Mahurangi Action draft minutes

Meeting Mahurangi Action Incorporated Committee
Resolutions Resolutions unanimous unless otherwise noted
Date Tuesday 26 February 2013
Time 5.30‍ ‍pm

Resolved: That Mahurangi Action accepts the offer of the Mahurangi Cruising Club to work more closely on future Mahurangi Regattas. photographer Lyn Bergquist

Start Meeting opened at 5.37‍ ‍pm

Attending Cimino Cole, Michael Gordon, Mike Hanne and Burnette O’Connor

Apologies Hugh Gladwell

Financial Mahurangi Regatta financial summary circulated indicating that the event involved Mahurangi Action funds of $770. The treasurer reported once the Mahurangi Cruising Club contribution to the prize-giving dance of $1000 had been received and the balance of the regatta bills paid, the bank balance would be $1325, as compared to $1461 at the time of the annual general meeting in November. [Subsequent to the meeting, the treasurer reported that due to a supplier being ascribed the invoice total of another, the bank balance after paying regatta costs is $1036 rather than the figure reported at the meeting.]

Subscriptions Resolved that the voluntary $50 regatta supporter subscription rate suggested by Shane Hartley, at which rate $300 has been received to date, be endorsed and recommended to the next annual general meeting. Cimino Cole, Michael Gordon

Annual general meeting date Resolved that the next annual general meeting be held on the morning of Sunday 3 November 2013. Cimino Cole, Burnette O’Connor

2013 Mahurangi Regatta and beyond
The secretary circulated Mahurangi Regatta 2013 post mortem notes ahead of the meeting and, in the agenda, listed 10 separate post mortem meetings conducted and a further 13 to follow.

Advised by Mahurangi Cruising Club commodore, Stephen Horsley, that its committee resolved that it and Mahurangi Action would work closer together in future, including an invitation to the secretary and others to attend a club committee meeting in June and closer to the regatta, and noting that Hugh Gladwell his committee member of both organisations. Further, he planned to forward Mahurangi Action’s post mortem notes to his committee members.

Resolved that Mahurangi Action accepts the offer of the Mahurangi Cruising Club to work more closely on future Mahurangi Regattas. Cimino Cole, Michael Gordon

Resolved that Mike Hanne understudy role of Mahurangi Regatta shoreside team leader, Sullivans Bay morning events. Cimino Cole, Michael Gordon

Resolved that a comprehensive Mahurangi Regatta manual be prepared, including material from 2013 post mortem notes. Cimino Cole, Michael Gordon

Mahurangi Farm-Forestry Trail
The agenda referred to the Mahurangi Magazine report titled Mahurangi Farm-Forestry Walkway Will Be One Trail To Demonstrate Them All. Reported that a second meeting on site with Auckland Transport’s Rodney traffic engineer, Julie Wood, gained strong support for car park as proposed long term by Shelley Trotter. Advised by Louise Askin, Sustainable Farming Fund senior project adviser, that funding decisions will be announced at the end of this week.

Reported that an optional field trip had been included in the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association programme for the morning of 24 April to give conference attendees an opportunity to preview the Mahurangi Farm-Forestry Trail and witness a sustainable tōtara management thinning demonstration.

Resolved that rather than pay $240 for a pre-application resource consent meeting for the physical trail, O’Connor Planning Consultants’ offer to provide the same or better service free of charge be gratefully accepted. Michael Gordon, Mike Hanne

Mahurangi Action Plan progress
Reported that Mahurangi Action had been advised that morning that Auckland Council’s sustainable catchments team has just let a contract with Boffa Miskell to update and peer review the long-term Mahurangi Action Plan, with view to identifying how Auckland Council can best support its implementation. The updating relates to the new, unitary, Auckland governance structure. Desire by the council is to foster and support, but not take over, the long-term plan. Annette Lees, who worked on the action plan process in 2008, is involved. The work has been made possible thanks to ex-stormwater budget finding its way into the sustainable catchments area. Once some preliminary work is completed, Kim Morresey intends to meet informally with key people involved in the Mahurangi Action Plan process to get feedback as to the direction assumed.

