Agenda of Waiheke Local Board - Wednesday, 24 February 2021

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Councillor's Update	9

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Amendment to Waiheke Love our Wetlands contract	33
b ⇩	Extract from minutes of meeting 16 December 2020	35

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

Waiheke Island Destination Management Plan - Auckland Unlimited

File No.: CP2021/01249

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. Auckland Unlimited in collaboration with Stafford Strategy are seeking the Waiheke Local Board’s endorsement of a project to scope and develop a Waiheke Island Destination Management Plan (the plan).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. As a result of COVID-19 impacts and restrictions, there is now a clear recognition of the value and costs of tourism to Waiheke Island and its community.

3. Auckland Unlimited have been working in partnership with the Waiheke Island Tourism Incorporation including representation from mana whenua to enhance the visitor economy and offerings on the island and will continue to do so by developing this plan for a long-term positive outcome from the impacts of tourism on Waiheke.

4. The commitment is to develop the plan in a collaborative way, so that it will cover and represent a wide range of stakeholder viewpoints and agendas. This ensures issues and opportunities identified within local strategies such as Essentially Waiheke, Project Forever Waiheke, the Waiheke Area Plan and Local Board Plan, following consultation with the council and CCO’s, local residents, businesses and iwi are bought to light, to ensure the visitor economy is seen as a sustainable industry on Waiheke Island.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) endorse the project scope for the Waiheke Island Destination Management Plan as per Attachment A.

Horopaki

Context

5. Part of Auckland Unlimited’s traditional role on Waiheke Island has been to work with the Waiheke Local Board, mana whenua and the Waiheke Island Tourism Inc Forum to develop a “long-term visitor strategy” to achieve sustainable economic growth, this work has been heightened in terms of important because of the impacts from Covid19. The strategy aims to attract longer stay visitors to the island and add economic, environment and community value. One of the critical issues we for-see is the need to investigate “carrying capacity limits”, as we note that previous media comments from the community especially on Waiheke has been centred on better managing visitation and finding the “sweet spot” between encouraging solid visitor numbers but not too many, so we can avoid over tourism risks going forward.

6. We note that the importance and role of tourism on Waiheke Island has grown significantly in recent years. The impact of this visitor growth has been contested locally with considerable opposition to low-value visitation and vocal concern from the local community over larger influxes of predominantly day and occasionally overnight visitors onto the island, especially at peak season times. Many residents have chosen to live on the island for its intrinsic values, including its unspoilt nature. Mass tourism is widely perceived to threaten that nature and the sense of community – the quintessential values that also contribute to making Waiheke a popular destination.

7. This exercise will create opportunities including:

· alignment with the community–consulted Waiheke Local Boards Plan including the key concept of Waiheke being a sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf

· delivering sustainable destination management for Waiheke

· ensuring all of this will align with the Destination AKL 2025 Strategy and Destination AKL Recovery Plan

· ensuring this also meets with the national destination management guidelines

· to help guide Auckland Unlimited’s engagement with Local Boards from a destination management perspective so a consistent and sustainable regional approach is delivered across the wider Auckland landscape.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

8. Options considered:

· Leave the island to continue to operate in the tourism industry as it is now, highly impacted from COVID-19 and with a large variety of conflicting and neglected stakeholder groups.

· Develop a longer term vision and plan alongside all key stakeholders who have a viewpoint within the tourism sector on Waiheke to firstly recover from COVID-19 but then to operate in a sustainable, beneficial way.

9. The preferred option is to develop a Waiheke Island Destination Management Plan working alongside key stakeholders and in collaboration with Stafford Strategy. This would not only align groups with differing agendas, but also identify opportunities for the island with the plan to continue to develop in a more sustainable way.

10. This plan aims to serve the whole Waiheke region and its various comminities who are hyper reliant on tourism for a source of income and wellbeing as an island. This approach clearly aligns to the outcomes of both Auckland Unlimited as the city’s Regional Tourism Organtisation, and also the Waiheke Local Board.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

11. There are no particular impacts of climate change as a result of the recommendations within this report however impacts will be considered during the development of the plan.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

12. Auckland Unlimited will liaise with Auckland Council and necessary Council Controlled Organisations (CCO‘s) during the development of this plan.

13. Sustainable growth and development of regions within Auckland is a key goal and outcome shared by all CCO’s and is at the core of the development of the plan. For example, a key CCO which has been identified for this project is Auckland Transport because of the impacts and role they have to play on Waiheke Island through connectivity.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

14. The Waiheke Local Board area is home to an estimated 9,600 people (NZ Stats 30 June 2020) however more than 1,000,000 people visit the island per year. Consequently, this means an enormous impact is felt by a small community who make this tourism hot spot their home, but also their place of work. Economic activity on Waiheke must balance development with impacts on environment and infrastructure. This includes ensuring community lifestyle is not adversely impacted.

15. The Waiheke Local Board in their most recent plan outline that they aim to “quantify the effects of tourism and explore mechanisms to fund and mitigate the impacts” through working with Auckland Unlimited, mana whenua and local businesses to achieve sustainable economic growth. Alongside this specific outcome are more broad goals such as ”our visitor industry grows in alignment with our values of sustainability” and “Waiheke is recognised as an arts destination”. These are all examples the development of a destination management plan for the island is a vital next step.

16. With the wider impacts of COVID-19 being felt on the island, but also throughout the wider tourism industry, this is the perfect time to be developing a strategy so that when international visitors return the island, and its stakeholder groups are well equipped to mitigate and manage the impacts felt by the community

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

17. The scope of this plan has been developed in partnership with the Waiheke Island Tourism Incorporation which includes mana whenua representation. Future development of this plan and identified flow on workstreams will involve ongoing partnerships with mana whenua and mataawaka.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

18. Auckland Unlimited is committed to funding, leading and developing the plan for Waiheke Island in strong partnership and collaboration with local board, mana whenua and industry.

19. Procurement and financial processes will therefore be able to sit with one agency as the engagement of a consultant / external neutral party will be vital in the execution of this project.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

20. The following risks and mitigations have been identified:

21. Further COVID-19 outbreaks and return to alert level 4 lock down conditions.

22. This will force the closure of all businesses for the period of the lock down and ability for research and stakeholder engagement to occur.

23. Lack of public support within the local community.

24. This would impact on the overall ability for the project to be completed as gaining input from all stakeholder individuals, businesses and groups is vital for a destination management plan.

25. Expectation of continued Auckland Unlimited leadership and / or funding for implementation.

26. Action points and strategic areas for implementation. The host communities and groups may take the initial funding as the expectation that Auckland Unlimited then funds follow up activity and action points.

27. To mitigate this it is vital that clear expectations of realities are set out from the beginning by project lead, Auckland Unlimited.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

28. Key steps to this project if endorsed by the Waiheke Local Board are below. Auckland Unlimited are extremely keen to get this project moving as soon as the right approval processes have been met including this local board endorsement, followed by the procurement of Stafford Strategy.

29. Inception meetings with identified key stakeholder groups. This would be also be used to gather document review advice, report locations and data collation.

30. Literature review.

31. Stakeholder consultation. Once a chance to develop the data sets and map accordingly to illustrate trends and hot spots on the island, we would then look to set up a series of meetings with key stakeholder groups and individuals.

32. Product development assessment and trends. We would use the opportunity in the stakeholder consultation from our own trips around the island to identify potential for new product, and enhancements to existing product where possible.

