Annual reports for this year’s Annual General Meeting are available online. These include the Chair’s report from the committee, the financial statements, and reports on activities by various groups operating under the umbrella of the Residents’ Association.
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Minutes Tuesday 8 October 2024 7:30pm–9:00am RSA Wairaka Road
Apologies: Gay Hay, Jonathan Harker, Chris Kirk-Burnnand. Attending: Paul FitzGerald, Margaret Blair, Nikky Winchester, Iain MacLean. Community members: Dorothy Ibrahim, Pamela Nunn.
Council updates (PCC)
Report by Councillor Ross Leggatt.
Three Waters. PCC has to develop a Three Waters Delivery Plan for government by the end of this year outlining which option they would prefer for the region: a council-owned company (CCO) or a stand-alone organisation. Horowhenua, Wairarapa, Kāpiti, Porirua, Hutt City, Upper Hutt, and Wellington are local authorities that could be included in the regional stand-alone organisation. This is likely to be similar to Wellington Water, and the assets of the existing councils would be transferred to it.
Sixty percent of PCC capital expenditure is on water infrastructure. This new organisation needs about 30 percent more staff to do the work that is required throughout the region.
Good progress on water leaks. The number of recorded leaks has dropped from 240 to 32. Pukerua Bay is now saving three percent of its water.
Papakowhai shared path: This will be opening in a couple of weeks. There is no money for changing the intersection by Aotea College.
Mormon temple: The Church of Later Day Saints is applying for resource consents to build a new temple on the Gear Homestead site. It has owned the land for around 30 years. The application will be considered by a panel of three commissioners. One issue will be the impact of traffic while it is being built.
Other roads: The shared path to Onepoto is off the table as the government has withdrawn funding, and a number of other roading and intersection projects will be delayed.
Last month’s minutes
Moved Paul / seconded Iain. All in favour. Carried.
Matters arising
None.
Financial report as at 6 October 2024
BNZ $ 12,563.36
Income:
$ 18.21 Interest
$ 350.00 CGFF Tea Towels
$ 10.00 CGFF Seed Sales
$ 20.00 Kōrero
Expenditure:
$ 1.80 Fees
$ 153.00 CGFF Pavilion
$ 395.00 CGFF Rongoa
$ 8.00 Haywards Horse Manure
$ 58.25 Waste and Compost
Invoices – Issued
$ 20 Kōrero
Invoices – Paid
$ 20 Kōrero
Invoices – OutstandingAccount balances as at 6 October 2024
Res Assn 000 $ 459.15
He Ara 001 $ 1165.82
CGFF 002 $ 1296.37
Kōrero 066 $ 1158.77
Surf Seat 067 $ 174.73
On Call Acct 025 $ 8318.52
Grants and donations
CGFF $1000.00 Tree Crop Grant
CGFF $1000.00 Donation
CGFF $ 500.00 Donation
He Ara $5000.00 Donation
Kōrero $ 750.00 Pelorus Grant
Residents $ 68.52 Interest
Margaret has prepared the financial statements for the 2023-24 year to present to the AGM.
Project updates
Community garden food forest
Compost – Great job from Brian, Ralph, and Paul shifting the cape ivy to compost. Theu brought back soil and compost to the flower garden. Then returned for 3 m3 for the Rongoā. Half a bin of compost ready to be used.
Hoses – Work in progress. Gay would like every tap to have a sprinkler and and a hand held nozzle. Donations welcome. Gay has sorted out the hoses to dahlias, lemon and tomato, potatoes and water tank. Soaker hose by gooseberries has split. Last year we divided the watering into areas, which worked ok.
Finances:
002 Acc $1344.62 On call $1000.00 Grant $1000.00 Donation $500.00 Donation
Southern side mulched ready for compost and planting.
Tomato seedlings – Vicky has some spare.
Vicky to build structure for runner beans
Zuchini, pumpkin and corn ready. School involved.
Potatoes and Kumara looking good.
Rongoā – Cardboard needs to go under the sacks as sacks aren’t smothering the cape ivy and bindweed. Ziggy’s cardboard is great!
Dahlia – We’re extending the dahlia bed up the hill a bit. Miranda suggests putting the cafe au lait dahlias and cosmos in the raised flower bed. Plans to sell tubers and cut flowers.
Garden club visit – A local garden club has asked to visit and we’ve arranged 11 Feb.
Berry Tunnel – Ashley was proved right about the netting last year. We will leave it off until the fruit starts to set.
Battling bugs –
Last year we got passion vine hopper and shield beetles.
Peaches and apricots we used seaweed and copper band. Only one tree has curly leaf.
