Your questions Answered - Mangawhai Town Plan exercise underway

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Growth in Mangawhai continues to outstrip forecasts. Mangawhai’s dwelling numbers have more than doubled over the last 15 years.

For the Council’s 2015/2016 financial year, resource consent numbers have grown by 33%, and 221 new lots have been created through the subdivision process. Building consents have grown by 15% with 90% of the building and resource consents for Kaipara District being in the Mangawhai area.

There is a shortage of residential sections for sale at Mangawhai. Growth models suggest that Mangawhai will grow by 80 to 100 new dwellings per year. This is a considerable change to that forecasted a few years ago. I well recall that when Commissioners brought out their amended Long Term Plan for Kaipara in 2013, we were criticised by some for being overly optimistic with our growth forecasts in Mangawhai. Forecasting growth is far from an exact science, but in this case the naysayers were wrong. In fact we forecasted well below what has eventuated.

Councils need to support growth with infrastructure like roads and footpaths, stormwater and wastewater networks, and parks. In the perfect world, public infrastructure provision occurs with growth. In Mangawhai, growth is getting ahead of the provision of some infrastructure.

To guide investment in public infrastructure, to support the wellbeing of the community, and to ensure that those parts of Mangawhai that have sensitive natural environments are protected, a Council led and community informed Mangawhai Town Plan exercise is underway.

Council officers supported by experts are to undertake the work under the direction of Chief Executive Graham Sibery. The project manager at Council will be Michaela Keith. The Project will be supported by the Council’s former Chief Executive, Jill McPherson, a local Mangawhai resident.

To help guide and inform the process, we have appointed a community panel. The panel will be chaired by Belinda Vernon, who has been a passionate advocate for the community for many years and whose family have had connections to Mangawhai for several generations.

Belinda will be joined on the panel by Joanna Roberts, Ian Greenwood, David Wingate, Richard Gunson, and Kelli Sullivan. This gives both a great skill and community mix. We thank all panel members for taking on this role.

While the project has been begun under the governance of Commissioners, it will be advanced under the governance of a newly elected Council.

The place to email with questions or comments on the project is mangawhaitownplan@kaipara.govt.nz.

New Wastewater Bylaw pending
At the Council meeting on Monday next week Council will consider a Bylaw that will provide Council with greater authority to inspect and require maintenance on failing wastewater systems. The Bylaw will also provide Council with powers to require connection to the Mangawhai Community Wastewater Scheme.

District Plan Changes pending
The current District Plan has provisions in it with respect Fire Safety land use rules which in the opinion of the Commissioners, and many residents, impose overly zealous water tank requirements on those seeking to build. Council has attempted to negotiate a more reasonable position with the NZ Fire Service. We have had no success. We are now proceeding down the track of notifying a change to our District Plan, being the document where the water tank provisions exist.

Time to vote
Those eligible to vote in the local government elections in Kaipara should have received their voting papers in the mail. We encourage you to vote.

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