33. Supporting infrastructure. We would also assess the need for changes to supporting infrastructure to help ensure the visitor economy as highly sustainable and the island starts to address some of the current challenges.

34. Market demand analysis.

35. Visitor growth scenario planning.

36. Policy alignment.

37. Follow up stakeholder workshops.

38. A finalised destination management plan by the end of June 2020. We would look for feedback in between these two versions to ensure those who have been consulted throughout the process, are happy they have not missed anything, or an agenda has not been presented to their desires.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Project scope for the Waiheke Island Destination Management Plan	43

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Zac Watson - Product Development Manager - Industry - Auckland Unlimited

Annie Dundas – Programme Manager Food ＆ Beverage - Dest - Auckland Unlimited

Steve Armitage – General Manager - Destination Auckland Unlimited

Authorisers

Louise Mason – General Manager - Local Board Services

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

Waiheke Governance Pilot evaluation report

File No.: CP2021/00955

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To enable the Waiheke Local Board to formally receive and respond to the report evaluating the just completed three-year Waiheke Governance Pilot.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The three-year Waiheke Governance Pilot which is one output of Auckland’s 2016 Governance Framework Review came to an end before Christmas. Council’s Research and Evaluation Unit (RIMU) has been formally evaluating the pilot with a pre, mid-point and now post pilot evaluation reports.

3. The RIMU “post-pilot” evaluation report which is attached to this report includes recommendations on where to next for Waiheke, and elsewhere for the Auckland region, based on findings of the evaluation. This report provides an opportunity for the Waiheke Local Board to formally receive the RIMU report, to consider the report’s recommendations, and to outline what it would like to see happen from here.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendations

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) Receive the February 2021 report prepared by council’s Research and Evaluation Unit, which evaluates the just completed three-year Waiheke Governance Pilot.

b) Support the recommendation that the pilot be extended to 30 June 2022 to enable key agreed projects, initiatives, and issues that either weren’t completed under the pilot or weren’t able to be progressed, to be further investigated and pursued.

c) Request that these matters include:

i) Completion of the Mātiatia Plan

ii) Investigation of specific delegations or other appropriate decision-making mechanisms to enable the board to have the level of authority envisioned by the pilot but not yet achieved, including options around the proposed plan change to integrate the Hauraki Gulf Islands district plan into the Auckland Unitary Plan

iii) Options for Waiheke specific policy and bylaws to be developed to address known issues relating to Waiheke such as the significant unfunded impacts of the 1.5m visitors who come to Waiheke annually.

d). Note that the above investigations will proceed subject to the board and staff agreeing on the content and parameters of these matters and adequate resourcing being available to undertake this work.

d) Specifically note its support for the following other recommendations of the evaluation, for the reasons shown:

i). Staff will bring options to address the report’s findings to a future Waiheke Local Board business meeting as this will create transparency for process and decision-making

ii). That AT allocate specific budget to the AT Waiheke Operations Manager as this was originally envisaged when the position was created and is needed to “oil the wheels” where existing transport budgets and/or work programmes aren’t able to adequately address issues prioritised by the Waiheke Local Board, noting that this budget will be limited and used conservatively

iii). Request that the recommendation to establish a cohort of new local board-focused area managers with responsibility for developing and embedding successful aspects of pilot elsewhere, be first established amongst Waiheke facing roles and include AT’s Waiheke Operations Manager, as a logical extension of the pilot.

e) Note the key findings of the evaluation which include that:

i) An increase in local board influence has been achieved

ii) There has been a significant improvement of working relationships between board members and staff

iii) The pilot manager’s role has provided a dedicated resource to enable issues to be investigated and support for Waiheke matters to be achieved across the organisation

iii). The appointment of an AT Programme Manager dedicated to Waiheke is making a real difference to addressing the island’s transport issues and needs

iv). The limited number of delegations of decision-making to the board have enabled progress to be made in a number of areas

v). changes made across the organisation at the same time which increase local board influence have had a positive effect on issues the pilot has sought to address

vi). Despite these improvements, a number of unresolved issues and uncompleted projects remain that need to be addressed if the true intent of the pilot is to be realised.

f) Note that the RIMU evaluation will be considered by council’s Joint Governance Working Party at its 23 March 2021 meeting with a particular focus on the application of pilot learnings to other local board areas.

Horopaki

Context

4. In 2017 Auckland Council completed a review of its governance arrangements including how the Auckland Council model empowers local boards. One of the results of the review was a decision to commence a three-year pilot project on Waiheke to trial some of the review’s findings and to test an increased level of devolved decision-making to the Waiheke Local Board.

5. Auckland Council’s Research and Evaluation Unit (RIMU) was engaged to formally evaluate the pilot and to identify changes that could be applied to local boards elsewhere in Auckland. RIMU agreed a pilot evaluation project plan with the Waiheke Local Board in October 2017 and has subsequently prepared pilot evaluation reports in three phases.

6. The phase 1 report in early 2018 established the pre-pilot baseline and involved interviews with staff and elected members with a role on Waiheke, and a Waiheke household survey to understand the “lay of the land” prior to the pilot commencing. The phase 2 progress report 18 months was based on interviews and an analysis of the formal pilot records kept by the pilot manager. It included findings and recommendations.

7. The Phase 3 “post pilot evaluation is the subject of this report.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

8. The RIMU post pilot final evaluation report “Evaluating the Waiheke Governance Pilot: Three years on” is included at Attachment A. Staff met with the Waiheke Local Board to discuss its findings in February and board members provided feedback focused on the report’s findings during that session. The recommendations in this report seek to cover and respond to that feedback.

9. A key theme of the board’s feedback was that there is still more work to do, particularly around one of the key stated purposes of the pilot, to test the impact of a greater level of devolved decision-making to the Waiheke Local Board.

10. Board members felt delegations hadn’t been adequately explored with only one significant delegation - land-use and development decision-making over public land at Mātiatia, being approved. While the board’s continued advocacy resulted in it being approved as the decision-maker over the Waiheke Area Plan, board members considered this should have been the case anyway. A request to be the decision-maker over procurement for Waiheke specific waste services which had been separated out from the region-wide contract was not supported with the board being given an endorsement role.

11. Staff discussions around policy and financial delegations did not result in any delegations being pursued as initial discussions demonstrated little appetite for this, and problems identifying what the actual delegation would be, how it would work and how perceived risks for the current regional approach could be addressed.

12. Further investigation of local policy and Waiheke specific bylaws is sought by the board and this report’s recommendation support investigating those. Staff have advised the board that the actual delegation/policy/bylaw request has to be specific, to have a clear expected purpose and benefit if it is to be considered further,

13. The board has also asked that its continued advocacy over funding and/or mechanisms to address the impacts of the 1.5m visitors that come to Waiheke each year can be addressed. Options for funding via things like a visitor levy have failed to identify any practical options. Staff have indicated to the board that there is a major role for central government here as Waiheke is just one example of a number of communities in New Zealand impacted by a large number of visitors.

14. Staff have agreed to investigate the key matters outlined in the recommendations section of the report and to come back to the board with ideas in due course.