Jamieson Bay ‘Private Property’ sign progress
Reported that during contact with by phone on 21 February, Auckland Transport expressed surprise that ‘Private Property’ sign was still in place at the top of the right of way. Image taken of sign and emailed to David Bellchambers. Emailed précis to Geoffrey Pitman, with copy of heads of agreement. Logged request with Auckland Transport (AT2013010104) for one-way road signs for right of way.

Mahurangi Coastal Trail walk
Reported that a low-tide walk of the proposed Mahurangi Coastal Trail on Sunday 10 March beginning at midday is advertised as a SeaWeek activity:

Gentle Walk of the Proposed Mahurangi Coastal Trail
(No dogs, as route runs close to dotterel nesting areas)

• Assemble on abutment of old Waiwera Bridge, beside Waiwera turn off from State Walk to Pūhoi River via Wenderholm walking tracks, knee-deep walk across river, picnic lunch on riverbank, walk to saddle overlooking Te Muri (a little steep, but a maximum of 50-metre elevation), walk Te Muri beach, swim, ankle-deep walk across Te Muri estuary, gentle walk to end of Ngārewa Drive.
• A chartered bus will return registered walkers to Waiwera, leaving at 3pm—donations appreciated.
• To register interest, phone +64 9 422 0872, +64 27 462 4872, email secretary@mahurangi.org.nz or visit www.mahurangi.org.nz
• NB Walkers living north of Waiwera can join the bus at Warkworth, Old Masonic Hall
• Public transport: On Sundays, 895 Midtown To Waiwera buses leave for Waiwera 10 minutes past the hour, and from Waiwera 40 minutes past the hour.

Marine reserve
Resolved that Roger Grace be invited to attend next committee meeting or otherwise advise Mahurangi Action as to what steps might be taken to have a new area in the vicinity of the Mahurangi included in the proposed Marine Spatial Plan for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Cimino Cole, Burnette O’Connor

Unitary plan
Advised that Auckland Council’s shapeauckland.co.nz website, outlining the draft unitary plan went live on the day of the committee meeting.

Burnette O’Connor advised that it will be important to provide a comprehensive response to Auckland Council as part of this draft Unitary Plan consultation process. Issues likely to need to be reviewed and commented upon as far as they affect the Mahurangi Harbour and environs include outstanding and regionally significant landscapes, water quality, riparian protection as part of subdivision, the walkway assessment criteria issue introduced as part of the Rodney Plan, marine farming (potentially), subdivision and land use activities. When the draft plan is released on 15 March, Burnette suggested the idea of breaking up the relevant chapters amongst members for review and identification of submission points. Burnette offered to assist with helping people identify what it is they need to look for.

In essence council staff will be under a lot of pressure, so comprehensive submissions that are clearly written and have all relevant documents appended are likely to be better received.

Mahurangi West settlement turning circle
Discussed how land, mostly owned by the Morehu family and currently freely used as turning circle, particularly by the school bus, might be enhanced including as a place from which walkers might enjoy vistas of the harbour. Burnette O’Connor offered to assist the family to communicate with Auckland Transport that council-controlled organisation could use the area at the owners’ discretion and ask that it meantime consider improving and maintaining the area.

‘Locker Lookout’
Reported that Rodney Local Board member Steven Garner and property holder Mike Neil have yet to meet. The secretary undertook to seek to meet with local board member June Turner on this and related issues.

Mahurangi West Road speed limit
Reported that Mike Neil, after canvassing the issue at the Mahurangi Harbour Book Club recently is keen to petition for a reduced speed limit for the Mahurangi West Road. Suggestion is for a committee to poll the residents as to their preference for speed limit, for example 60, 70, 80 or the status quo. Agenda also referred to the Mahurangi Magazine article titled Scenic Ridge Road and Some Unintended Consequences.

Mahurangi West Road lane arrows for tourists
Reported by Mike Hanne that he was recently forced off the road by a camper van that had possibly driven on the wrong side of the road for most of the length of Mahurangi West Road after joining it at Ngārewa Drive.

Resolved that road marking be requested from Auckland Transport at the Mahurangi West Road and Ngārewa Drive intersection to remind the likes of European and American drivers to drive on the left. Michael Gordon, Mike Hanne

Next committee meeting The next committee meeting is to be held 5.30–6.30‍ ‍pm Tuesday 28 May 2013, Lilburn Workspace, 5 Lilburn Street.

Meeting close The meeting closed at 6.30‍ ‍pm.