Whangamata Ratepayers Association Incorporated

P.O. Box 62, Whangamata 3643

www.whangamata-ratepayers.org.nz

Chairman Treasurer Secretary

Brett Wilson Gina Williams John Rive

07 865 9302 07 865 9166 07 865 8795

 

OCTOBER 2017 NEWSLETTER

 

Where to from here…..

For the last few years we have made a number of appeals for new committee members with only moderate success.

Our membership numbers have been in decline for the last 5 years and paid up membership currently stands at 121.

We therefore assume that there have been no significant issues out there in the community that have prompted members to put their names forward for the management committee.

With regard to the mangrove saga, we are confident that TCDC will continue to lead the fight to seek a solution to this problem, regardless of the success or otherwise of their Mangrove Management Bill.

The Whangamata Harbour Care group will continue their work in this area, particularly with mangrove seedling removal.

We also have a Community Board which we have found to be very approachable and residents are able to speak at a public forum on local issues at the start of Community Board meetings.

The majority of current committee members have served for many years and a number of these have indicated they wish to stand down at our AGM next February.

This will leave a shortfall of at least 5 committee members which includes the Chairman and Secretary.

If there are insufficient nominations at our next AGM then we will be in breach of our rules and winding up the Association will be the likely outcome.

This is the final appeal for some new faces on our committee.

 

Mangroves

The final removal for this year was completed in August when about one hectare was removed from the Moana Anu Anu Estuary and one hectare from Patiki Point.

The methodology and the use of helicopters for removal is highly questionable and coupled with the excessive Consent costs has made this exercise far more expensive than removals in other districts.

This leaves approximately1.1 hectares to be removed from the Moana Anu Anu estuary in 2018.

We recently met with Harbour Care and WRC planning staff on where we go from here and how changes to the Regional Coastal Plan may affect future clearances.

There was no clear outcome from this meeting.

This may of course be academic if the Mangrove Management bill sponsored by TCDC and Hauraki DC and recently introduced into Parliament by our local MP Scott Simpson becomes law.

 

Williamson Golf Course and adjacent properties

A request for service was submitted by Whangamata Ratepayers Assn seeking urgent relief for the golf course and adjoining residents from flooding resulting from recent weather events.

Significant work has been completed including connection to the storm water network which flows into the Williamson Park pond and this will make a significant difference.

However the Williamson pond does not appear to be functioning as designed and does not release water onto the beach at the required rate at this point.

 

Whangamata Community Health

Your committee approved a donation of $1000 dollars to the new Ultrasound appeal.

 

TCDC District Plan

We continue to support Lagan Holdings in their application for re zoning of land opposite the Titoki Golf course to facilitate development of a retirement complex.

The complexity involved in the appeal hearings has meant this has been a slow process but we remain hopeful of a positive outcome.

 

Williamson Park

TCDC has announced the following:

“A resource consent application to hold three evening events over this summer 2017-18 at Williamson Park, Whangamata has been approved.”

These will be ticketed events with alcohol being available for purchase for two of these events if the organisers wish to apply for a liquor licence. The New Years Eve event will be alcohol free.

We believe it is difficult to reconcile this with the original conditions which were accepted by the Thames County Council on the gifting of this land by Philip Williamson in 1929.

On 6 March 1960 Mr Williamson wrote: “The land was given purely for the benefit of the general public …….. and was never to be used for any private commercial enterprise.”

The commercial nature of Beach Hop etc. has been well covered in the local media, and we have no wish to change the current park usage by these well managed community driven events. This includes the popular Summer Festival events which may be excluded from this year’s programme.

But to fence the park off, with the attendant security required, especially on New Years Eve when the park has long been a focal meeting place to bring in the new year, is certainly at odds with Mr Williamson's intentions.

The whole process has been confusing and appeared to be a fait accompli from the start.

This issue needs to be revisited by our Community Board and Council before committing to a 15 year consent as planned.

 

Brett Wilson

Chairman