15. A key element of the RIMU pre and post pilot evaluations was a Waiheke household survey which asked Waiheke households the same set of questions on their views about Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and the Waiheke Local Board. Appendix A to the attached pilot evaluation report outlines the response to these surveys, which is summarised as follows:

16. i). The list of “top ten” issues identified in 2018 mostly remained as top issues in the 2020 survey, albeit with some marked change in rankings. Fullers monopoly was the biggest issue identified in 2020 more than doubling its score since 2018. In contrast Tourism was the biggest issue in 2018 and had almost halved by 2020 (possibly due to a temporary easing of tourism pressures due to COVID-19 travel restrictions).

ii). Respondents were asked to rate how much influence they thought the Waiheke Local Board, Auckland Council, and Auckland Transport had over the issues these issues. Auckland Council and Auckland Transport were seen to have the most influence with over 60 percent of respondents rating their influence as high. By contrast, the Waiheke Local Board received a 13 percent high influence rating. These scores didn’t change markedly between 2018 and 2020.

17. These survey results support much of the work and findings of the pilot and the recommendations to investigate options for the board to have more influence and/or decision-making authority. It also reflects the difficulties Auckland Council and Auckland Transport had experienced with community awareness/understanding of what these organisations were doing, and why, or how their actions were being interpreted. This remains a work in progress.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

18. The RIMU report itself has no specific climate impacts as it is limited to evaluating the Waiheke Governance Pilot. While some projects under the pilot may have climate impacts, these are outside the scope of the evaluation or this report

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

19. The Waiheke pilot has impacted most departments that have roles which face or interact with the Waiheke Local Board. Impacts mostly relate to additional resourcing, or to doing things differently. The degree of departmental support for the intent of the pilot has varied. In some cases departments have been very much on board, providing resources and being open to changing practises or approaches. Other departments have been less engaged.

20. The evaluation addresses these differences and notes that the pilot manager has relied on this support and the import of the governing body resolutions that established the pilot as tools and levers to garner support and cooperation.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

21. The RIMU evaluation is being reported to the Waiheke Local Board which has governed and led progression of the three-year pilot throughout. The pilot manager reports to the board and decisions on projects and issues are made in conjunction with the board. Waiheke Local Board members were formally interviewed as part of the evaluation and have participated in workshops with the RIMU team

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

22. The RIMU report itself has not considered Maori impacts. The Waiheke Pilot programme has included regular, ongoing, and detailed engagement with Ngāti Paoa throughout its three- year timeframe. Pilot programmes have in particular worked very closely with Ngāti Paoa as Waiheke mana whenua and tangata whenua, and close working relationships, also involving board members have developed as a result.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

23. Extension of the pilot until 30 June 2022 itself has no financial implications as the pilot manager is already a full-time council employee. The financial implications of any new projects or initiatives agreed between staff and the board will need to be understood and funded through required decision-making processes as appropriate.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

24. The Waiheke pilot has sought to achieve sustainable positive change for council processes relating to Waiheke. The RIMU report says that good progress has been made in a number of areas while noting there is more to do.

25. There are general risks associated with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and/or the Waiheke Local Board not being able to address issues identified by the Waiheke community. There is a limit to the resources and efforts council can provide and it is hoped the pilot recommendations can assist with further targeted improvements.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

26. Following consideration of the RIMU pilot evaluation report at the Waiheke Local Board meeting, it will be publicly released.

27. Staff will present the report and the Waiheke Local Board’s resolutions to the March meeting of the Joint Governance Working Party which has followed the progress of the Waiheke pilot from the outset.

28. Staff will then consider how best and who to involve to progress the pilot and local board recommendations.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Final Waiheke Governance Pilot Evaluation Report	59

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author	John Nash - Programme Manager,Waiheke & Gulf Islands
Authoriser	Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

Auckland Transport Report - February 2021

File No.: CP2021/00113

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update to the Waiheke Local Board on transport related matters in their area including the Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF), Community Safety Fund (CSF) and Matiatia interim transport improvements.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

This report covers:

2. A general summary of operational projects and activities of interest to the board.

3. An update on Auckland Transport projects identified in the Waiheke 10 Year Transport Plan.

4. An update on the board’s Transport Capital Fund, Community Safety Fund and Matiatia interim transport improvements.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) receive the Auckland Transport February 2021 update report.

Horopaki

Context

5. Auckland Transport is responsible for all of Auckland’s transport services, excluding state highways. We report monthly to local boards, as set out in our Local Board Engagement Plan. This reporting commitment acknowledges the important engagement role local boards play within the governance of Auckland on behalf of their local communities.

6. This report updates the Waiheke Local Board on Auckland Transport (“AT”) projects and operations in the local board area, it updates the local board on their advocacy and consultations and includes information on the status of the Local Board Transport Capital Fund (“LBTCF”) and Community Safety Fund (“CSF”).

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF)

7. The LBTCF is a capital budget provided to all local boards by Auckland Council and delivered by Auckland Transport. Local boards can use this fund to deliver transport infrastructure projects that they believe are important but are not part of AT’s work programme

8. With the Auckland Council’s emergency budget now confirmed, the LBTCF for the 20/21 financial year has been set at $5.0 million for allocation across the 21 local boards. Allocation will still be based on the Local Board Funding Policy. Decisions about the 21/22 and 22/23 financial years will form part of the Long-Term Plan/Regional Land Transport Plan (LTP/RLTP) discussions but early indications are that these years will also see a more constrained capital programme than prior to the COVID crisis.

9. Advice from the Finance Department is that with specific budgets unknown for 21/22 and 22/23 financial years, boards are unable to combine future years allocations into a single project.

10. Boards are encouraged to target delivery of smaller projects or complete design and documentation for a project than can be physically delivered in 21/22.

11. The Waiheke Local Board share of the 20/21 LBTCF allocation is $97,061.

12. The local board agreed at the November business meeting to allocate $25,000 of the LBTCF allocation to install two shelters on the taxi rank platform at Matiatia. These shelters were installed in December 2020.

13. Auckland Transport will work with the local board to discuss and advise on the best use of the remaining budget.

Community Safety Fund (CSF)

14. The CSF is a capital budget established by Auckland Transport for use by local boards to fund local road safety initiatives. The purpose of this fund is to allow elected members to address long-standing local road safety issues that are not regional priorities and are therefore not being addressed by the Auckland Transport programme.

15. The CSF is funded from Auckland Transport’s safety budget and is dependent on the level of funding AT receives from Council. This level of funding has been constrained through the Emergency Budget process. Public consultation and design work is progressing so that projects are designed and ready to go when the money becomes available.

16. Safety projects will be prioritized according to DSI (death and serious injury) data and therefore local board community safety projects will continue with planning and design but may not be delivered in the 20/21 financial year.

Update on Auckland Transport operations:

17. Management Accounts for the AT administered Hauraki Gulf Islands (HGI) wharves for the six-month period 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Items to note: Renewals

18. $1.04m for Matiatia: wharf upgrade, new pontoon & gangway works and enabling works (backup berth).

19. $59k for Kennedy Point Ferry terminal western ramp extension finishing work with main to STF Limited.

Update on Auckland Transport operations:

20. The table below has a general summary of projects and activities of interest to the local board with their status. Please note that:

· All timings are indicative and are subject to change.

· The Waiheke Operations Manager will update the local board in the event of any amendments or changes to the summaries provided for below.

