Continuing  Consultations & Community Concerns  over “ Māpua Livability”

Māpua & Districts Community Association’s March  2021 meeting again  focused on both:

• Being informed :  about the wide range of current consultation processes going on – Public Transport Plans; TDC Long Term Plan (LTP) Government’s “3 waters” proposal and reform of the Resource Management Act( RMA)
• Having input into : all of the above

Draft Nelson Tasman Public Transport Plan (2021 – 2029) & Draft Regional Land Transport Plan for Te Tau Ihu 2021-2031:

Drew Bryant (TDC Activity Planning Advisor Transportation & Clare Scott ( TDC Transport Planner)

Spoke to and elaborated on the main points of each of these plans  in a power-point presentation – links to both the slides and the speakers’  recorded presentations are on  the MDCA Facebook page

 

TDC Mayor – Tim King           

noted that “ lots of consultation processes are going on at present and encouraged all residents to be aware of these and to take the opportunity to comment  :

• Regionally
• TDC Long Term Plan (LTP) – noting the “immense range of topics and details”;urging us all to “please consider the range …” and commenting that “it is costly to provide services across a region of such diverse communities “ . There is a one month consultation period for this plan ( MDCA April Meeting will focus on the Plan’s content and the process for submissions)
• Nationally
• “ Three Waters” current proposal
• Resource Management Act( RMA) reform proposing 3 new pieces of legislation with the aim of speeding up the process . Mayor King noted that this would have “ a major impact on local regional development” and the role of local authorities

A link to the recording of his presentation can also be found on the MDCA Facebook page

 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

1. “Māpua Liveability Working Group ( was “ Intensification in Māpua )

• This working group ( 3 MDCA Exec members ;3 local residents & chaired by Paul McIntosh) held their inaugural meeting  and identified their main focus as being – improving relationships with TDC Councillors/staff .Paul  noted that the main problems were not with administration but “how the rule fits within the overall strategy/plan
• Common themes were identified with the umbrella theme being “ Liveability” –leading to the re-naming. Key community concerns are currently how to ensure that :
• walk and cycle way links go into the developers’ plans and
• ample opportunity is provided for “lots of input from the community” on any aspects of development :-loss of trees, walk/cycleway links, open spaces etc

Links to the recording and related slides are on the MDCA Facebook page

• Cr Christeen McKenzie -suggested that this “visionary presentation” be repeated at a TDC Strategic Planning Meeting so that there can “be engagement with the senior leadership of TDC “. She will “ let us know”…………
• Cr Anne Turley – responding to the query as to whether group members were able to meet with developers ,suggested that they check with TDC Customer Services as to who most appropriate to follow this up with
• noted that the “TDC Committees were now charged to gather information from a range of sources “
• Cr David Oglivy – stressed the importance of ensuring that input into working group presentations matched the long term plans enabling connectivity between the Māpua Working Group and the rest of TDC
• Marion Satherley ( MDCA Chair)
• noted a planned meeting of all District Community Association Chair-people April 9^th which would include input on conflict management
• identified concerns at “the disconnect between the information provided at TDC meetings and the resulting plans provided to the community which didn’t include the vision…”

She asked Councillors to clarify :

• whether there are any more deferred residential zones and
• what triggers the lifting of a zone

Christeen undertook to report back on these queries at the April Meeting

2. Roads & Cycle-Ways

Wayne Chisnall has :

• followed up the issues /problems related to cyclists accessing the cycleway from the roundabout at Higgs Road with Jamie  McPherson ( TDC) who has indicated that shared pathway signage is planned for Māpua Drive/Higgs Road  –
• undertaken to raise with Jamie the community’s concern that the re-developed pathway between the Māpua School street frontage and the new raised traffic islands could be seen as part of the road as it is now wide enough for cars to travel on

