Our Tairua-Pauanui Community Board met today by audio/video link. It is available on our website at tcdc.govt.nz/meetings.

Below is a summary of what was discussed. You can view the full agenda here.

Public forum

• Ben Dunbar-Smith gave a presentation on a Men’s Shed proposal for Tairua.

Tairua Community Skate Facility Options

• The Tairua-Pauanui Community Board has prioritised budget for investigation and construction of a skate facility through Council's 2018-2028 Long Term Plan. This has been in response to long term community demand for a skate facility to cater for all skill and age levels in Tairua.
• At the meeting the options were discussed for the development of a skate facility in Tairua, informed by initial consultation with adjoining residents, user groups and skate park designers. You can view the proposed sites here.
• The Board requested staff progress development of detailed design of a community skate facility at Cory Park with key users, stakeholders and adjoining residents.

Application for Discretionary Grant – Prescott’s Garage

• The Board approved the request from Prescott's Garage Ltd to contribute $1,200 from the 2020/21 Discretionary Fund towards the costs related to the peak period emptying of the septic tank. This contribution is then to be paid annually from the Community Services Budget and will be reviewed after three years to enable the public toilets to be open 24/7.

Work Programme Update

You can view the full Tairua-Pauanui Community Board 2019/2020 work programme as at 30 April 2020 here.

Some highlights to note:

• Royal Billy Point Ramp/Pontoon and Wharf Pontoon Upgrade – Effectively complete with a few minor works to be finished.
• Pleasant Point Boat Ramp – The contractor now confirmed and ready to proceed subject to receipt of resource consent application which was submitted to Waikato Regional Council in March. The initial project planning work was subject to several delays due to other commitments of potential tenderers, but a construction date of June 2020 is still achievable subject to receiving resource consent.
• Pauanui Waterways Playground replacement - Construction of the playground will begin now we’re out of lockdown.
• Pepe Toilets – The building consent has been issued and Port-A-Com are building the unit off site. An archaeological assessment is underway, and work has been delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown, but we expect work to be completed in June or July.
• Pauanui Skate Bowl – Tender will be put out as a joint project for both Tairua Skate Path and Pauanui Skate Bowl remedial works.

Tairua CCTV

• The Board approved the use of $730 from the Contract Community Services Budget for the 2019/2020 year and $500 per annum for subsequent years to cover internet installation and charges for the Tairua CCTV camera located on the Pepe Bridge.

Open Space and Community Facilities Strategy

• The Board agreed to provide staff with comments individually via email for consideration by Council at its 23 June 2020 meeting. You can view the draft here.

Shoreline Management Plans

• The Board was provided with an update on the Shoreline Management Plan Project and discussed the role/criteria of the Coastal Panel representative for the South-East Coastal Panel.
• The Board recommended three members, rather than two, to cover the area (Whangamata, Tairua and Pauanui). The Board nominated Barry Swindles to represent Pauanui and Chris New to represent Tairua on the Coastal Panel.

Commercial Operators Licenses on Council Reserves

• The Board recommends to Council that the Outback Surf School operate at Pauanui Beach Access 12 for a term of two years from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2022. The Board will continue to receive further applications for consideration during this period.

Pauanui Surf Club Reserve Development

The Board approved the Pauanui Surf Club Reserve Concept Plan which you can view here and instructed staff to modify the concept and issue a final plan with the following amendments:

• The proposed path is to be constructed flush with the ground or haunched to allow for vehicles to cross without causing damage
• Picnic table #4 to be constructed so as not to damage the root structure of pohutukawa.
• Shade tree #6 not to be included in the final plan.
• Shade tree #8 not to be included in the final plan.
• Shade trees #12 not to be included in the final plan.
• Park furniture to be discussed with the Pauanui Menz Shed with a view to having some items constructed locally.

Once the plans have been modified, work will begin.

Holland Close, Tairua

• The consent application to build a short-term sandbag wall along Holland Close as an on-the-ground trial has not been accepted by Waikato Regional Council (WRC) at this time.
• WRC have requested further modelling reports and associated information which our Council have been considering.
• The project is currently paused, pending the latest developments, while an accurate evaluation of the costs involved to install the trial sandbag wall is weighed up against the range of actions identified as part of the investigation work undertaken during 2019.
• Our Council has 9,000 sandbags at the Whangamata depot that could be deployed to the Holland Close area should an extreme weather event occur, prior to any physical works being undertaken onsite. Under Civil Defence emergency powers, a consent is not be required to have the sandbags installed at short notice to mitigate potential flooding from a storm event.

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