We used Corey’s soil conditioner. John has applied to trees.
Gay and Judy went to a biodynamics workshop and they got some stuff which John has painted the trees with it.
Coddling moth confusers are hanging in the trees.
Vasoline and cardboard around the apple and pears.
Worms – the worms are great at the moment although we do have slugs. Event – we need an event to sell worms, dahlia and celebrate the pavillion.
Summer Celebration – maybe Sat, 7 Dec.
Fundraising – still thinking about fundraising calendar and a possible garden tour.
Security – the cameras seem to be effective.
He Ara report October 2024
The fencepost on Muri Road, dated AW (Antony Wall II) 1929, from the corner of Wall property has been removed and stored following a conversation with Simon Barber.
PKB Hub Pop-Up Parlour session “Do you remember” on 10 September was very successful. Forty people attended, enjoyed Macaroon cake from Mrs Charles Gray’s recipe, and contributed to lively discussions on Pukerua Bay’s past from the night cart to mushrooming to growing up in the Bay.
Research of the Mulhern family involved a visit to St Joseph’s Church, Pauatahanui. Brian Murphy was a superb host. Lunch followed at GroundUp using the vouchers the team won at the school quiz.
Work is progressing on the website.
Isaac du Toit has been commissioned to illustrate and produce a story book about the Bevan children’s walk from Wellington to Waikawa in 1845. Their overnight stay in Pukerua is recorded in great detail in Thomas Bevan’s book The Reminiscences of An Old Colonist.
Gun Emplacement – no word from PCC.
Pou Panel – kaumatua to be contacted.
Heritage Festival event 9 November – planning underway. Unfortunately Barbara Edmonds is unable to open the event.
Korero
We’re assembling copy for the final issue of the year, to be published in November. Our theme is writers and writing, a kind of mirror to the theme for November 2023, which was reading. We have many talented writers in our community, and illustrators and designers
This issue will also promote some of the events planned over summer, as well as reflecting on some of what has happened over the last month, with the very successful Parlour Pop-up and Climate Action series.
We would like to thank the RA committee for endorsing our application for a grant from the Pelorus Foundation. It was successful and will cover our costs until early next year.
In the next month or so, we will be planning themes and topics for next year. We’re always interested in your ideas!
General business
Fireworks
Pamela Nunn raised the issue of fireworks being set off next to neighbours’ houses. After last Guy Fawkes day, when her neighbour set off fireworks within a few metres of her house, she approached the RA and Council about whether we were able to stop this. She wrote to Josh Trlin as local councillor, who told her the council has no power to stop people setting them off, but does have to respond to noise complaints.
Committee decided we would do some publicity asking people to be considerate and promote public events families can attend.
Train replacement bus shelter
Paul has had a response from Greater Wellington Regional Council. He has suggested an alternative route around Pukerua Bay that includes drop offs and pick ups at Teihana Road, which are closer to the train station and shops.
Bike on Raroa Reserve
Margaret was told about some people riding powered bikes up the track through Raroa Reserve. This is obviously a danger to people walking there. Paul will write to PCC asking for a barrier at the bottom to stop vehicles without interfering with other things like buggies.
Annual General Meeting
To be held on Wednesday 30 October, 7:30pm Pukerua Bay RSA.
Publicity has started with an item in latest Kōrero issue. We will create an event on our website and share it with community Facebook groups. We will send emails directly to members.
The Residents Association was approached for comment on the Mt Welcome farm housing development being included in the 149 in the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Plimmerton Farm development is also included in the list of 149.
This is the response we sent to the journalist.
“We understand the need for extra housing and the Northern area of Porirua has been identified as a high-growth area. We generally support the approach being taken so far. Pukerua Bay residents, and the Residents Association have put a lot of work into ensuring that any development meets both the social needs of the community and protects the environment. We submitted to the council’s review of the district plan and there is a special district plan (Variation 1) that covers the area the Classic developers land is in. This includes a high degree of protection for freshwater in the area, particularly any water that flows into the Pauatahanui arm of the Porirua Harbour. It is also based on medium-density housing, which our RA supports. The environmental protection in the district plan is strongly supported by local residents.
“PCC had been working with Kāinga Ora on a potential Specified Development Project for the Northern Growth Area, which would have integrated all the housing developments between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton, to ensure a joined up approach for roading, community facilities, public transport and other infrastructure. We would not support any developments being taken out of that holistic approach by this Fast Track process.
“Taking individual developments out of this integrated approach looks like a step backwards for the city if it allowed developers to ignore the work council, residents, developers and Kāinga Ora have already done and take a short-cut that can ignore the appropriate environmental protection. Any approvals under the fast track process should include the conditions and environmental protections that have already been negotiated by council and developers.”
