Rural Community Plan of , Kaimarama & the 309 Road

Contents

Why do a Community Plan 2 How will the Plan work? 2 Who will have access to the Plan 2 How will progress be measured and success by reported? 2 How can new ideas be incorporated? 3 History 4 Description of our communities / maps 5 Our process so far 7 Key area of focus 8 Plan details 9

Why do a Community Plan? As a short to medium term initiative for the communities of Whenuakite, Coroglen, Kaimarama and The 309 Road, the community vision plan will: ♦ Focus community debate and get people involved in making decisions and taking responsibility for our communities ♦ Set direction and common goals, promote consensus and avoid division ♦ Safeguard the community and the environment from exploitation ♦ Capture all good ideas and identify initiatives suitable for external funding ♦ Assist Community Board decision-making and allow more effective use of ratepayer funds ♦ Ensure the small settlements are able to develop facilities that suit the area ♦ Help avoid haphazard development ♦ Help influence Thames Coromandel District Council’s programme of works during its annual and long-term planning processes ♦ Show opportunities for individuals and groups to develop new projects and provide goods and services Reporting on this Plan each year will enable the community to record achievements and to check that the identified priorities are still correct. It will also be a chance to include new information and new ideas.

How will the plan work? This Community Plan is a collection of aspirations and priorities for future directions. It is a community-owned document and provides a framework to be used to guide decision making for local planning purposes. For example, individuals and groups who may be wishing to undertake a community project could use the Community Plan to determine priorities for action or to support their requests for external funding. As part of the Council’s planning process, the Community Board will use this Plan to determine local priorities and to recom- mend future work programmes to council. The Thames Coromandel District Council will take into account the principles and priorities as outlined in the Community Plan when deciding its annual and longer-term work programmes. The Council will use the Community Plan as a basis for developing policies for desired growth within the District.

The plan will be used to secure support from within and outside the community for funding for specific projects and will be reported on regu- larly to the Community Board and the public. Annual reporting will enable success to be measured and information to be checked and up- dated. There is opportunity for involvement at every stage of the process. The Community Board will take an active role in promoting the Plan to the community and where appropriate, facilitating project development. Others who have an interest in the future of the area will find the Community Plan an essential planning guide. These include: ♦ Government Agencies ♦ Other Councils ♦ Developers/Investors ♦ Visitors and Tourists

Who will have access to the plan? This Community Plan is available from the local Council Office at 46 Albert Street, or by telephoning Council on 07 867 2010.

How will progress and success be measured? A central record of activity will be kept at the District Council office, 46 Albert Street, Whitianga and through the Mercury Bay Community Board. Progress will be reported to the community annually. Maintaining the integrity of the Plan and monitoring its use is a necessary part of the implementation. A review of the Plan’s highest priorities will be carried out by the Community Board at a time to coincide with the prepa- ration of Council’s annual plan

2 A major review of this Community Plan will be undertaken every three years to coincide with the review of Council’s LTCCP process. This will involve public consultation and input.

How can new ideas be incorporated? The Community Plan has been arranged like a workbook so that an individual or group may use it to keep a record of their activity and ideas. The central record of activity, maintained by Council, will form the basis of the annual report to the community and the Community Board. All comments on or contributions to this Community Plan should be made to the Thames Coromandel District Council’s Mercury Bay Area Manager, 46 Albert Street, Whitianga.

