Notice of Motion – 9 October 2012
At our October board meeting I introduced and moved a notice of motion to establish a Ponsonby Road masterplan working group with representatives from the local community.
We all have a personal relationship with Pononsby Road whether we work or live there or visit for events, entertainment, the retail, restaurants and bars. On Ponsonby Market Day we all can see the potential for Ponsonby Road in attracting a great deal of pedestrian activity. It also highlights the current issues of narrow pavements, lack of people-focused spaces and the dominance of traffic. There is no reason why Ponsonby Road could not be better designed so that every day attracts the same level of activity and feels like the buzz of a market day.
As a Board we have already committed to the development of masterplan through our Local Board Plan and our Local Board Agreement 12/13. This is more than just traffic management but about taking a “complete” street approach so that the road is pedestrian friendly with a focus on urban design outcomes and heritage protection.
With Tricia Reade I have done some thinking about how best to deliver a masterplan. We know the Western Bays Community Group have already been working on concepts. We know the Ponsonby Business Association has direct interest as well as a range of community stakeholders. We know that Auckland Transport and Auckland Council officers are keen to support. The purpose of this Notice of Motion is therefore to put transparency around the process of developing a masterplan and I ask for the support of board members.
MOVED by Member PJ Coom, seconded Member PM Reade:
a) That the Waitemata Local Board notes that the Ponsonby Road master plan is identified as a project in the Local Board Plan and the Local Board Agreement 2012/13.
b) That the Waitemata Local Board approves:
i) The establishment of a Ponsonby Road working group with representatives of the local community, the business association and local board members and supported by Auckland Council and Auckland Transport tasked with developing a concept for a draft master plan for endorsement of the Waitemata Local Board prior to public consultation.
ii) Pippa Coom and Tricia Reade as the Board’s representatives on the Ponsonby Road master plan working group.
c) That the Board’s representatives on the working group report back to the Board at the earliest opportunity on the membership of the working group and an agreed process and timetable for developing a draft concept design for the master plan.
d) That the Waitemata Local Board requests that Auckland Transport nominate a representative to the working group. CARRIED
Background:
The Waitemata Local Board plan identifies the need to respond to a range of traffic issues on Ponsonby Road by taking a “whole road” approach that provides for a quality street design with community focused outcomes.
It is proposed to take a master plan approach to Ponsonby Road that can incorporate urban design, the road corridor, landscaping etc and best balances safety, multiple users, parking, heritage impacts, retail needs etc. A coordinated approach is needed for the use and development of Ponsonby Road so that we can avoid ad hoc decision making going forward and ensure that the best outcomes are achieved.
This approach builds on the Liveable Arterials work, the Ponsonby Road Strategy Plan 2006 (the initial scoping exercise undertaking for Ponsonby Road), the Corridor Management Plan and Concept Design (Nov 2008) and the work of the Ponsonby Road working group established under the Auckland City Council that was seeking further pedestrian facilities following the implementation of the 40km speed limit in 2009.
In these documents, Ponsonby Road was identified as coming under a community emphasis category where maintaining the local condition and amenity of “place” is the primary role of the arterial route of Ponsonby Road.
More recently the Western Bays Community Group has started work on a plan for Ponsonby Road and has sought community input.
In our local board agreement we are advocating for Auckland Transport to:
Develop and deliver a Masterplan for Ponsonby Road
Auckland Transport to continue the development of the Masterplan for Ponsonby Road, taking a “complete street/living arterial” approach to meet the community’s desired outcomes (eg slower traffic, pedestrian friendly, heritage protection and improved urban design) in conjunction with urban design officers at Auckland Council.
Auckland Transport has responded to the Waitemata Local Board agreement that this process should follow on from the City Centre Master Plan (if Ponsonby Road is identified as a priority in the CCMP) or funding clearly indicated from the governing body. Auckland Transport are however willing to be involved as appropriate if Auckland Council takes the lead.
The Auckland Council planning team have confirmed they are resourced to support the development of a master plan.
It is therefore proposed to start the process of developing a master plan by setting up a working group consisting of local board members, community representatives including the Ponsonby Business Association and the Western Bay Community Group.
The working group is to be supported by Council officers with a representative from Auckland Transport. The objective of the working group is to produce a draft concept master plan that can be endorsed by the Waitemata Local Board for wider community consultation.
The working group can learn from the experience of the Tamaki Drive master plan process currently underway and the precedent of the Devonport master plan that was successfully developed by a working group involving strong community representation.