie Sterck, Malcolm Garnham (Nga Uruora).
Apologies: Dagmar Pesendorfer, Jenny Brash (GWRC).
Approval of previous minutes: Moved Paul, seconded Nick.
Matters arising from previous minutes
Paua poaching: signage is adequate according to MPI. Resolved to put up another sign by the car park anyway.
Financial Report
Balance: $3,214.55
PCC grant money deposited.
Correspondence
PCC: documents now online.
Action: Jonathan to sign up for PCC alerts and documents by email.
Secret Valley – Adopt A Spot
PCC now has an “Adopt A Spot” scheme for local groups to take over care for an area. Funding is available for clean up graffiti, gardening and planting, environmental monitoring, etc. Lottie Sterck suggests school children adopt the secret valley and work on some murals for the platform. Gay also suggests involvement with walkways and Kapiti Biodiversity Project. Discussion about replacing the solar-powered lighting. Suggestion that GWRC may be useful to ask for funds for these sorts of improvements, there is also a small amount of PCC Creative Arts funding available, and Trust House Foundation may also have some available for community murals.
Te Araroa Walkway
Malcolm from Nga Uruora. Since 1997, has been running a coast restoration conservation project with the aim to bring the Kapiti Island birdsong onto the mainland, which is largely rodent and mustelid pest control. Te Araroa Walkway to be opened 9 April with a Paekakariki planting ceremony. Has conducted revegetation work to improve the walkway. Need to sort out the Pukerua Bay end, and engage with keen folks from the local community. Will be over a period of years, starting with weed control, and including replanting of locally grown natives. Anyone interested is invited to an initial look-see at 5pm on Wednesday 16 March with a landscape consultant, who will then come up with a professionally developed landscape plan pro-bono.
PCC update
SH1 roadside garden
Roading administrator Peter Chapman has been asked to find the best solution for this garden and we will let you know his response when we have it.
Community garden
Parks will look at developing a license to allow your community group to start using the reserve for a community garden using alternative access while we wait for KiwiRail to come on board. Jaydine Keenan will be doing the work and would appreciate if someone could be in touch to let her know who her key community contact will be for this work – as she will have questions. Jaydine will need to put together a report for the next Council meeting – April 21, and will need details around the alternative access and what you plan on the site.
Upgrade of footpath from shops to Wairaka Rd
This is now with our roading team who are identifying if there is sufficient funding for this project and applying for any NZTA subsidy it might attract. They are also considering the northern section from Haunui Rd to Waimarino Rd
Muri Rd footpath access under SH1
This is being designed by MWH and construction may have to wait until the new financial year (2016/17).
Muri Rd lighting and speed issues
We hope you received lots of responses to your community survey. Would you like us to arrange a meeting with our roading team to discuss the next steps?
Pedestrian gate on Muri Road: suggest removing the gate, due to the 90° turn at the top of the steps.
Action: Bronwyn to ask them to remove the gate.
Muri Road lighting and speed issues: the grass verge was supposed to have been mown recently, but it hasn’t been done. Potholes by Sea Vista Drive has not been repaired. Thirty responses from survey so far.
Action: Bronwyn to follow up repairs and mowing again, and organise a meeting with roading team.
PCC Annual Plan Submission
Rates: PCC trying to reduce this year’s rates rise from 5% to 2–3% by trimming costs; there may be some unpopular options in the draft annual plan in March 2016. Link roads to Transmission Gully is a major contributor.
Community Garden
Planning workshop to take place at The Woolshed on Saturday 12 March, 10am–4pm, BYO pot-luck lunch. Anyone interested welcome.
Action: Jonathan to contact Jaydine about licence and progress.
Meeting finished: 9.05 pm
Next meeting: Tuesday 12 April 2016