Activity	Update
Wharves	Matiatia Wharf (main) The project to replace the old gangways, pontoon and hydraulic lifting system at the southern berth is currently out to market. The preliminary design and modelling was completed and released on 22 Dec 2020 to the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) with a design build tender closure date of 18 March 2021. The northern berth preliminary design and modelling is almost complete and additional funding sought for the increased scope and upgrade to make the site fully compliant for all vessels once the southern berth tender is closed. A clearer understanding of costs will be known once information has been received back from suppliers on 18 March. Funding is expected to come from both Capex and Renewal allocations. Once tenders for this work is received, it will be clearer as to how long the main berth may be out of action while the works are undertaken. Indicative contingency planning suggests an estimated 2-4 weeks. Planning for the relocation of ferries and public to the old wharf is currently underway, and includes items such as provision of temporary shelter, moving of HOP machines, waiting areas, etc. Sea trials with Fullers is also being arranged to confirm wharf configuration and aid with the planning for passenger movements. The project manager for this project is currently collating all planning information and will provide an update to the local board for their input and consideration. Matiatia Wharf (old) Project objective: To enable commuter vessels to berth at this wharf in the event of emergency or as back up to works taking place on the main berths The works to reconfigure the gangway and use of the inner berth pontoon commenced in October and was available for general use prior to Christmas. To provide increased safety for use by the largest vessel, some fender fences required replacing with longer timbers. These works planned to be complete by end February 2021. Matiatia Wharf (toilets upgrade) Construction works on upgrading the toilet facilities at the Matiatia ferry terminal commenced on site 16 November 2020. The new facilities include: · A new building to accommodate females, containing seven toilets and three hand wash basins. · Existing male/female facility will be renovated to accommodate the males with three toilets, four urinals and three hand wash basins. · The existing facility will also house a new accessible facility and a unisex toilet, each with its own hand wash basin. · A new canopy over the extended portion of the building. Current Progress: · The external building structure is currently being clad. · New overhead canopy waterproofing is complete and structural steel columns installed. · All interior plumbing and electrical works completed during February. · The bike racks have been temporarily relocated to outside the terminal entrance and the lower car park. This has worked well for users in the interim, with these racks intended to be relocated to their original position once the construction is complete. · The relocation of racks to the old wharf entrance will take place once the wharf works are complete end February. · The completion date for the new toilet facilities was fixed at 3 March 2021, however progress on site suggests that the project is tracked to achieve completion on Friday 5^th March 2021. Kennedy Point · Final painting completed December. · New fendering on the front face is complete. · New safety chains installed early February. · Fendering lights being installed mid-February. · Final site walkover with McCallum’s and Sealink planned before end February.
Temporary closure of berths 2B and 2C at Downtown Ferry Terminal	Downtown - Temporary closure 9 Feb - Waiheke ferry services currently operating from berth 2B and 2C are temporarily relocated from 9 February, for approximately three weeks, to the recently completed berths at Piers 1D & 1E. This means all Waiheke ferry services will be temporarily departing and arriving at Downtown Ferry Terminal berth at Pier 1D & E. The temporary shift is to facilitate works in the Ferry Basin, installing fender piles to protect the northern deck of Te Wananga, and the newly created downtown public space. These works are part of the Downtown Programme’s Ferry Basin redevelopment project.
Matiatia mobility car parks (keyhole and carpark)	Parking restriction controls have been put in place to deal with issues caused by the inappropriate use of the two mobility parks closest to the ferry terminal. Time limits are changed from P30 to P2 to provide mobility permit holders a pick up and drop off point close to the terminal. 38 parking spaces in the lower Matiatia carpark are available for mobility permit holders requiring a longer stay.
Matiatia carpark (lower sealed)	Two refurbished bus shelters were installed on the taxi rank platform in the lower carpark during December. Additional directional signage for the taxi rank in the carpark is proposed for installation.
Road Maintenance	Programmed works February includes preseal repairs, road resealing, grading and metaling of various unsealed roads, water tabling and other routine cyclic maintenance. Preseal Repairs · Ocean View Rd – Digout, Crack sealing, Flocon · Coromandel Rd – Flocon, dish channel · Great Barrier Rd – Digout, Flocon · Ostend Rd – Digout, Crack sealing, Flocon Road Resealing · Burrell Rd · Coromandel Rd · Cory Rd · Frank St · Great Barrier Rd · Hartley Ave · Hauraki Rd · Karaka Rd · Lannan Rd · McIntosh Rd · Moa Ave · Newton Rd · O’Brien Rd · Ocean View Rd · Ostend Rd · Shelly Beach Rd · Totara Rd · Trig Hill Rd · Woollams Rd Grading and Metaling · Man O War Bay Rd · Cowes Bay Rd – spot grading Water Tabling · Man O War Bay Rd Previous month (December) works Preseal repairs · Coromandel Rd – Watertables, dig outs and dish channel. · Great Barrier Rd – Flocon · Burrell Rd – Dig out and Flocon · McIntosh Rd – Flocon · Newton Rd – Flocon · Putiki Rd – Footpath (Countdown Boardwalk Tie-in) Grading and Metaling · Man O War Bay Rd – 40% completed · Ocean View Rd/Goodwin Ave LLA – Ongoing Water tabling · Orapiu Rd
Metro Ferry Services	Ferry Services Patronage for the month was notably down in January 2021 versus the same period last year. The reasons for this are difficult to understand, and whilst the observations from December’s patronage are still relevant – the drop off in international / cruise ship, day trippers to the island is being compensated a noticeable increase in longer-stay visitors to the island – observations across Auckland as a whole for the month appears to suggest that residents spent longer periods outside of Auckland during the holiday periods. Vehicular ferry patronage continues to grow strongly, which supports the view that visitors are staying longer on the island. Overall, there were no major issues or incidents reported to date over the summer period with capacity and queues. COVID-19 Crew and passenger compliance with Ministry of Health guidelines and Health Notices appears to continue to be good. Issues of interpretation remain regarding mask compliance and the sale of Food and Beverage for customers. Crew and AT / Fullers360 messaging continues to support the requirement for masks to be worn whilst on board ferries; but continued support and enforcement management will be required from police if compliance levels are to significantly improve. Regular audits of QR Codes and MoH / COVID related posters continue, as does the deep cleaning of vessels by Fullers360. Fullers360 will be updating on-board announcements during February. During the month, Fullers360 rolled out the sale of masks on-board vessels which supports the initiative introduced by AT in December 2020. Contingency planning continues to be delivered if Alert Levels change in the future. Should Auckland revert to an Alert Level 3 or 4, then timetables like those in place during 2020 will be introduced. AT and Fullers will provide updates on any changes. America’s Cup Service Delivery January saw the delivery of the ‘PRADA Challenger Series’ regatta, which was delivered with minimal issue. The timetables delivered were the same as those used for the Christmas Cup, it is likely that the same Waiheke timetable will remain in place for the remainder of the racing over the summer.
Quay Street works	The Downtown Programme is a $350m six-project joint-venture between Auckland Council and Auckland Transport which is transforming Quay Street, creating a revitalised waterfront area with wider footpaths, easier navigation, new street furniture, more trees, and greater opportunity for business and events. Consented site working hours Monday to Friday 6.30am to 10.30pm Saturday 7.00am to 11.00pm \| Sunday 9.00am to 7.00pm. Streetscape works Major works completed by April 2021. Minor works (amenity installation & seasonal planting) ongoing to June 2021. Lower Hobson Street intersection Full paving complete February 2021 Amenity installation by March 2021 Planting by June 2021 Northern side of Quay Street Amenity installation by March 2021 Full paving complete April 2021 Planting by June 2021 Ferry Basin (road side of Te Wānanga) Rain garden construction complete Amenity installation by March 2021 Full paving complete April 2021 Planting by June 2021 Ferry Building to Captain Cooks Wharf New asphalt footpath and cycle lane complete by mid-February Full paving complete early 2021 Amenity installation by March 2021 Ferry Basin redevelopment All berths fully operational by mid-2021. Installation of all canopies for the new berths are now complete. Finishing works ongoing until end-April 2021. New berths scheduled to be in operation by mid-2021. Berths 5 and 6 have now been handed over and are operational.
Bus Patronage	Overall patronage on the island is around 75% of 2019 levels.
504 bus service consultation	AT consulted during December with users of the 504 bus service for their feedback on four options for the future of this service. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, AT needs to reduce its public operating budget by $10million and is therefore making changes to bus services across Auckland. This service currently takes people between Waiheke Road and Ostend at peak commuting times on weekdays only. Under all options, Waiheke Road would continue to be served in the peak direction only. In the morning, buses will only run down Waiheke Road towards Onetangi; and in the evening, buses will only run up Waiheke Road towards Belle Terrace. Option A: No change to 504 route 504 would continue to run between Waiheke Road and Ostend. People travelling between Waiheke Road and Matiatia Ferry Terminal would continue to transfer between the 504 and 50A on Belgium Street. The 504 and 50A would still be timed to connect on Belgium Street, and the 50A would still be timed to connect with the ferry at the Matiatia Ferry Terminal. Option B: Waiheke Road would be served by select 50A trips People travelling between Waiheke Road and the Matiatia Ferry Terminal would have a single-seat journey that was timed to connect with the ferry service; but a less direct route than at present. The 504 would no longer run. Option C: Waiheke Road would be served by select 50B trips People travelling between Waiheke Road and the Matiatia Ferry Terminal would have a single-seat journey; but the route would be slightly less direct than at present and transfer times between the bus and the ferry would be longer than at present. The 504 would no longer run. Option D: 504 would run between Waiheke Road and Onetangi People travelling between Waiheke Road and the Matiatia Ferry Terminal would need to transfer between the 504 and 50A on Fourth Avenue. The 504 and 50A would be timed to connect on Fourth Avenue, and the 50A would still be timed to connect with the ferry at the Matiatia Ferry Terminal. Feedback closed on 20 December 2020, and any changes are planned to occur later in 2021. AT will advise the local board of the changes planned.