COMMUNITY WELLBEING

1. Māpua Willing Wheels –(MWW) noted with delight and relief that we have received confirmation of ongoing funding from the Rata Foundation and the Lotteries Commission for the co-ordination and administration of this project for the rest of 2021.. Local businesses /organizations encouraged to offer sponsorship to support the scheme’s administrative costs – any amount will be appreciated
2. Motueka Coastal Corridor Community Bus Route (Motueka through Tasman/Māpua to Richmond) Rachel Mason has begun her (currently ) 6 month contract for establishing this new extended service which  will pass through Tasman and Māpua
3. Community Hub– see separate newsletter article elsewhere in this issue with details of projects and progress. The data collection project is now being collated ready for release with significant interest shown in accessing the future resource. A fruitful meeting was held with the Māpua Library Committee Members to discuss how the two facilities can co-operate especially in terms of information and resource sharing. The committee members expressed support for suggestions of both an online community directory and also the potential establishment of a Community and Whānau Group in this district for sharing information and identifying potential shared concerns/projects

FUTURE HOT TOPICS:

April –   Long Term Plan – outline and input

2021 months – a list of possible Hot topics  for the rest of 2021 is posted on  MDCA’s Facebook  Page – if you have any other suggestions of topics please send them to info@ourmapua.org  as soon as possible so they can be considered for the calendar.

Submitted by:  Elena Meredith

MDCA Future/s of Māpua & Districts?

Information, Consultations & Submissions:  Being informed and having our say !!

Māpua & Districts Community Association’s February 2021 meeting focused on both:

• Being informed :  about progress on water issues; playground developments ; what the various categories of “Land Use” relate to
• Having input :into current issues & potential future developments  – with an emphasis on intensification of housing and future transport options & becoming involved early on in planning processes

Current state of upgrade of water distribution and storage facilities

Rob O’Grady (TDC) MDCA

Updated  on the various aspects of this process . This was done on a ZOOM platform and the set of slides he spoke to plus his notes as text, are available on MDCA Facebook Page

• The main aspects he commented on were:
  Māpua Water Treatment Plant- upgrade by Oct 21 to meet higher drinking water standards & seismic requirements
• Pomona Road Reservoir- temporary tank to be demolished & replaced by concrete tank
• Stormwater discharge from Broadsea Ave- 2 Flood gates are to be  bigger ; land at Chaytor Reserve to be regraded to allow water to flow out
• Resurfacing Aranui Road “ next summer”
• Channel from Apple Shed to Rabbit Island -2037!!

Vaughan Cerfontaine  (Project  Manager  Luke Donaldson’s) reported on progress on pipe and pump upgrades:

• Mains- live from wharf to tennis courts
• Waste water- live from Higgs Rd to Wharf
• Warren Place to Pinehill Road – live on left hand side; right hand side – putting in pipe lines
• Waste Water – Ruby Bay Tait St to Pomona Road
• Now working on Aranui Road back to the school (new lines by April 21)
• New Reservoir Tank being built near top of Pomona Road because of  problems with existing Reservoir namely low capacity and leakage
• Pipe to Pump Station not yet replaced

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

Intensification in Māpua – noted that MDCA has set up a new working group to address these issues – chaired by Bruce Gilkinson – met near the end of February Noted that MDCA had “been a bit late” in relation to input on developments of local subdivisions and that we want good connections so that we can be involved and engaged earlier [“ahead of the ball”] in the decisions and processes rather than “always playing catch-up” behind the developers.

Issues relating to approval for new subdivisions

• Problems were identified  relating to lack of response to requests made to TDC for earlier notification    before new subdivisions approved as well as community consultation being sought in December/January
• Members identified “a hole in the system” in terms of “ how this is being managed” with not enough time allowed for residents to gain understanding of the issues ( including why the changes are being made before engaging in the process of making a submission ( see Aranui as Case Study)  and asked for Ward Councillors’ assistance . Cr Christeen  Mackenzie suggested a meeting with TDC’s CEO and described this as “ another example in different communities of how current regulations are being interpreted by planners and others……….”
• Cr Anne Turley suggested asking the CEO to halt the process until the contradictions in classifications/re-zoning are clarified ,noting their  impact on future processes in terms of zoning and land –usage