3 History Mercury Bay South – A district rich in history. Early last century the rural areas of Mahakirau, Kaimarama, Ounuora, Old farming pioneers have passed on. New owners have sub-divided Waiwawa and Whenuakite were a hive of industry. Kauri Forests properties. Lifestyle blocks, orchards and tourism are the new rural were felled and floated down river to Whitianga. outlook. Gumtown flourished, stores, hotels and boarding houses aplenty. What of the hub of it all, Gumtown with its hotels, billiard rooms, Relics of those days are still around, dam sills, old machinery, hollow timber and gum, now only a school, hall, tavern and rural bonhomie. logs that bushies dwelt in. The watershed of these areas was also a Living on only in stories and reminiscing. rich source of gum. The rape of the forests came to an end. Gumtown changed its name to Coroglen in 1921 – a new era had begun. Land was cleared; the change to farming in 1911 saw a dairy company established in Whitianga. Cream was collected in cans and shipped down river, farming goods and fertiliser brought to Te Kauanga Wharf by the Lady Jocelyn. Her service ceased when road transport took over in 1963. Goods and rural mail as well as cream cartage continued until 1972 when the Mercury Bay Co-op Dairy Co closed and milk tankers carted whole milk dairy produce ‘over the hill’. The Post Office in Coroglen closed, rural telephone exchanges disappeared and rural mail services now deliver goods, daily papers as well as mail. Memories of those early times abound, the Maori Church and Mission at Te Ho Ho, fun times in the halls, schools established, sports days, telephone party lines through which the district knew all that went on.

4 A description of our community / Map

5 A description of our community / Map

6 Our Process So Far

March 2006 Council facilitated preparation of the Rural Community Plan of Whenuakite, Coroglen, Kaimarama & The 309 Rd by sending out letter to all ratepayers informing them of forthcoming Community Planning meeting. 29 March 2006 Community Planning meeting held at Coroglen Hall. October 2006 letter of notification regarding final Community Planning meeting and rural plan open to submissions. 23 November 2006 Community Planning meeting held at Coroglen Hall. 8 December 2006 submissions close 13 February 2007 summary of submissions presented to the Mercury Bay Community Board where amendments were determined. February / March 2007 amendments to plan made and report to Council prepared for Adoption of the Rural Community Plan of Whenuakite, Coroglen, Kaimarama & The 309 Rd.

7 Key Areas of Focus

SOCIAL ECONOMIC (community wellbeing) (the business world) Health Retail Education Service industry Safe communities Industry Community Tourism

ENVIRONMENTAL CULTURAL (surroundings we live in) (who we are as a community) Infrastructure Recreation and Leisure Bush and Arts Coastline & harbours Heritage Land use Reserve management Waste management

8 SOCIAL - health & education What do we have? ♦ Health issues around dust ♦ Health services provided for in Whitianga and Thames ♦ One pre-school and two primary education facilities ♦ Secondary education being provided by Whitianga ♦ Noxious weeds/plants on roadsides e.g. privet What do we want? ♦ Clearer signage e.g. rapid numbering (Rural Address Property Identification) to enable emergency services to find properties that may be down right of ways ♦ Continued access to education facilities ♦ Enforcement of a comprehensive programme to eradicate allergy inducing noxious weeds specifically on roadsides

What don’t we want? ♦ A decrease in current services

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Unsealed rural roads to be graded Dust control programme near TCDC Opus * Ongoing Ongoing and maintained to manage dust schools and houses problem Continued access to education Retain and improve education and Ministry of * Ongoing Ongoing facilities training opportunities for all ages Education

SOCIAL - safe communities What do we have? What do we want? ♦ Emergency services who use rapid numbering (Rural Address ♦ Focus on safe traffic movements and speed restriction on SH25 Property Identification) outside schools ♦ Increasing number of pedestrians on rural roads ♦ Better enforcement of speed restrictions in particular large vehicles e.g. forestry and delivery trucks ♦ Better identification for multiple properties on RoW’s – 10 letterboxes e.g. road names for these right of ways Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 SH25 speed restriction outside Support the community in their re- Transit Whenuakite * On On Whenuakite school quest for speed reduction School going going

TCDC

9 SOCIAL - community What do we have? ♦ General support for TCDC .6 rural rate differential ♦ A concern that existing residents / ratepayers are paying for upgrades because of growth ♦ Urban demand / settlement problems with power, water and increased number of people per property

What do we want? ♦ Rates reduction in recognition of reduced services in rural areas ♦ Protection upholding personal property rights ♦ More local control to determine local spending ♦ New developers to pay their fair share on new developments to cover increased infrastructure requirements ♦ Land owners to be involved in the planning process ♦ A larger portion of Council resources being based in Mercury Bay

