Tag: Bike corral

This report covers my activities from 1 May – 31 May 2013.

Unitary Plan

May has been dominated by the draft Unitary Plan engagement process leading up to the final day for feedback on 31 May. During the month member Tricia Reade and I, with fantastic support from officers, organised additional information sessions across the Waitemata Local Board area.

Photos from information sessions in Grey Lynn, Parnell and Ponsonby

During the month we held information sessions at:

• Grey Lynn Farmers Market
• Parnell Farmers Market
• Station Square, Newmarket
• Leys Institute Library
• Grey Lynn Community Centre

I also attended Unitary Plan meetings hosted by the Herne Bay Residents Association, Grey Lynn Business Association/Grey Lynn Residents Association and the Newmarket Community Committee.

Next steps in the development of the draft Unitary Plan (as reported by the Mayor on 30 May)

• Council officers will now summarise all community and stakeholder  feedback on the plan by theme and locality
• During June and July, workshops will be held with local boards and key stakeholders on specific issues
• The final draft plan will then be published and formally notified later this year
•  The council will then enter a formal consultation period, where Aucklanders will have the opportunity to make formal submissions

Community Funding

The Central Joint Funding Committee met on 23 May to distribute funds from the Community Group Assistance Fund (second and final round for 13/14). The committee is made up of representatives from the Local Boards in the old Auckland City Council area.

The minutes of the committee are available on the Council website

The Waitemata Local Board community grant committee also met during May to consider applications to the fourth and last round of  this financial year 12/13. Recommendations for the allocation of the remaining $18,538.00 (from $80,000 for 12/13) are on this month’s agenda.

Transport

The Transport portfolio monthly briefing with Auckland Transport took place on 30 May. We covered:

• Proposed Grey Lynn shops bus stop changes
• Richmond Road Safety Action Plan update
• Union Street/Victoria Street Intersection investigation of keep clear markings
• Poynton Terrace- consideration of whether AT can install the proposed crossing from St Kevins Arcade to the park as part of the Myers Park upgrade
• Ponsonby Road bike corral proposal (see below)
• The Domain traffic calming improvements which are due to start this month (for completion by September)
• Motor cycle parking issues in the City Centre- options to charge motor cycles for all day on street parking (which is currently difficult to enforce under the new City Centre Parking scheme)
• Bike parking – proposals for bike parking in the City centre

Full details of current proposals and issues are outlined in Auckland Transport’s monthly report attached to the Board agenda.

Bike Corral on Ponsonby Road

With the support of the Transport portfolio and the Ponsonby Business Association Auckland Transport has chosen 264 Ponsonby Road as the location for a six month trial of Auckland’s first bike corral. This will be an on-street bike parking facility with capacity for 10 bikes designed to best suit the street environment of Ponsonby Road.

There is now plenty of research to show the economic benefits of encouraging cycling.

http://momentummag.com/features/how-bicycles-bring-business/

The proposed design was consulted on during May. Construction is scheduled for late June.

Transport infrastructure

Geoff Lawler, Director of City Planning and Infrastructure – City of Melbourne, visited Auckland during May. I attended a discussion forum with him for officers and elected representatives on planning for future growth.

Geoff gave an overview of the infrastructure strategy and the projects that have been implemented to cope with the rapid growth and densification of the city of Melbourne.  I was particularly interested in Melbourne’s new transport strategy which sets key directions and targets for a growing city. Around 800,000 people move through the city every day; this is expected to increase to more than one million by 2030.

Melbourne has bold mode share targets and is aiming to be a walking and cycling city.

Mobility by mode – getting into the city centre

 Traffic volumes plateaued in 2005 for a number of factors. PT became a viable alternative due the influence of the Commonwealth Games 2006, there was a political imperative to improve PT and a price shock.

Key messages:

• Divide intersections by predominant mode not dominate use
• In Melbourne the move to a metro system and the development of a new $4bn underground line  is considered essential transport infrastructure
• Car use is discouraged for commuter trips – use is focused on for short term business trips
• Private car parking discouraged with the introduction of a tax in 2006

More information at www.Melbourne.vic.gov.au/futuregrowth

Ponsonby Road master plan working group update

An option identification and development workshop was held with the working group, iwi reps and invited guests on 22 May. The UrbanismPlus team together with Council planning officers presented a range of concepts covering Transport, Open space and Arts, Culture and Heritage and Land Use + Key sites.

