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Resolution
number WTK/2023/102
MOVED by Member L Potauaine, seconded by Member M Allen:
That
the Waitākere Ranges Local
Board:
a)
whakarite / provide the
following feedback on questions one, three and five from the Storm Recovery
and Resilience Consultation document (Attachment B):
How
were you, and your local community, affected by the extreme weather events in
early 2023?
i)
the Waitākere Ranges local
board area was heavily affected by the extreme weather events with multiple
slips occurring across the area but particularly in Titirangi, Karekare,
Piha, Waiatarua, Swanson and Te Henga, Anawhata and Scenic Drive. Hundreds of
properties have been and continue to be affected. The vast majority of affected
properties were affected by slips.
In the months following the storms, what has helped you
and your community get through?
ii)
for many residents, things
have returned to normal. For affected residents, they face the ongoing stress
of dealing with what for many of them will be the most stressful situation
they have ever encountered
iii)
they need certainty and an
understanding of the time frames to be applied for decisions. They also need
regular updates of decisions and time frames for remedial work
iv)
our community believe that we
need to be better prepared. Throughout the world, these large weather events
are becoming more and more regular and more and more powerful as climate
change occurs
v)
many of our West Auckland
community organisations have worked together and provided important social
services and support to affected residents and we note the need for their
involvement in planning and support to them before, during and after
emergencies to enable these organisations to continue this essential
response.
How
can Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland be more prepared for events like these in
the future?
vi)
ensure clarity as to how this
document fits into Auckland Council’s Emergency Management framework,
the role of the ‘Recovery Office’ and how this fits into other
consultations, for example, the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Civil Defence
and Emergency Management Plan
vii) to be better prepared takes local organisation, increased
attention to infrastructure and its maintenance as well as greater care of
the environment
viii) the Waitākere Ranges Local Board has in the past
supported local communities develop their own community resilience plans
ix)
the Karekare and Te Henga
plans worked well. Piha's plan assisted although it is not quite complete.
More communities should be supported in developing their own resilience plans
x)
existing infrastructure is
clearly not adequate in many areas and such basic services as drain clearing
and maintenance are not up to scratch. We need to maximise the benefits
offered by existing infrastructure as well as improve and enhance
infrastructure where needed. Removing debris from day-lighted streams,
culverts and open stormwater drains needs to be part of regular maintenance.
Also removing weed growth e.g. agapanthus from stormwater systems is
important to improve stability
xi)
care of the environment is the
most important aspect of protection
xii) it is evident that weed-infested hills were more prone to
slip. Their removal and the preservation and protection of trees and bush
coverage in hilly areas such as Titirangi should be a priority. If we undertake
restoration, it will provide extra stability
b)
tautoko / support the
principles of the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Plan, which are:
i)
people and their communities
are foremost
ii)
projects, initiatives, and
activities addressing impacts and consequences, and the communities in which
they are delivered, are prioritised based on need
iii)
equity is an inherent
consideration
iv)
opportunities to build resilience
and avoid future harm are sought proactively
v)
projects, initiatives and
activities are integrated to maximise the benefit to Tāmaki Makaurau and
its communities, and to mitigate or manage disruption
vi)
projects, initiatives and
activities are funded, have funding secured or have mechanisms in place to
ensure funding is secured
vii) the plan is a living document: changes to projects,
initiatives, and activities can be accommodated provided the intended outcome
is not affected.
c)
tautoko / support the structure
of the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Plan, envisaged as being two-tiered,
with a region-wide section and sections that are place-based.
d)
whakarite / provide the
following feedback on the Making Space for Water programme:
i)
while we generally support the
intention behind Making Space for Water, we note that the vast majority of
properties in the Waitākere Ranges local board area were affected by
slips and that apart from overland flow path management the potential of
slips is not addressed in the initiatives. We understand that separate work
is occurring to address the risk of slips but express the desire that
sufficient resources are made available for land stability work and that not
all resources are put into the Making Space for Water programme.
Overland
flow paths
ii)
private property owners need
education and advice about overland flow paths on their properties and how to
keep them clear
iii)
instead of an ad hoc approach,
what is needed is a programme of systematic assessment of overland flow paths
property by property in areas prone to flooding and landslides
iv)
council needs to develop a
team to undertake this work. The overland flow paths are known, so it is a
question of staff getting out on the ground and checking. Once again, it
needs to be recognised that overland flow paths can be extremely steep and
not suitable for property owners to do themselves
v)
the Chief Planning Office and
the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee should reconsider allowing
residential or commercial development to be undertaken in areas that have
been identified as flood-prone or which are impacting overland flow paths.
Streams
vi)
we support proposals regarding
work on the Opanuku Stream and the Swanson-Waimoko Stream in the
Henderson-Massey local board area but believe that further work upstream in
our local board area is also warranted. We also support work on Porters
Stream
vii) removing debris from day-lighted streams and open
stormwater drains needs to be part of regular maintenance. Also removing weed
growth, e.g. agapanthus from stormwater systems
viii) Auckland Council needs to enable a more integrated and
timely delivery of services to ensure that drain and stream maintenance is
more proactive, for example, clearing of drains should take place after side
mowing due to agapanthus blocking drains.
Private property
ix)
enhanced requirements for stormwater retention measures on
private properties, for instance, compulsory tanks for new builds, need to be
considered
x)
Healthy Waters should
intervene in cases where privately owned water courses need remediation work
that is beyond the capabilities of the landowner
xi)
more information on the
criteria that will be used to determine properties that would be considered
for voluntary retreat/buyouts is required
xii) purchase of land needs to be included to enable Government
and council to create retention ponds and suchlike. This can also have the
dual purpose of providing open space for recreation and natural environments
and habitats.
Blue-green
networks
xiii)
more information on
the blue-green networks is required: What are the potential responsibilities
for areas that are developed into blue-green networks and who has input into
the categorisation of blue-green networks?
xiv)
the risk
categorisation process should include input from local boards
xv)
more information
regarding infrastructure upgrades is required, i.e. How would bridges and
culverts be prioritised across the rohe?
Monitoring
xvi)
when doing the
feasibility or the research in the consenting process, Geotech reporting
should be used
xvii)
the Governing Body
should consider local rain intensity and its significant impact on the
Waitākere Ranges
xviii) rain gauges and any other measurement tools
that inform modelling and data should be maintained regularly
xix)
Auckland Council
should continue to promote the Flood Viewer tool to members of the public and
continue to upgrade Flood Viewer monitoring systems to ensure up-to-date
information is readily available to the public
xx)
council should
support the work being done by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear
Sciences Limited (GNS) to monitor landscapes and map landslides that can be
added to a hazard viewer.
Community and partnership
xxi)
Auckland Council
continue to consult with local community groups and work in partnership with
iwi as kaitiakitanga
xxii)
local flood
resilience education should be targeted at primary and secondary school
students
xxiii) Auckland Council needs to provide grants,
materials, plants and suchlike to help private owners rehabilitate streams
and landslide areas.
CARRIED
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