Waitakere City News
Long Term Council Community Plan Edition
Waitakere City continues to
grow at one of the fastest rates in New Zealand. So, if we want to keep going forward, the
City needs a new plan. That new plan is the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP). The Annual Plan
2003/2004 is part of this document.
What are the main issues?
Protecting the Waitakere Ranges
The Waitakere Ranges are an icon of Waitakere City whose wealth of plant and animal life is considered internationally important. The area is identified as a heritage
area for Te Kawerau A Maki and has significance for Ngati Whatua, with many Waahi tapu and heritage items, both
European and Maori. The Council is focussed on ensuring permanent protection for the
Ranges, in the face of increasing pressures from the rapidly growing urban area and from
weeds and pests. The first step is to evaluate the success of current protection methods and look at new
options. The Council wishes to progress this project in consultation with other government
organisations and the community.
Hobsonville
The whole peninsula is being evaluated for its capacity to support a range of uses
for living, working and leisure. It also provides Waitakere's only deep-water access.
Defence Forces are already disposing of the Hobsonville Airbase to Housing New Zealand
and has signalled its intention to leave Whenuapai. This gives the City the opportunity to investigate replacement uses
for the land, services and infrastructure. The draft LTCCP has funding to plan for roads on
the peninsula, develop the concept plan for Hobsonville village, to meet legal costs for
issues associated with the disposal of the airbase and to enable the establishment of a
marine industry cluster (cluster of super-yacht builders and associated businesses) at
Hobsonville.
Whenuapai
Waitakere City Council believes Whenuapai should become a commercial civilian airport owned and operated by the
private sector. This would bring major economic benefits to the City, and ensure
local employment. There would also be significant regional benefits especially in
Rodney and North Shore. The Council will continue to investigate this site for its potential
as an airport.
Climate Change Initiatives
The New Zealand government has signed the Kyoto Protocol and is committed to keeping New Zealand's greenhouse gas
emissions at 1990 levels. This is designed to help reverse climate change resulting from
human activities. In practical terms we need to become more energy efficient and
generate more energy from renewable sources. The Council is planning to collaborate with other cities through the
Cities for Climate Protection programme, to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We will complete a greenhouse
gas emissions inventory for the City that will allow us to set a reduction target and decide
on appropriate actions. Community involvement will be crucial to its success.
Zero Waste by 2020
The Council's draft Waste Plan provides a framework for managing the waste that
the City generates, collects and disposes of. The Council is working towards achieving zero
waste (nil) to landfill by 2020. The plan addresses the collection, re-use, recycling
and residual disposal of litter, domestic collection, and illegal dumping as well as the
management of closed landfills. It also contains targets for the Council's in-house
waste management and education programmes. The costs for achieving the targets is given in the draft LTCCP under Zero
Waste, Three Waters and Active Democracy.
Northern Sector Growth Area (NORSGA)
The areas of growth and development for the City will occur in two main areas: the first
is in concentrated development in town centres and along main transport corridors
(road and rail); the other is in the northern area of the City, from Westgate Shopping
Centre to the Greenhithe Bridge.
Westgate Shopping Centre is identified as a future major town centre (like Henderson
and New Lynn). Any future development in the rest of NORSGA, however, will require
much more investigation of how and where development should occur. It will also require
the current boundary of the urban area to be moved outwards and major consultation on:
- Water infrastructure - especially waste water management
- Roading networks and public transport
- Location of urban boundary (the Metropolitan Urban Limit)
- Land development plans and guidelines
- Water quality management in the Upper Waitemata Harbour
- Changes of use of Hobsonville and Whenuapai airbases
The Council proposes to complete planning and consultation exercises over 2003/2004.
New Civic Centre in Henderson
The Council is to relocate its centralised activities and services into a new "one-stop-shop"
Civic Centre to be built at 2-6 Henderson Valley Road and to be opened in early 2006.
At present, the Council operates from seven different sites. Operational savings
from the move are estimated at $1.6 million per annum. The net capital cost will be
between about $25.5 to $29.5m (depending on design).
The move will demonstrate the Council's support for the central business district of
Waitakere City. It will also be a catalyst in further development of the CBD with flow-on
effects to the wider City. This is consistent with the strategic goal of making our town
centres vibrant hubs of a range of activities. This development forms part of a 'package' of other investments such as the
Corban Estate, Waitakere City Library development and West Wave. Other complementary major developments are the
new Waitakere Hospital on Lincoln Road and UNITEC expansion of its Waitakere Campus.