Update on Auckland Transport projects:

21. This list is initially an update on the projects outlined in the “Waiheke 10 Year Transport Plan: Project Lists draft for consultation June 2019”.

22. Progress on these projects are subject to the outcomes from the Emergency Budget 2020/2021.

23. The Waiheke Operations Manager will update the local board in the event of any amendments or changes to the summaries provided for below.

Activity

Summary

Update

Matiatia landside transport improvements	Development of a strategic business case for the master redevelopment of the Matiatia precinct, including carparking, footpaths, surrounding streets and modal access arrangements	Transport and non-transport Matiatia Plan workstreams are both on hold. Consultation material is to be updated following confirmation from Council on engagement process to be followed.
New bus network infrastructure	Provision of infrastructure to support the new Waiheke bus network, which will require new bus stops and the removal of redundant bus stops	New bus stops and upgrading existing bus stops along Donald Bruce Road in Surfdale, Waiheke. There are three new bus stop pairs being proposed, and one bus stop pair being upgraded. Consultation on these with affected landowners/residents has concluded. All 7 DBR bus stops in resolution approval process. The Transport Control Committee (TCC) / resolution process is continuing but AT presently has no funding to commence construction until July 2021.
Regulated parking – Belgium St	Modification and upgrade of the bus stops, pedestrian crossings and footpaths on Belgium Street, as well as implementation of regulated parking	This is a P120 restriction operating Monday – Friday. Design work for future bus stop improvements is progressing.
Roadway maintenance - Moa Rd	Rehabilitation of roadway surfacing on Moa Road	AT will continue to inspect and maintain Moa Rd as per the other roads in the region. No further update available.
Pedestrian crossing - Alison Rd	Investigation of a new pedestrian crossing on Alison Road	There is a crossing point with a central island at the intersection with Jellicoe Parade. Further assessment for an additional crossing to be discussed with the local board at a future workshop. Limited funding is available this financial year.
Crossing improvement - Sea View Rd	Upgrade of the crossing on Sea View Road to high friction surfacing	Considered for upgrade in new financial year. To be discussed with the local board at a future workshop. Limited funding is available this financial year.
Matiatia Renewal 2	Upgrade of the gangway lift and installation of steel plates and hydraulics at the new Matiatia wharf	The preliminary design and modelling was completed and released on 22 Dec 2020 to the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS) with a design build tender closure date of 18 March 2021. Updated infrastructure will enable vessels to safely utilize both these berths in future.
Matiatia Renewal 3	Refurbishment of existing toilet facilities at Matiatia ferry terminal and provision of additional toilets	Construction commenced 16 November and to be completed by 5 March 2021. See Auckland Transport operations update.
Downtown Ferry Terminal redevelopment	Relocation of Pier 3 and 4 at the Downtown Ferry Terminal (city centre) to Queens Wharf West	Stage One of the Downtown Ferry Basin Redevelopment Project will see Pier 3 decommissioned and the creation of six new of berths on the western side of Queens Wharf. All berths fully operational by mid-2021. Installation of all canopies for the new berths are complete. Finishing works ongoing until end-April 2021. Berths 5 and 6 have now been handed over and are operational.
Intersection upgrade - Moa Road / Oceanview Rd	Upgrade of the Moa Road / Oceanview Road intersection to improve road safety and allow for pedestrian access to Little Oneroa	Investigation complete – being considered for detailed design stage. To be discussed with the local board at a future workshop.

Community Safety Fund

24. The CSF is funded from AT’S safety budget and is dependent on the level of funding AT receives from Auckland Council. This level of funding has been constrained through the 2020 Emergency Budget process.

25. Now that Auckland Council’s emergency budget is confirmed, AT is reviewing all CSF projects. It is possible that some projects are delayed or even stopped.

26. The local board resolved for Auckland Transport to construct an improved and dedicated pedestrian and cycle facility along Causeway Road. This is project 103 from the Waiheke 10 Year Transport Plan.

Project

Approved funding

Update

The Causeway – from Shelley Beach Rd to the Boating Club

Community Safety Fund (CSF)

Community feedback on the proposed safety improvements to a section of Causeway Road

closed on 3 December.

Feedback summary will be provided to the local board and the Transport Forum.

Detailed design is currently underway for this project.

Outstanding AT responses to local board requests or queries

27. WHK/2020/63. Provide details of the process for closing The Esplanade to all motor vehicles except those used for emergency purposes.

28. Provide confirmation of process and local options for treatment of abandoned vehicles. In progress.

29. WHK/2020/10. Provide clarity around Auckland Transport’s position on managing apparent anti-completive practices at Matiatia (and Downtown) ferry terminals, and surrounds. Details are being collated from various sources.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

30. Auckland Transport engages closely with Council on developing strategy, actions and measures to support the outcomes sought by the Auckland Plan 2050, the Auckland Climate Action Plan and Council’s priorities.

31. Auckland Transport’s core role is in providing attractive alternatives to private vehicle travel, reducing the carbon footprint of its own operations and, to the extent feasible, that of the contracted public transport network.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

32. The impact of the information in this report is confined to Auckland Transport and does not impact on other parts of the Council group. Any engagement with other parts of the Council group will be carried out on an individual project basis.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

33. The proposed decision of receiving the report has no local, sub-regional or regional impacts.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

34. The proposed decision of receiving the report has no impacts or opportunities for Māori. Any engagement with Māori, or consideration of impacts and opportunities, will be carried out on an individual project basis.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

35. There are no financial implications of receiving this report.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

36. Auckland Transport is reviewing our annual works programmes in response to Auckland Council’s emergency budget adopted at the end of July 2020.