What don’t we want? ♦ Growth/development occurring without community input

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Developments which impact on Contribution fees from developers TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing rural communities and on local to be spent back in local area infrastructure

10 ECONOMIC - service industry/agriculture/horticulture/forestry What do we have? ♦ A community against occupation changes of the Coastal Marine Area (CMA) under E.W. ♦ Small / cottage industries within rural area e.g. lavender gardens, rural contractors and trades people ♦ Unreliable power supply in rural areas ♦ Poor telecommunications which is a disincentive to businesses ♦ ‘The Coroglen Tavern’ ♦ A mixture of land uses including dairying, orchards, forestry and market gardening ♦ Dust nuisance impacting on economic returns

What do we want?

♦ High speed telecommunications in rural area ♦ To put more pressure on Power Company to provide reliable power ♦ Maintain farming as a permitted activity ♦ To be able to ply your own business ♦ Effective removal of effluent from the land ♦ Whitianga to remain the main service centre ♦ Immediate attention to dust control What don’t we want? ♦ Pollution into the Whitianga harbour from forestry and inappropriate land use ♦ Large scale industry establishing in the rural area

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Un reliable telecommunication To establish reliable telecommu- Telecom Vodafone * Ongoing lines including high speed broad- nication lines in rural areas in- band in rural areas cluding high speed broadband Private Provider Power line to be upgraded Provider to upgrade power line Transpower Power * Ongoing Ongoing Co

11 ECONOMIC - tourism What do we have? ♦ Small / cottage industries within rural area e.g. hiking, horse treks, mountain biking ♦ A perception that the majority of traffic is related to tourism ♦ Camp ground facilities closing due to economic pressures from land values

What do we want? ♦ To retain the flexibility and support of small / cottage industry within rural areas ♦ Support for DoC campgrounds and pedestrian/tramping access ♦ Council leadership e.g. use zoning and rates relief, to facilitate camp ground in rural area ♦ Ways in which the rural communities can gain an economic benefit from tourism

What don’t we want?

♦ Rate increases to fund tourism ventures ♦ Large scale retail development occurring in the rural areas

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Support for small industry and Ensure these activities are covered TCDC Tourism * Ongoing Ongoing cottage industry within rural areas in the District Plan Coromandel To know how to get more tourist Promotion of tourism Tourism TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing dollars into local area Coromandel Businesses

DoC

Local Com- munities

12 ENVIRONMENTAL infrastructure Roading What do we have?

♦ Roading work by contractors not up to standard or community expectation ♦ No confidence in the audit reporting process ♦ Lack of co-ordination between different contractors about who is responsible for different parts of road repairs ♦ Mercury Bay paying more of a % of District Rates and getting less portion of the money spent on roading ♦ Decline in level of service for all rural roads e.g. lack of gravel, dust issues, culvert clearing and slips ♦ Council priorities have moved away from roading in rural areas ♦ Noxious weeds/plants on roadsides e.g. privet

What do we want?

♦ Road maintenance to focus on contributing roads measure ♦ Unsealed rural roads to be graded and maintained on a ♦ Knowledge of timetables, funding allocations and methods of regular basis road maintenance programmes ♦ To create an overall maintenance programme for roading ♦ Enforcement of a comprehensive programme to eradicate improvements noxious weeds on roadsides ♦ Better co-ordination and management of roading works ♦ Tapu Rd to be widened and sealed – around properties if not entirely ♦ Develop and implement a seal extension programme ♦ Introduce dust suppressant applications as an interim

What don’t we want?

