Our Coromandel-Colville Community Board met today.

Click here to watch the unedited recording of the meeting. It is also 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:

• Two residents attended to support their request that the Board implement a bylaw prohibiting leg-hold possum traps being placed on the ground.
• Two trustees of the Coromandel Independent Living Trust (CILT) are asking Council to lease an area for native plants in collaboration with Coromandel Area and Mania Schools to develop a school-to-work transition programme.

2.1 Draft Coromandel – Colville Community Plan

You can view the full draft Coromandel-Colville Communtiy Plan here.

A Community Plan articulates what communities value and provides Council with a more informed basis for decision making around funding and prioritisation of our services and activities.

The Board decided to seek final feedback from members of the community that were part of the focus groups, allowing one month to provide additional feedback so the Plan is finished before our 2021-2031 Long Term Plan considerations start later this year.

2.2 McGregor Bay wetlands

You can view the full report here.

The Board is recommending the future management of wetlands be considered as part of the Council deliberations in next year’s Long Term Plan. This includes further investigation towards:

• Replacement of the existing gate with an adjustable tide gate to incrementally increase the amount of tidal inundation until a desired level is achieved.
• Diversion of the accessway channel upstream of the wetland to return freshwater inputs to the north eastern portion.
• Infill of the Long Bay roadside drainage channel and removal of the bund

2.3 Funding for the "Welcome to Coromandel Town" Sign

The Coro 200 event organisers put in a funding request to replace the "Welcome to Coromandel Town' sign at the intersection of Tiki/Strongman Roads. The Board approved the grant of $1,900 from its Social Development Discretionary budget for the purchase and erection of the new sign. The Board agreed the sign should be bilingual, in English and Maori.

2.4 Coromandel Bike Park

The Spirit of Coromandel Trust had a vision ten years ago to turn the ex-landfill site on Hauraki Road into a “vibrant recreational facility for all to enjoy”. In this time, the land has been rehabilitated with fencing and earthworks to a stage where it can now be developed into bike park tracks and associated facilities.

The plan is for the park to cater to riders of all abilities from youngsters to experienced off-road mountain bikers.

The Trust has also obtained resource consent. The next step, for a lease to be granted to the Trust, is to change the classification of the reserve from Local Purpose(Utility) Reserve to Local Purpose(utility and bike park) reserve.

The Trust asked the Board for formal approval to enter into a lease and a funding agreement and to provide the grant funding included in the 2019/20 Annual Plan to assist with the development of the track, along with a change in the Reserve classification, which the Board has agreed to.

You can view the full report here.

2.5 Illume Festival funding approved

The Board has approved an extension for the expenditure and reporting of grants given to projects affiliated with the Coro 200 Illume Festival, now rescheduled for the weekend of 25/26 September. illumefest.co.nz.

3.1 Commercial Operators Licenses on Council Reserves

The Board approved the commercial concession for a term of two years from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2022 and recommends the following to Council:

• The Food Dude to operate on Whittle Reserve in Papa Aroha and the Esplande Reserve in Kikowhakarere.

3.2 Recycling Bins and non-smoking areas in Coromandel Town

Following a presentation by a member of the public at a previous Board meeting, staff are now looking at installing some form of recycling bins at Samuel James and Hauraki House Reserve and the viability of making the town centre, including Samuel James Reserve, smokefree.

The Board would love to hear from organisations and community groups to present ideas on how this could work.

You can view the full report here.

3.3 Thames-Cormandel District Council Sport and Active Recreation Plan

You can view the full plan here.

The Coromandel-Colville Community Board received the Thames-Coromandel District Council Sport and Active Recreation Plan report, dated 25 March 2020 and asked that Council adopt the Thames-Coromandel District Council Sport and Active Recreation Plan.

4.1 – Otautu Bay Toilet

Funding of $51,422 to upgrade the Otautu Bay toilet to a new dry vault facility has been approved from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, with our Council co-contributing $73,775.

A meeting was set up on site at Otautu with the local community, members from the Coromandel-Colville Community board and iwi (Ngati Tamatera) to determine an appropriate location for the new toilets, with reference to tourists and local users of the beach.

As a suitable location has not been agreed on, the Board is investigating options around re-allocation of TIF funding towards a public convenience at Kereta Hill.

You can view the full report here.

4.3 – Shoreline Management Plan project update

Board members Jan Autumn and Kim Brett have been nominated as representitives for the Coromandel-Colville Coastal Panel tcdc.govt.nz/coastal.

5.1 Comprehensive Report on Draft Open Space and Community Facilities Strategy.

You can view the full report here.

7.1 Coromandel-Colville Community Board Work Programme 2019/2020

You can view the full report here.

Highlights to note:

• The Board commented on how attractive the entrance to Coromandel Town is now that the gardens have been planted and the roundabout completed as part of the Town Centre street improvements project.
• The Board is also looking at whether the main street can now have wooden sign posts rather than metal ones.

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