37. Auckland Transport’s capital and operating budgets have been reduced through this process, so some projects planned for 2020/21 may not able to be delivered.

38. Both the Community Safety Fund and the Local Board Transport Capital Fund are impacted by these budget reductions.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

39. Auckland Transport will provide another update report to the local board at their next business meeting in March 2021.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Richard La Ville – Operations Manager – Waiheke and Gulf Islands Airfields – Auckland Transport

Authorisers

John Strawbridge – Group Manager Parking Services and Compliance – Auckland Transport

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

New community lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated at 2 Korora Road, Waiheke

File No.: CP2021/00271

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To grant a new community lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated at 2 Korora Road, Waiheke.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Artworks Theatre Incorporated has applied for a new community lease over the council-owned building located at 2 Korora Road, Waiheke. The building is situated at what is known as the Artworks Complex.

3. Staff have assessed the application by Artworks and it complies with the requirements for a new community lease.

4. This report recommends the Waiheke Local Board grant a new community lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated. The recommendation aligns with the Waiheke Local Board Plan 2017 outcome: thriving, strong and engaged communities.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendations

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) note the public notification of the proposed lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated

b) grant, subject to any objections being resolved, a new community lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated comprising 520m² (more or less) at 2 Korora Road, Waiheke, described Lot 182 DP 24643 and Lot 192 DP 22848 (outlined in red and marked “A” on Attachment A) subject to the following terms and conditions:

i. term: five years, commencing on 1 February 2021, with one five-year right of renewal

ii. Contemporaneous surrender of the existing lease, dated 14 May 2013

iii. rent: $1.00 plus GST per annum if requested

iv. maintenance fee: $500.00 plus GST per annum

v. all other terms and conditions to be in accordance with the Local Government Act 2002 and Auckland Council’s Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

Horopaki

Context

5. This report considers the new community lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated.

6. The Waiheke Local Board holds delegated authority relating to local recreation, sport and community facilities, including community leasing matters.

Land and Buildings

7. The land, described as Lot 182 DP 24643 and Lot 192 DP 22848, is held by Auckland Council in fee simple under the Local Government Act 2002.

8. The building is a “high stud” concrete block structure, which has been repurposed from its original use as a hardware store circa 2002 to that of a community Theatre and which is embedded into the hillside at the North end of the premises.

9. Council’s asset assessors have assessed this as a condition grade three building, which indicates that its condition is commensurate with its age and use.

Artworks Theatre Incorporated

10. Over the last two years, the theatre has hosted exceptional work from on and off the Island.

11. More than 800 local performers have practiced their craft in the theatre over this time, in ballet, conceptual dance and music, as actors, comedians and singers and behind the scenes as technicians, stage managers, set and costume designers, writers and directors.

12. Among many highlights over that period worth mentioning are Ostenders, a devised soap opera from a team of local improvisers which sold out its 5-week season after the first show and Little Black Bitch, a highly acclaimed Adam NZ Award-winning play by Jason Te Mete, which blends mythology, waiata, haka and black comedy.

13. Artworks also received Local Board funding towards the "Korora Mural Project" including Kaumatua and artist's fees. The beautiful result of that funding can be seen on the theatre’s West-facing exterior wall.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

14. Auckland Council’s Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012 sets out the criteria for community occupancy agreements. The procedure for a new lease of council-owned buildings is to call for expressions of interest from community groups. This allows an assessment of proposals to ensure the best community outcomes are delivered.

15. Local boards, however, have the discretion to forego seeking expressions of interest where suitable tenants are identified. Artworks Theatre Incorporated satisfies the required criteria specified in the guidelines in the following ways:

i. it is an incorporated society

ii. it has a history of delivering services to the local community

iii. it is managed appropriately, as evidenced by its longevity and financial accounts.

16. Under the guidelines, it is recommended that for leases over council-owned buildings the standard term be five (5) years with one five (5) year right of renewal, providing a total term of 10 (ten) years.

17. The local board has discretion to vary the term of the lease if it wishes. However, the guidelines suggest that where the term is varied, it aligns to one of the recommended terms within the Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

18. Where community groups have exclusive occupancy of council-owned buildings, the guidelines state that such groups are required to pay an annual subsidised maintenance fee of $500 (plus GST) per annum for buildings between 500m2 and 999m2. The building is approximately 520m2.

Public Notification

19. Under section 138 of the Local Government Act 2002, all leases longer than six months require public notification.

20. Public notification will take place after local board resolution.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

21. This falls within the “no impact” category as it continues an existing use with no increase in greenhouse emissions.

22. The site is not within an inundation or flood prone area.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

23. In compiling the advice in this report, staff obtained feedback from Area Operations as well as Arts, Culture and Events, no concerns were raised.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

24. Although this is not an identified work programme item, the local board has expressed their preliminary support for a new lease to Artworks Theatre Incorporated, subject to this current assessment

25. The activities offered by Artworks Theatre Incorporated align with the Waiheke Local Board Plan 2017 outcome: thriving, strong and engaged communities.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

26. The proposed lease does not represent a change in activities taking place on the land.

27. Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2002 requires engagement with iwi.

28. Formal iwi engagement was initiated on 11 November 2020 and concluded on 12 December 2020. The engagement provided detailed information regarding the nature of the group, leased area and land, inviting iwi representatives to hui or a site visit. No concerns regarding the proposed lease were raised.

29. Additionally, this lease was presented at the Mana Whenua Forum, where iwi representatives indicated their support for a lease term of five (5) years with one (1) right of renewal for a further five (5) years.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

30. All administrative costs relating to the granting of the lease will be borne by Community Facilities. There is no change in the current and proposed rental of $1.00.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

31. As this proposal seeks to continue an existing activity there are no identified risks.

32. Risks generally associated with community leases are expected to be mitigated by the inclusion of a more comprehensive community outcomes plan.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

33. Subject to notification, staff will work with Artworks Theatre Incorporated to formalise the community occupancy agreement upon receipt of the resolution from the board.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Site Plan for The Artworks Theatre Incorporated – Waiheke Island Artworks	143

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Teukialupe Havea - Community Facilities Graduate

Authorisers

Rod Sheridan - General Manager Community Facilities

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

Public feedback on proposal to amend the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014

File No.: CP2021/00524

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek views on public feedback to the proposal to amend Te Ture ā-Rohe Whakararata Waipiro / the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014 before a final decision is made.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. To enable the local board to provide its views on public feedback to the proposal to amend the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014, staff have prepared summary and deliberation reports.

3. The Bylaw continues to enable alcohol bans in public places to reduce crime and disorder caused or made worse by alcohol consumed there.

4. The proposal seeks to improve the Bylaw by including new temporary alcohol bans for major events at Rarotonga / Mount Smart Stadium, Waiōrea / Western Springs Stadium, Eden Park and Pukekawa / Auckland Domain, and by making the Bylaw easier to read and understand.

5. Staff recommend that the local board provide its views on public feedback to the proposal, and if it wishes, present those views to the Bylaw Panel. Taking this approach will assist the Panel and Governing Body to decide whether to adopt the proposal.

6. There is a reputational risk that feedback from the local board area is from a limited group of people and does not reflect the views of the whole local board area. This report mitigates this risk by providing local boards with a summary of all public feedback.