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Waitakere Central Library
The new Waitakere Central Library will be built on a site at Ratanui Street/Trading
Place, Henderson, as a joint venture between the Council and UNITEC It will be a
state-of-the-art facility utilising all modern forms of information access (on-line,
DVD, etc) as well as traditional library products (books, magazines, etc) There will
also be an excellent reference section, archive and storage facility. It will also be the base or
hub library that supports all the suburban libraries. The proposed 3,800 square metre library
will cost $11.8 million to build which includes the cost of a new town square and managing
traffic flows and parking issues. The library and the presence of Unitec will play a central role in making the Henderson
Town Centre more vibrant and provide stimulation to the wider Waitakere economy.
Funding arrangements for community groups
The Council proposes to provide three year funding arrangements for major community groups. Currently these
arrangements are set annually. Waste Management Plan The draft plan provides a framework for
managing waste that Waitakere City Council generates, collects and disposes of. The
Council is committed to achieving zero waste to landfill by 2020.
Passenger Transport
There is a joint central/local government review of how transport is managed in the
Auckland region and what can be done to resolve difficulties and funding arrangements.
The current focus is on passenger transport management, which is one of the most urgent
issues facing the region. Two management options are being considered. Both involve governance by city
and district councils and the ARC.
Business Sector Share of Rates
The business sector will continue to pay 20.5% of total rates.
Uniform Annual General Charge
This flat charge on every property, regardless of its value, will reduce from $510o
$410. This will have no effect on the total amount of rates collected and no effect on
the average residential property with a land value of $90,000. Properties with a land
value greater than $90,000 will pay more in rates than they otherwise would, whilst
properties with a land value less than $90,000 will pay less.
The Rural Sewerage Charge is being amended so that vacant land will pay a much smaller charge.
Rates on multi-unit residential properties will change with a Uniform Annual General
Charge being levied on each unit, but rates will be charged at the lower residential rate
instead of the higher multi-unit rate as in the past.
Rates Policies
- Rates Remission and Postponement on Maori Land - this is a new requirement. At
present, Council has no land categorised as "Maori Freehold Land".
- Rates Remission - assisting community groups and sporting organisations through rates remissions - remains
unchanged from current provisions. This could be extended and a policy will be
developed over 2003/04.
- Rates Postponement - this remains unchanged, whereby rates can be postponed on
farmland or postponed due to hardship. A policy will be developed over 2003/04 in
consultation with the community.
Revenue & Financing Policy
The policy sets out how the Council will fund its activities and replaces the current
funding policy with minor amendments mainly to car-parking charges and potentially,
the funding of water.
Water Funding
Over the past year a focus group, including community members, was brought together by the Council to discuss water
funding. This focus group looked at a large number of options available for water funding
and identified three potential methods. By making a submission through the LTCCP
process you can have your say on which method you would prefer. More information is
available in the draft LTCCP.
- Direct user pays (pay according to the amount of water used). This method will provide the strongest
water conservation and environmental protection effect. This option does not
address the ability of a household to pay, particularly high water using households
with relatively low incomes.
- Full rates funding (pay according to your land value - not linked to water
use). This method has the weakest water conservation effect. In addressing ability
to pay, it produces mixed effects depending on the land value and the volume of water used
by each household.
- Land value (LV) based charging method with both a fixed and an adjustable part
depending on the amount of water you use. This option is based on land value,
which is then adjusted by the amount of water you use. It provides an overall balance
by considering the ability of households to pay (based on land value) while encouraging water conservation to some
extent.
Car parking in Henderson
As the City's larger town centres grow parking demand increases as does the cost
to supply sufficient parking. The Council seeks to reduce the demand on rates by
allowing charge parking. This can help provide the necessary funds to build parking
buildings and create the environment in which the private sector can supply parking
services. A pilot study for up to a year is proposed prior to any long-term decisions.
Significance Policy
The Council is required to define what is a 'significant' decision. By identifying if a
decision is significant this will guide the Council as to the appropriate provision of
consultation and information.
Liability Management and Investment Policy
This new policy replaces the existing Borrowing and Investing Policy. It states the
Council's policy on the management of borrowing and other liabilities. These include
debt repayment, specific borrowing limits and the giving of securities.
Development/Financial Contributions Policy
The new Local Government Act 2002 allows councils to consider the use of Development Contributions for costs of
community facilities expected as the City grows. The development of this policy -including
consulting with key stakeholders -will be undertaken over 2003/04. The Council has adopted a Financial
Contributions Policy through the District Plan but this is subject to appeal. The
Council is proposing that these will both be developed and completed over 2003/04.
Partnership with the Private Sector
This new policy will allow the Council to consider entering into a public/private
partnership with those engaged in business in specified circumstances. The central
idea is that the Council can use its resources to support community outcomes without the
whole cost being borne by the Council (ratepayers). The results of consultation will
be brought back into the final policy adoption in June 2003.
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