Access to Cycle-Ways

Issues /problems related to cyclists accessing the cycleway from the roundabout at Higgs Road were raised – Wayne Chisnall will follow this up with the Project Manager checking if the project is actually  completed

COMMUNITY WELLBEING

1. Māpua Willing Wheels –(MWW) noted that we are still waiting for confirmation of ongoing funding for this project for the rest of 2021. Many of the team of  volunteer  drivers indicated their ongoing availability  as “ Willing Wheels” for the coming year . Local businesses /organizations encouraged to offer sponsorship to support the scheme’s administrative costs – any amount will be appreciated
2. Motueka Coastal Corridor Community Bus Route (Motueka through Tasman/Māpua to Richmond) Rachel Mason has been contracted to set up  a 6 month trial of this new extended service. This service will pass through Tasman and Māpua and is seen as complementary to MWW (which Rachel also co-ordinates)
3. Community Hub– see separate newsletter article elsewhere in this issue with details of projects and progress. The data collection project came to a close at the end of February with interest shown by many organizations; groups and businesses in accessing the future resource. A fruitful meeting was held with the Māpua Community Hall Committee Members to discuss how the two facilities can complement each others’ service and work in co-operation/ not competition

FUTURE HOT TOPICS:

March “Hot Topic”: Nelson –Tasman Public Transport Plan (Draft) 2021-2031.  Presentation by TDC staff with chance for question

2021 months – a list of possible Hot topics  for the rest of 2021 was presented to the meeting and is posted on  MDCA’s Facebook  Page – if you have any other suggestions of topics that you believe will be of particular interest to the community, please send them to info@ourmapua.org  as soon as possible so they can be considered for the calendar.

 Submitted by:  Elena Meredith

 

MDCA : Looking back over 2020 &  keeping on moving forward into 2021   February 2021 issue

Māpua & Districts Community Association’s December 2020 meeting focused on both:

• looking back: summarizing developments in projects and foci over the past year as well as honouring the contributions of individual members and also
• keeping on moving forward: with an emphasis on becoming involved in planning processes  (particularly in relating to the development of sub-divisions ) at an earlier stage as well signaling planned changes; projects  and developments on MDCA’s 2021 agenda

Life Membership of MDCA for Helen Bibby

Helen was honoured for her many years of involvement in and contributions to the community ( often in partnership with her husband Neville) – from 2006 to the present day. During this time Helen  officially chaired the Association for 3 years and “ unofficially” ( as vice-chairperson) for another 2 years – is this a record we wondered?!

Her involvements and projects include

1          Dominion Flats regeneration and replanting project – first planting in 2013 and now thousands of hours and dollars and plants and hundreds of volunteers; school pupils; TDC Staff and DOC employees later, we have an ever-growing minor marvellous miracle – a beautiful gateway to our local community as well as a national template for how to “ save wetlands”

2          Waimea Inlet -kaitiakitanga/guardianship

3          Spring Fling- organizing this annually

4          NBS ATM on the Community Hall

5          Community seating project

6          Civil Defence System of local welfare centre & volunteers

7          Response to 2018 Fehi Cyclone Flooding – feeding volunteers; helping residents to clean up & sharing in organization of the Community BBQ

8          Māpua Community Choir & Māpua Art Society – actively involved as singer/artist and organizer

It was acknowledged that this was not just about how Helen contributed but also how she did so accompanying actions with food; flowers; kind encouraging words and her ever-present cheerful smile

All of this is encompassed in the  whakatauki [Māoriproverb)

‘Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora te manuhiri.- With your basket ( contribution) and our basket (contribution); the people will be sustained and live well

Those present at the MDCA hui endorsed this presentation to Helen with the waiata Te Aroha

 

MDCA “ Good Sort “ for the month

January 2021:    Pat Russell was nominated for this month as a modern-day  “eco-warrior” who has recently secured QEII National Trust “life of the tree” preservation status for15 Native Trees on her boundary. This has been achieved as part of a 6 year long process of highlighting and challenging the damaging impact the development of the Māpua Rise subdivision has had on her own health and wellbeing as well as on the local environment. It takes a particular brand of courage to constantly challenge using your own personal experiences and MDCA honours & thanks Pat for her many years of persistence which have, at times, left her feeling unsupported, discouraged and exhausted.