Logging of the pine plantation is about to start on part of the Muri Road housing development by Pukerua Holdings Limited.
The area is the part of the development that has been zoned as residential for many years and is the area closest to the existing houses in Muri Road. This is the Muri Road Stage 1 development. Porirua City Council has issued a resource consent to Pukerua Holdings for the work and their contractors will begin working there in the next couple of weeks.
It’s anticipated the operation will last about four months.
Attending: Ross Leggett, Chris Kirk-Burnnand, Paul FitzGerald, Margaret Blair, Jane Comben, Gay Hay, Jonothan Harker, Iain MacLean. Ashley Blair, Hugh Evans Apologies: Nikky Winchester
Council Updates
GWRC
Summary of submissions out today – plenty have come through. Hearings starting soon. Drop in sessions.
Community Garden – has a reply for a meeting with KiwiRail. Escarpment Walkway have access way and questioning why we can’t back onto that. Chris says GWRC They have leverage on other issues
Meeting with Simeon Brown mentioned about ferry terminal cancelled. Was going to be 1000 year resilience and pointless if everything else was is damaged in a massive earthquake.
PCC
Long Term Plan consultation Paul and Iain presented a submission today.
We aren’t the only ones who commented on Village Planning. There is a conversation for councillors on that.
Plimmerton Farm have applied for fast track consenting. A panel will be put up from PCC and fresh water experts etc. Draft comments PCC generally supportive of development. The extra special development (SDP) would be led by Kainga Ora and planned properly. Council are having a briefing in coming weeks about benefits of PCC taking part or not. In theory a good idea but in practice more mixed. PCC don’t have to take part in it. Barber development would be part of SDP. Some developers including Barber are ready to go. PCC worried about downstream load on sewage, silt, mana waste-water, etc.
Wellington Region water options are open to discussion.
Love Local trade show coming up again.
Career expo in Arena was successful.
New hub sign installed to replace Civil Defence
Ross on Transport Committee – new government seems to be moving away from cycle ways but being addressed in other ways.
Escarpment domes and replanting
Discussion with Hugh Evans (Floruit)
Regenerative Tourism — focus as social enterprise, investing in marginal farmland to plant mostly native forest. Looking at 5 sites around NZ. This is a pilot and test for accommodation for revenue to plant Verity and Pamela’s farm. ¾ through build. Resort consent for 5 years with strict conditions. 3 domes accommodation, 1 is a communal dome. Max 12 people on site. First year just over hectare planned for planting. They are interested in relationship of people and place. Larger model will have a membership model. Plan for 2040 timescale.
Previous project Thankyou Payroll transitioning to steward ownership. Into a trust with all profits into a trust to be a self-funded charity. They want a similar approach with this project. Profits from carbon sequestration, all sites will have grant making and employment opportunities. They starting people staying in one month.
Fencing needs to be done with Hamish the farmer. They only need about 500 metres. Access through Woolshed road and their carpark on a 4 wheel track. Composting and waste water large dispersal field.
Approval of April 2024 minutes
Motion: Paul moved to accept April minutes, Iain seconded – all agreed, carried.
Res Assn 000 $ 255.19 He Ara 001 $ 1504.22 CGFF 002 $ 396.41 Kōrero 066 $ 1907.97 Surf Seat 067 $ 174.93 On Call Acct 025 $ 4511.92
Motion: Paul moved to accept May financials, Gay seconded – all agreed, carried.
Correspondence
Contact through website looking for Margaret Blair.
Project updates
Community Garden & Food Forest
Tea Towel sales 108 sold, need to sell 50 more to cover costs. Payment made to printers We need to develop a marketing plan to complete sales. Action Jane to promote on Facebook through all channels we can think of.
Matariki & Crankie Thanks to Peter Stevenson (Welsh artist /storyteller) for his generous contribution of his talent and time to this concept. Thanks to Brian for the wonderful Crankie construction.
Compost Paul and Brian have built an amazing set of 3 bins. Vicky will manage the making of compost with help from Brian and Cory (Wellesley Sustainable Trust).
Tree Crop Trust Application and project. $1000 applied for to buy trees, signage and promotional pamphlets. Thanks to Jonathan for his computer skills to complete application.
Tree Crop visit Approximately 20 people from Wellington / Horowhenua Tree Crops Association will visit garden 18 May at 1pm. Jane to welcome, Ara to present history of the garden, Gay to talk about current projects. We will provide afternoon tea and promote tea towels.