♦ Lack of maintenance for contributing roads ♦ Steep drop off on road side of narrow gravel roads ♦ Rural gravel roads to remain as they are at present

13 Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Unsealed rural roads to be An annual programme to be kept TCDC Opus * Ongo- Ongo- graded and maintained to ing ing Overall maintenance pro- Priorities to be set in consultation TCDC Opus * Ongo- Ongo- gramme for roading improve- with local residents ing ing ments Better management of roading Quarterly audit reports of perform- TCDC Opus * Ongo- Ongo- ance ing ing Roading maintenance to focus Implement a new seal extension TCDC Opus * Ongo- Ongo- on contributing roads programme ing ing Lack of clear Council policy on Council to develop a clear policy TCDC Opus * Ongo- Ongo- sealing on seal requirements ing ing

ENVIRONMENTAL infrastructure Energy/telecommunications What do we have? ♦ Intermittent, unreliable power supply to rural areas ♦ Unreliable telecommunications ♦ Limited radio coverage What do we want? ♦ Powerco to provide a reliable supply ♦ New services to be underground across scenic rural areas ♦ Reliable telecommunication lines in rural areas including high speed connections ♦ Expansion of the radio frequency

What don’t we want? ♦ Unreliable power supply to rural areas ♦ Poor telecommunication and connection services ♦ Continuation of poor radio coverage

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Power line to be upgraded Provider to upgrade power line Transpower Power * Ongoing Ongoing Co Unreliable and limited To establish reliable Telecom Vodafone * Ongoing telecommunication lines telecommunication lines in rural including high speed broadband areas including high speed Private in rural areas broadband Provider

14 ENVIRONMENTAL infrastructure Water/wastewater What do we have? ♦ Concern regarding water quality of rural streams ♦ Reliance on private on-site water collection ♦ Stock able to enter streams ♦ Properties with on-site waste water systems What do we want? ♦ Clean water sources for water take ♦ Riparian management for all water ways ♦ Protection of our ground water supplies ♦ Regime for ongoing management and performance monitoring of on-site waste water systems What don’t we want? ♦ Further degradation of natural water ♦ Poorly managed waste water systems allowed to continue

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Monitoring of water quality in rural Implementation of riparian EW TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing streams management for planting and fencing of all waterways Management of on site systems Implementation of a programme for EW TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing regular monitoring of all systems

Stormwater What do we have? ♦ Reliance on open drains ♦ Road drainage to road side drains What do we want? ♦ Well maintained open drains in the rural area ♦ A management system for road side drains particularly after heavy rain events What don’t we want? ♦ Blocked road side drains ♦ Land drainage impeded by unmaintained drains Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Clearance of road side drains Regular maintenance and clearing TCDC Opus * Ongoing Ongoing of all road side drains

15 ENVIRONMENTAL bush & streams & reserves What do we have? ♦ Landscapes of outstanding natural character and significance ♦ Areas of Maori and European significance ♦ Scenic areas being degraded by invading wild pines and other plant pests ♦ A reliance on the use of 1080 for animal pest control ♦ Various organisations undertaking pest control i.e. Forest and Bird and DoC ♦ A growing concern of increasing mangrove growth in estuaries ♦ Recent flood events resulting in increased silt run off and old native vegetation being pushed down streams into the estuaries ♦ DoC as a significant land owner on the peninsula with their policy of preservation ♦ Concern regarding water quality of rural streams ♦ Reserve land not well managed by Council ♦ Lack of planning for reserves What do we want? ♦ Support for Riparian Management of all waterways ♦ Controls of run off/discharge into waterways ♦ A study of estuary ecology and impact of silt – (green bloom on ♦ Stoney Creek Reserve access upgraded and maintained the mud at the moment) ♦ Control programmes for animal and plant pests Encouragement and implementation of stream management ♦ ♦ Review and planned improvement for Te Kauanga wharf area programmes e.g. clean streams What don’t we want? ♦ Continued use of 1080 poisoning as the only pest control tool ♦ Intrusion of animals into the bush areas that could result in degradation of stream water quality and bush Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15

Riparian management Set in place protection of all riparian EW DoC * Ongoing Ongoing margins for stream and river protection e.g. Clean Streams Landowners Project Controls in run off / discharge Set in place controls to protect EW DoC * Ongoing Ongoing streams / rivers from run / off discharge Landowners Management of TCDC Implement management plans in TCDC DoC * Ongoing Ongoing Reserves conjunction with dune care and Reserve Reserve Management Groups MBCB Management Groups Plant and animal pests Develop and implement a EW TCDC * Ongoing programme with all agencies for the DoC eradication/control of all animal and Private plant pests which incorporates Land education as a key component Owners RMG’s Animal Health Board