7. The Panel will consider all local board and Auckland Domain Committee views and public feedback, deliberate and make recommendations to the Governing Body on 19 March 2021. The Governing Body will make a final decision on 29 April 2021.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendations

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) note the public feedback to the proposal to amend Te Ture ā-Rohe Whakararata Waipiro / the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014 by people from the local board area in this agenda report.

b) provide any views on the public feedback in (a) to assist the Bylaw Panel in its deliberations on all public feedback to the proposal.

c) appoint one or more local board members to present the views in (b) to the Bylaw Panel on Friday 19 March 2021 if they wish to be heard.

d) delegate authority to the local board chair to make replacement appointment(s) to the persons in (c) if so resolved and a member is unavailable.

Horopaki

Context

The Alcohol Control Bylaw enables council to make alcohol bans

8. Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Te Ture ā-Rohe Whakararata Waipiro / the Auckland Council Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014 (Bylaw) aims to help reduce crime and disorder in certain public places caused or made worse by alcohol consumed there.

9. The Bylaw achieves this by providing a framework that enables alcohol bans to be made by resolution of the relevant delegated authorities – the Regulatory Committee, local boards and the Auckland Domain Committee.

10. The New Zealand Police enforce alcohol bans.

Council proposed amendments to improve the Bylaw for public feedback

11. On 24 September 2020 the Governing Body adopted a proposal to improve the Bylaw for public consultation (Item 15, GB/2020/109).

12. The proposal arose from a statutory review of the Bylaw (see figure below).

13. The proposal seeks to better reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder by making:

· new temporary alcohol bans for major events^{^[1]} at four regional venues (Rarotonga / Mount Smart Stadium, Waiōrea / Western Springs Stadium, Eden Park and Pukekawa / Auckland Domain)

· the Bylaw easier to read and understand.

14. The proposal was publicly notified for feedback from 10 October until 13 November 2020. During that period, council received feedback from 881 people.

Decisions leading to the proposal

The local board has an opportunity to provide views on public feedback

15. The local board now has an opportunity to provide its views on public feedback to the proposal by people from the local board area before a final decision is made.

16. Local board views must be provided by resolution to the Bylaw Panel. The local board can also choose to present those views to the Bylaw Panel on 19 March 2021.

17. The nature of the views is at the discretion of the local board. Any views must however remain inside the scope of the proposal and public feedback. For example, the local board could:

· indicate support for public feedback by people from the local board area

· recommend how the Bylaw Panel should address matters raised in public feedback.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Feedback from people in the local board area somewhat supports the proposal

18. A total of eight people from the local board area provided feedback to the proposal via online and written feedback.^{^[2]} There was majority support for Proposals 2 and 3, consistent with the total support from all people who provided feedback. There was around 50 per cent support for the remaining proposals, which is significantly lower than the total support from all people who provided feedback.

Percentage support of proposal in the local board area

Proposal	Total support from local board area	Total support from people across Auckland
1A: New temporary alcohol ban for all major events at Pukekawa / Auckland Domain	50 per cent	75 per cent
1B: New temporary alcohol ban for ‘Christmas in the Park’ at Pukekawa / Auckland Domain	60 per cent	75 per cent
1C: New temporary alcohol ban for all major events at Eden Park	50 per cent	72 per cent
1D: New temporary alcohol ban for all major events at Rarotonga / Mount Smart Stadium	50 per cent	78 per cent
1E: New temporary alcohol ban for all major events at Waiōrea / Western Springs Stadium	50 per cent	75 per cent
2: Replace unnecessary clauses with a ‘related information’ note	75 per cent	70 per cent
3: Clarify exceptions to alcohol bans, council’s ability to make temporary alcohol bans, and the Bylaw wording	100 per cent	87 per cent

19. Key themes from feedback from people in the local board area include that the proposal creates inequity and restricts people’s rights and freedoms. Other key themes are similar to key themes from all public feedback, for example that the proposal:

· reduces alcohol-related crime and disorder and improves public safety

· creates clearer, more efficient and enforceable rules.

20. The full proposal can be viewed in the link. Attachments A to E to this report contain a summary of all public feedback by local board area, all public feedback related to the local board area, ‘Have Your Say’ event feedback, operational and non-bylaw-related feedback and draft Bylaw Panel deliberations report.

Staff recommend the local board provide its views on public feedback

21. Staff recommend that the local board provide its views on the public feedback by resolution, and if it wishes, present those views to the Bylaw Panel on 19 March 2021.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

22. There are no implications for climate change arising from this decision.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

23. The proposal impacts the operation of units across the council group involved in events, processing alcohol ban requests and alcohol ban signage. Those units are aware of the impacts of the proposal and their implementation role.

24. Auckland Unlimited advise Proposal 1E: New temporary alcohol ban for all major events at Waiōrea / Western Springs Stadium also apply to major events held on the outer fields.

25. Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD) Tāmaki Makaurau, and the Safety Collective Tāmaki Makaurau provided advice including about event implementation that has been circulated to other relevant council units.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

26. Local board and Auckland Domain Committee views were sought on a draft proposal in July and August 2020 as they have delegated authority to make local alcohol bans.

27. Nineteen local boards and the Auckland Domain Committee provided views and all supported public consultation on the proposal.

28. Four local boards suggested changes, some of which resulted in updates to the draft proposal (click link to view in 01 September 2020 Regulatory Committee agenda, Item 9).

29. This report provides an opportunity for the local board to give views on public feedback to the proposal by people from the local board area, before a final decision is made.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

30. The Bylaw has significance for Māori as users and kaitiaki / guardians of public space. Māori are also over-represented in alcohol-related hospital visits, the criminal justice system and as victims of crime.

31. Māori health advocacy organisations, Te Puni Kōkiri and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority support the use of alcohol bans as a tool to reduce alcohol-related harm.

32. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority provided general feedback on the proposal noting that Tūpuna Maunga are subject to alcohol and smoke-free policy that supports the spiritual, cultural and community significance of the maunga.

33. The majority of people identifying as Māori who provided feedback support the proposal. This is consistent with the overall percentage of public feedback in support.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

34. There are no financial implications from this decision.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

35. There is a reputational risk that feedback from the local board area is from a limited group of people and does not reflect the views of the whole local board area. This report mitigates this risk by providing local boards with a summary of all public feedback.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

36. The Bylaw Panel on 19 March 2021 will consider all formal local board and Auckland Domain Committee views and public feedback, deliberate, and make recommendations to the Governing Body. The Governing Body will make a final decision on any amendments to the Bylaw on 29 April 2021.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Summary of public feedback	151
b ⇩	Public feedback from people in the Waiheke Local Board area	179
c ⇩	'Have Your Say' event feedback	213
d ⇩	Operational and non-bylaw-related feedback	215
e ⇩	Draft Bylaw Panel deliberations report	217

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Elizabeth Osborne - Policy Analyst

Authorisers

Paul Wilson - Team Leader Bylaws

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards

Waiheke Local Board

24 February 2021

Local board input into preparation of the draft 2021 Regional Parks Management Plan

File No.: CP2021/01099

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To enable local boards to provide formal input into the preparation of the draft Regional Parks Management Plan 2021.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Parks, Arts, Community and Events (PACE) Committee initiated the 10-year review of the Regional Parks Management Plan (RPMP) in 2020. Written suggestions from 758 submitters were received on the intention to draft the plan, and in December 2020 a summary was sent to local board members.

3. The main overarching theme in the suggestions is that people highly value the natural, undeveloped nature of the regional parks, particularly in the face of continuing growth of Auckland’s population and urban area. They want to be able to access and enjoy regional parks while at the same time protecting these natural spaces.