The concepts and feedback from the workshop will be presented at workshop in June to Board members.

Other board activities

Local Board Workshops and meetings

I attended during May:

• Meeting to finalise Waitemata Greenways Plan & report back on public consultation on 1 May
• Monthly catch up with Ashley Church, Newmarket Business Association and update for NBA Board
• Unitary Plan information display at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market on Sunday 5 May
• Meeting with Arch Hill residents on 6 May to discuss the Bunnings development proposal on Great North Road
• Waitemata Local Board Workshop on 7 May
• Ponsonby Road master plan fortnightly catch up with officers
• Waitemata Good Citizen Awards: consideration of nominations
• Waterfront Auckland presentation on the Heritage walk proposal “ Sea Auckland”
• Planning team update to the Board on the draft project execution plans for K’rd and Newton Precinct Plans
• Meeting to discuss Grey Lynn Precinct Plan and Unitary Plan feedback with Planning team and GLBA representatives
• Unitary plan meeting with representatives from GLBA, GLRA and GLUE on 10 May
• Unitary Plan information display at the Parnell Farmers Market on Saturday 11 May
• Selection Panel meeting for Waitemata Good Citizens nominations
• Waitemata Local Board business meeting at Graham Street on 14 May
• ATEED update, Heritage Hotel on 15 May
• Waitemata Local Board Workshop 16 May
• Getting Parking Right for Auckland Seminar Part 2 with Todd Litman hosted by the Board, Auckland Transport and AECOM on 16 May
• LGNZ Zone One meeting in Otorohanga on 17 May
• Funding Auckland’s Transport Future – Local Board briefing 20 May
• Unitary Plan information display in Station Square, Newmarket on 20 May
• Community Development and Partnerships monthly catch up with the portfolio holders
• GLBA committee meeting
• Ponsonby Road Master Plan – Option Development Workshop 22 May
• Central Joint Funding Committee 23 May
• Discussion forums with Geoff Lawler – Director of City Planning and Infrastructure – City of Melbourne
• Unitary Plan information display at the Leys Institute Library on 28 May
• Placemakers meeting hosted by Waterfront Auckland
• Waitemata Local Board workshop on 28 May
• Unitary Plan information display at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on 28 May
• Meeting to discuss the Board’s Funding Auckland’s Future submission
• Meeting with Alison Sutton from COMET to discuss Education Snapshot
• Meeting with community portfolio holders to discuss Waitemata Local Board’s community centre operational subsidies 2013/2014
• Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee on 30 May
• Briefing session by Auckland Council Property Limited to Local Board members on ACPL’s portfolio review, process for disposal and acquisition role
• Transport portfolio monthly catch up with Auckland Transport
• Fortnightly catch up on the Ponsonby Road master plan progress
• Auckland Neighbourhood Planning Task Group meeting on 31 May with Roger Blakeley

Events and functions

During May I attended:

• NZ Music Commission launch of NZ Music Month on Lorne Street on 1 May
• Cycle Action’s Associations Breakfast at the Auckland Art Gallery
• Opening of All Fresco Art Festival at the invitation of KBA and First Thursday events on K’rd on 2 May
• Fairtrade’s  Fairly Funny:  a lunchtime comedy for fairtrade fortnight (at the invitation of Fairtrade NZ) on 3 May
• Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break on 6 May
• Herne Bay Residents Association AGM on 8 May
• Growing Sustainable Communities – How to establish and maintain a Transition Town group workshop at the GLCC on 12 May
• Citizenship ceremony on 13 May at the Auckland Town Hall
• Newmarket Community Committee Unitary Plan presentation and meeting 17 May
• Official opening of Pt Resolution Bridge on 21 May (including the installation of a cycle gutter –see photo)
• Council hosted one day event: Lifting our Game – Thriving Neighbourhoods in Action
• Transport Forum hosted by Puketapapa Local Board
• Breast Cancer Breakfast at Sky City at the invitation of the Mayoress
• Sustainable Business Network AGM on 29 May (I am a member of SBN)
• Good Citizen Awards presentation evening on 30 May

Congratulations to all those individuals and groups acknowledged at the Good Citizen Awards for their outstanding voluntary contribution to the community.