16 ENVIRONMENTAL - land use What do we have? ♦ Concerns of impact on private property rights ♦ Entrance to Whitianga dominated by rural activity ♦ A coastal zone that is restrictive – want case by case assessment ♦ A predominance of monoculture in forestry i.e. Pinas Radiata What do we want? ♦ Property rights in the rural zone protected ♦ To identify sites of National Significance and to be able to protect these sites ♦ Covenanted land to have rate relief even if there is no public access ♦ Restricted housing -Two houses per lot in rural area to be permitted with controls on density ♦ Council to provide a wider rate relief policy on, e.g. QEII trust land or Camp Grounds ♦ Clear rules in coastal area for buildings in relation to colour, height etc. ♦ To maintain the existing rural character on the flat lands at the entrance to Whitianga (SH25 – McLeod’s Straight)

What don’t we want? ♦ Land use that detracts from rural environment ♦ Restrict commercial / industrial activity in the rural/coastal area at the entrance to Whitianga ♦ Destruction of significant landscapes or sites Priorities for action

Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15

Management of development in Robust District Plan rules that are TCDC Local * Ongoing Ongoing the rural area adhered to Communities

Protection of green backdrop Creation of environmental TCDC DoC * Ongoing Ongoing while also protecting property enhancement zones (District Plan) rights in the Rural Zone to protect the green/rural backdrop Land and allow for appropriate Owners development The development adjacent to To maintain the existing rural/ TCDC Transit * Ongoing Ongoing SH25 leading to the entrance to coastal character and amenity of Whitianga this area Land Owners Retain the rural/coastal zoning and restrict commercial/residential/ industrial development through the provisions of the District Plan Identification and protection of A clear method of identification of TCDC EW * Ongoing Ongoing sites of National Significance significant sites DoC

17 ENVIRONMENTAL - waste management What do we have? ♦ Green waste including illegal dumping of noxious weeds in rural areas

What do we want? ♦ A fully operational refuse transfer station to provide for green combined collection points on rural roads in approved structures waste, plastics, hazardous substances etc suitable for the rural ♦ Opportunity for innovation in waste disposal e.g. worm farms area ♦ A combined approach to the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle) focusing on wastes from farming activities ♦ Continuation of the refuse collection service with provision for What don’t we want? ♦ Illegal dumping of rubbish both organic and inorganic in rural areas

Priorities for action

Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15

Green waste facilities Facility to be provided for in TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing Mercury Bay South

To be able to dispose of pesticides Establishment of a collection EW TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing programme Land Owners

18 CULTURAL—recreation & leisure/arts/heritage What do we have? ♦ Lack of sporting facilities ♦ Strong support for the Mercury Bay Regional museum ♦ Community halls at Coroglen and Whenuakite ♦ Safe swimming holes in various rivers ♦ Popular destination for trampers, hikers, horse trekking, mountain biking ♦ Multi sport events e.g. Coromandel Classic, K2 ♦ A mix of artists and musicians within the community ♦ Places that reflect early settlement by both Maori and European

What do we want? ♦ A central multi-sports ground with sports facility in Whitianga ♦ Upgraded Boat launching/retrieval facilities ♦ Council to support the Mercury Bay Regional Museum and recognise the importance of the history of this area to Maori and European ♦ To formulate an improvement programme for the community halls ♦ Continued support for recreational events

What don’t we want? ♦ Lack of sporting facilities

Priorities for action Issue Action Lead Partner Priority/Timeline Agency Agency 06/07 09/10 12/15 Lack of sports facilities Support the ongoing plans to TCDC Local * Ongoing Ongoing establish the Mercury Bay Multi Communities Sport Development in Whitianga Support for the Mercury Bay Council to continue to support the Regional TCDC * Ongoing Ongoing Regional Museum Mercury Bay Regional Museum Museum Iwi

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