Pat personifies the poster quote:  All progress has resulted from those who took unpopular positions.

It was agreed to ask Pat to write up this process with QEII so that others could also access this for preserving “significant trees” in the future

 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

Noted that MDCA had “ been a bit late” in relation to input on developments of local subdivisions and that want good connections so that can  be involved  and engaged earlier [“ahead of the ball”] in the decisions and processes rather than “ always playing catch-up” behind the developers .

Suggestions for future approaches :

Cr David Oglivie- – suggesting ;

• keeping in constant touch with Dennis Bush-King & Phil Doole
• asking that MDCA be informed of planned consents ; keep pressure on TDC[ Environment Court]
• Writing to Rob Smith ( TDC) checking what is the position in relation to HAIL sites; ’is the owner doing what they are allowed to do on their own land when does HAIL apply?”

Paul McIntyre- clarify & emphasize that we “ don’t want to be treated as an urban area” in these processes

• effort equally needed to focus on the policy makers/TRMP; assessors and creators

Cr Dean McNamara-“  submit back what you want- over and over”

Reserves – discussion on what this classification entails/excludes ; Cr David Oglivie noted that the “ Tenths Promises” in relation to the original land purchases in the district by the NZ Company( Wakefield et al) were never honoured

David Mitchell thanked MDCA for all the work on Aranui Park & asked if TDC had been in touch re discussions about potential future development

Cr McKenzie noted that “if the community wants to influence creation of open-spaces/ walkways etc, then they need to engage directly and have a say with developers ; TRMP is still in place and the process is not occurring within a vacuum :

COMMUNITY WELLBEING

1. Māpua Willing Wheels – noted that funding for this trial project finished at the end of December and that the service would take a break over January . Dropping the “ membership sub” did seem to increase interest in take-up of the service – through the 5month period 17 booked rides were actually completed by the volunteer drivers although many more were discussed and even booked. It is hoped that a submitted application for funding for the full 2021 year will enable the service to continue and become an embedded part of the district’s infrastructure. Special mention was made of the wonderful work the co-ordinator (Rachel Mason) had done in setting up; promoting and running the service with the dedicated team of willing voluntary drivers – noted how fortunate we are to have such passionate supporters of community projects in the district
2. A Coastal Corridor Route ( Motueka through Tasman/Māpua to Richmond) funding has been accessed to support a co-ordinator for  6month trial of this new extended service. The position has been widely advertised and the contract will begin at the start of February.
3. Community Hub– see separate newsletter article elsewhere in this issue with details of projects and progress . It was agreed that MDCA would support the data collection project for potential Hub users by holding the funding awarded by the Māpua and Ruby Bay Community Trust and paying this out in 3 monthly payments to Connie Sherlock as the contracted researcher
4. Māpua Memories – those involved in the process of setting up the interviews for this project will meet together to advance the process ready for interviewing in early 2021

FUTURE HOT TOPICS:

February –   “ Hot Topic” :  Māpua and Ruby Bay water and wastewater upgrades : Rob Grady (TDC) on the latest with Jack Cerfontaine who is project manager for the upgrade of the water treatment plant upgrade at the end of Lower Queen St, which supplies Māpua and Ruby Bay.

2021 months – members were asked to submit suggested future “ Hot Topics “ for future meetings

Submitted by:  Elena Meredith

MDCA works closely with TDC to ensure our community functions in a way that suits the majority of our residents. To have a vote that counts, become a financial member of MDCA by simply paying a $10 membership fee to our NBS account 03-1354-0356471-00 with your name & phone number as a reference.