Work day 9 June Poster in Residents Association notice board, Facebook promo. Cory from Wellesley Sustainable Trust has agreed to talk about liquid composts we can make for our gardens. He asked for a Koha.
Kindergarten visit Proposed for last Wednesday of May (29th). They have asked for a Crankie presentation of the Matariki story at the kindergarten. We need to confirm with storyteller.
Identifying of fruit trees Paul has made good progress with this. Agreed to purchase a ‘poker’ to write names onto wood. More computer details to access information may be added later. Lenka has asked for our support to cater John’s birthday at RSA. She will make a donation to the garden.
Cranky Thanks to the generous contribution Peter Stevenson from Wales made to us having a Crankie. During his visit to Aotearoa last year and his visit to our Garden, Peter put forward the idea of a Crankie for our Community Garden. Peter is a world renowned story teller, illustrator and collector. Peter’s son is now resident in our country and so Peter will visit him for several months every year. When he was planning his trip this year, he suggested to me that if he could stay in my studio he would paint a Crankie for us as a donation to our Garden. Gay, can you help me here? Was it after meeting with you and Moira Wairama, that we as a collective came up with the idea of a Matariki themed story for the Crankie. Gay arranged permissions from Moira and also Margaret Tolland who illustrated Moira’s book ‘Nanny Jo and the Wild Mokopuna’. Peter based his illustrations on Margaret’s work. He did not copy but was inspired by Margaret’s work. Within Moira’s book Nanny Jo tells the story of the great fisherman Taramainuku and it is this story that Peter painted onto our Crankie Scroll. Brian Sullivan took up the task of creating the frame within which the Crankie scroll sits and is turned for the telling. Brian met with Peter, Peter provided drawings and dimensions for the Crankie house and Brian created a most wonderful home for our Crankies. There are many people to thank for this Crankie we now have and it began with and was facilitated by Peter’s generous offer to our community. Peter is also a story collector and during his next visit to our shores, Gay has suggested the idea of Peter collecting stories of Nobby Clark and creating a Crankie of Nobby’s story.
He Ara
He Ara Facebook story about the RSA embroidered tablecloth was well received. Excellent connections made on ANZAC day at the RSA.
A very successful team visit to the Mt Welcome Bush as part of research for the Natural History section of our website.
The panel for Pou Tangaroa has been through the approval process and is now being manufactured.
Tony Jackman has passed to us large crates of papers. The first two covered the bypass v TG issue, reclaiming the gully which is now the Secret Valley, and a few other gems, including an advertisement for the very first Matariki walk in Pukerua Bay.
We have been helping to clear the space which housed the Museum at Pukerua Bay School.
Rail Comes to Pukerua now on our website:
He Ara has registered to be part of the 2024 Heritage Festival
Kōrero
Kōrero is working on this year’s Matariki issue, which incorporates the theme of music. We’re grateful to the Hub for its koha. It means we can support them in their mahi, while also helping to cover our own costs.
We will be making this, or a similar statement, in the editorial:
The Kōrero whānau joins with the Residents’ Association in grieving Council’s decision to end the Village Planning Framework, a process and funding source that has helped facilitate so much that is good in Pukerua Bay, including many of the initiatives and activities shared in these pages. We hope to play a part in finding other ways to give residents a voice in shaping our community and place to be what we want it to be.
The next issue will be published in September and will be on the theme of hauora. The November issue will focus on writers and writing.
We will be applying for a grant from Pelorus Trust after this issue, looking for sufficient funds to cover two issues.
Climate change
May 14 2024 – Moira Visited the local Repair Café in Raumati and we have talked about running another workshop series in September/October.
General business
PCC Long Term Plan – Iain and Paul talked at submissions. There was another submitter talking about composting.
Shared Pathway repairs. – From shop to overbridge. 2 parts to it. Drainage issue meant water eroded. Council and engineers are discussing and Engineering firm may have to redesign and cover the costs. Further slip – being bundled with other Whitby slips and out for tender. May start in December once process complete.
Motion: to accept the finincial report. Moved Paul, seconded Gay. Agreed.
Motion: Pukerua Bay Community Garden Food Forest to make an application to the NZ Tree Trust to cover any shortfall in expenses for the project to develop a rongoa medicinal garden. This is likely to cover specimen and ground cover trees, signage and pamphlet. Can apply for up to $2,000. Proposed Gay Hay, seconded Nikky Winchester. Approved by committee.
Correspondence
Email from Adele Hickford about drop-in session (PCC report forwarded by her).
Action items
None.
Project updates
Community Garden Food Forest
Compost bins. Work in progress. Being painted.
NZ Tree Trust application is being processed.