4. Track closures to prevent the spread of kauri dieback continue to be a source of frustration and the council received numerous requests for it to do more to re-establish access while protecting kauri. Vehicles on Muriwai Beach, dog control, visitor impacts on wildlife, and the need for greater plant and animal pest control were other sources of concern.

5. People highlighted that regional parks can play a positive role in responding to climate change as natural carbon sinks, with many people suggesting ‘that more trees be planted’. Other suggestions included ways for farming to be more sustainable, regenerative and diverse and for visitor vehicle emissions to be reduced.

6. Submitters also suggested regional parks play an important role in connecting and educating people about nature, Māori heritage, and farming. They suggested volunteering and partnerships could support this role.

7. There was both opposition and qualified support for revenue generation from regional parks. Some suggested donations could be sought to support projects in parks.

8. The next steps are to consider these suggestions in the preparation of the draft RPMP, together with local board input provided through this report, and engagement with mana whenua. Key decisions and issues will be workshopped with the PACE Committee before the draft RPMP is presented for the committee’s adoption and release for public consultation.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation

That the Waiheke Local Board:

a) resolve formal feedback to inform the preparation of the draft Regional Park Management Plan 2021.

Horopaki

Context

9. The regional parks management plan guides the management and use of regional parks. The regional park network has been managed via an omnibus management plan since 2002 and the 2010 version is still operative. Having a management plan is a statutory requirement under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008.

10. The PACE Committee initiated the 10-year review of the RPMP^{^[3]} in 2020. The review encompasses 28 regional parks comprising approximately 41,000 hectares of park land.

11. The process for the review is as follows.

12. On 20 August 2020, Auckland Council notified its intention to prepare a new plan and sought written suggestions from the community and organisations, as required under the Reserves Act 1977.

13. During an eight-week consultation period from 1 September to 26 October 2020, comments and suggestions were received from 758 people and organisations along with a petition from 3681 petitioners.

14. Elected members were provided with a summary of the suggestions in December 2020. The summary of suggestions was publicly released in January 2021 and is available on the RPMP review webpage.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Summary of suggestions from organisations and the community

15. The suggestions ranged from general comments about what people value about regional parks and the role the parks should play, to comments and suggestions about specific regional parks.

16. Comments included brief suggestions from many different park users, through to multiple-page submissions quoting clauses of the current RPMP and in-depth suggestions from those who have had years of close association with the regional parks. Organisations representing specific recreation, community or conservation interests put forward their members’ views.

Key themes

· Almost universally, people told us they love the natural, undeveloped character of regional parks, and value the ability to freely access natural and open spaces as Tāmaki Makaurau continues to grow.

· Many value native biodiversity for its own sake and want to protect and restore the natural environment.

Issues that the largest numbers of submitters felt strongly about were:

· The impact of kauri dieback related track closures on wellbeing, with requests to improve access while protecting kauri.

· Vehicles on beaches, particularly at Muriwai, drew comment about conflicts with other users and concerns about safety and environmental damage.

· In response to climate change, people saw regional parks as fulfilling the role of a carbon sink. By far the most common suggestion was to ‘plant more trees.’ Other common suggestions were for farming to be more sustainable, regenerative and diverse, and to build cycle trails and bus links between parks and communities so people don’t have to drive.

· Some requested more spaces to take dogs, while others wanted to keep areas dog-free with a greater focus on enforcing dog bylaws.

· Many raised concerns about plant and animal pest infestations and suggested priority go to conservation and pest control and suggested actions to reduce visitor impacts on wildlife.

Other key themes raised by the community and organisations included:

· Requests from many outdoor recreation groups and users (trampers, horse riders, mountain bikers, vehicle-based campers, four-wheel drive recreation, dog walkers and others) for more opportunities to enjoy their activities in more parts of regional parks.

· Regional parks were viewed as the natural place to educate and build connections to nature including through volunteering, and to learn about farming and provide experiences with animals. Suggestions to provide visitor information, nature education, support volunteers and provide a more visible ranger presence were received.

· A petition from 3681 people sought an end to the killing of farmed animals for food production at Ambury and other regional parks, on the grounds that animals deserve to live out their full lives.

· People said they want to understand and connect with the heritage and history of the whenua, particularly its Māori history.

· Commercial use was both opposed and given conditional support, providing it fits into the natural character of the regional parks. Some suggested donations could help fund projects and volunteering could be increased.

· The Waitākere Ranges drew the most comment by far of all the regional parks, including comments on kauri dieback and tracks, and the impact of visitor pressures in many areas.

· The Hūnua Ranges were seen to have considerable untapped potential for active recreation, with many suggestions for horse riding, mountain biking, tramping, day walks and cycle links.

17. Further detail is available in the Summary of Suggestions, published on the RPMP review webpage.

18. Staff are seeking formal feedback from local boards by resolution in local board meetings held in February or March 2021 to help inform the draft RPMP preparation.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

19. Climate change is one of the key topics of the review. We invited comment on the role that regional parks might play in responding to the climate change emergency and many suggestions were received on this topic, as summarised in the section above.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

20. The preparation of the draft RPMP in 2021 involves subject matter experts from many parts of the council including Infrastructure and Environmental Services, Plans and Places, Regional Parks, Community Facilities; as well as council controlled organisations such as Auckland Unlimited, Auckland Transport, and Watercare.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

21. Following workshops in early 2021 with those local boards who requested it, this report seeks formal feedback from local boards to be considered in preparation of the draft RPMP.

22. Local boards will have a further opportunity to comment on the draft 2021 RPMP following the public submission process.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

23. We are engaging with mana whenua during the drafting stage of the RPMP. In addition, we have requested region-wide input through the Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum. The forum’s response to this request is being considered in February 2021.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

24. The cost of the plan review will be met within existing Regional Parks and Regional Service Planning, Investment and Partnerships budgets and resources, confirmed in the Emergency Budget 2020/2021.

25. Revising the RPMP does not commit the council to future expenditure. The feedback received during the review and direction in the RPMP will guide priorities within available funding for regional parks.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

26. The table sets out risks and mitigations relating to the preparation of a draft RPMP in 2021.

Risk	Mitigation
If there is any move back into a higher level of Covid-19 Emergency during the plan drafting period, direct contact methods of engagement with mana whenua and key stakeholders may be disrupted.		· Aim to move engagement to remote methods such as Skype, if necessary. · Consider moving the deadlines if sufficient engagement cannot be undertaken.
The review may raise expectations for a higher level of facilities or services on regional parks.		· Manage expectations regarding the review scope and the relationship between the draft RPMP and the Long-term Plan and annual plan in all communications.
If we do not follow the correct processes under the Reserves Act 1977 and other legislation, the review process could be open to challenge.		· Confirm the legal status of regional park land holdings and check the statutory and other obligations over each land parcel to ensure compliance. · Ensure legal requirements regarding consultation processes are correctly followed.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

27. Analysis of the range of suggestions received from the community, feedback from local boards and mana whenua will help to inform the preparation of the draft RPMP in 2021, which will also draw on extensive staff expertise across the council group.

28. Key decisions and issues will be workshopped with the PACE Committee before the draft RPMP is presented for the committee’s adoption and release for public consultation.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Jo Mackay - Project Manager

Authorisers

Justine Haves - General Manager Service Strategy and Integration

Louise Mason – General Manager - Local Board Services

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager – Aotea/Great Barrier and Waiheke Local Boards