Developing a worksheet with aerial photo to encourage people to nominate areas they can work in as part of working days
Winter prep for garden. Group discussion needed.
Plan for focused work day on the second Saturday of June.
Matariki — plan forJune 22. Peter Stevenson Welsh story teller has painted pictures for Cranke / story-telling performance. Ara leading harakeke star making. There will be an opportunity for shared kai.
He Ara Pukerua
A replacement seat in memory of Delma Mosen has been installed in Muri Reserve and Brian Pool’s memorial bench there too. The families and locals have expressed appreciation and presumably Te Araroa walkers are happy. And no, the seat does not block the gate! Thanks due to Dave Stone at PCC for organising this to happen.
He Ara Facebook stories have received good feedback. Stories about the seats, benches and sculptures around the Bay will be put up on a regular basis.
We displayed our panorama and Waikokako prints at the school gala. Good connections and conversations.
Application for grant submitted to Nikau Foundation.
A team visit to the Mt Welcome Bush has been organised as part of research for the Natural History section of our website.
A panel for Pou Tangaroa has been designed and is currently going through the approval process.
Kōrero
Issue 2 at final proofing stage. Delivery from 19 April
Issue 3 (themes Matariki and music) underway and stories already being sourced. 1 May deadline
Waste free PKB
Nothing to report.
Climate Change
Nothing to report.
General business
Long term plan
Three topics to focus on in submission:
Water meters from year 4. General agreement in committee to support their compulsory installation as a conservation tool.
Kerb side recycling and rubbish collection. Do we agree with this? Proposal to sort glass at kerb side is good idea, but probably don’t have a choice with proposed changes to the general rubbish going into large bins. Residents can’t save money by not putting out bin. Big bins don’t provide incentive to reduce their waste. Can PCC provide the black plastic bags for people who want to save money? Please bring back the non-organic recycling collection.
Village Planning – focus should be on community development, rather than Capex funding. Staff costs in operational budget, rather than capital expenditure on projects, structures, etc.
Provide a Kōrero story on LPT. Summarise RA submission, and link to full response on RA website.
PCC drop-in meeting
Publish PCC report on website.
Penguin signs
PCC putting in new penguin signs at beach. Dog bylaws being reviewed in 3 years. Rules and signs need simplifying.
The Residents Association made the following submission to Porirua City Council on its 10-year plan up to 2023.
The increased costs ratepayers are now expected to pay for necessary work in the city are a direct consequence of the approach of previous councils to keep rate increases as low as possible by not investing in infrastructure. This same error has come back to bite councils across the country, and we hope that has changed the approach PCC will take in the future. We understand this might be unpopular with ratepayers, but there are important intergenerational equity issues in this, and councils cannot continue to ‘kick the can down the road’ for any longer.
If any cyclists are planning to cycle on Wairaka Farm at Pukerua Bay (on your left as you go north), please contact the farm manager, Kerry Kilminster, first. He can be contacted on 027 389 9212. Thanks in advance.
In a decision that’s likely to please Pukerua Bay residents, the latest version of the Porirua City Council Proposed District Plan has removed any possibility of high-density housing being built in Pukerua Bay.
Kāinga Ora had proposed that every part of Pukerua Bay within 800 metres of the train station should be rezoned as ‘high-density housing’, which would have allowed at least six-storey buildings taller than 22 metres. We were worried that the panel was going to agree to that proposal, or at least rezone all the land within 400 metres of the station, which was the original Kāinga Ora proposal.
PCC has accepted the latest version without change as the new proposed plan. In this, the whole of Pukerua Bay is now locked in as ‘medium density housing’, which is the default for the Wellington region. This allows for up to three houses of three storeys each (up to 12 metres high) to be built on all residential properties as a permitted activity (i.e. without needing a resource consent).
Many Pukerua Bay residents, including the Residents Association, sent in submissions opposing the high-density proposal, and the Association is very pleased to see there won’t be any here.
The current version can be appealed to the Environment Court, but unless the court makes any changes, the latest version will be the final operative plan everyone has to follow.
Climate change and resilience added to District Plan
We were also very pleased to see that the panel added a new section on climate change and resilience to the introduction to the District Plan variation that covers the new developments off Muri Road and the Mount Welcome deer farm (i.e. Variation 1 Northern Growth Area).
We had pointed out that there was no mention of the need to both build to anticipate and prevent the impact of climate change in the new developments, and not do anything that would make it any worse. The panel added proposed wording directly from our submission:
The development will incorporate design principles that anticipate the effects of climate change, to mitigate its impacts, to avoid contributing to it and to increase community resilience.
