Category Archives: ORC

by Elizabeth | August 7, 2017 · 5:15 pm

Stupid ORC Bus Hub : DCC notifies requirement for designation #Dunedin

Proposed ORC Bus Hub, Great King St – concept image [supplied]

CALL FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS

DIS-2017-1 – Central City Bus Hub
Open for submissions. Closes 5pm 18 August 2017

Public notice of requirement for a designation
Sections 168 and 169 of the Resource Management Act 1991

The Dunedin City Council has received notice of a requirement for a new designation from the Otago Regional Council.

Notice of Requirement No: DIS-2017-1

The requirement is for: A Central City Bus Hub for Dunedin’s transport network, and includes all buildings, structures and associated facilities and activities for the carrying out of the public transport system by the Otago Regional Council. With the exception of no public parking, the designation will not prevent the use of Great King Street, between Moray Place and St Andrew Street, being used as a public road.

The designation is to provide for the establishment, operation, maintenance and upgrading of the Central City Bus Hub for Dunedin public transport service purposes and will provide public transport services described in the Otago Regional Council’s Public Transport Plan, and to provide for any site works, buildings or structures, integral and ancillary to the Dunedin public transport system, including but not limited to: Bus shelters and seating; timetable and information displays; bus stops; public amenities, including toilets; landscaping including structures; pedestrian footpaths and accessways; drainage; technology; lighting; security; vehicle priority; signage; passenger comfort initiatives and facilities; passenger information facilities; and all other structures and facilities associated with, or incidental to, a comprehensive facility for the performances of functions of the Central City Bus Hub and support of the Dunedin Public Transport Network for the Otago Regional Council.

The nature of the functions is that these activities will initially occur from approximately 05:30am to 12:30am, 7 days a week, year-round.

The sites to which the requirement applies are as follows:
● Great King Street Road Reserve, between Moray Place and St Andrew Street, Dunedin;
● Moray Place Road Reserve (part of);
● 12.4m² (approx.) within 157 St Andrew Street, legally described as Lot 1 DP 486801;
● Two areas within the Countdown car park adjoining Great King Street – one comprising 58.8m² and the second comprising 50.4m² (approx.) legally described as Lots 2 and 3, DP 6552 and Section 29, Town of Dunedin.
● 19.5m² (approx.) within the Countdown car park adjoining Moray Place, legally described as part Sections 27 and 28, Block XVI, Town Survey District;
● 63m² (approx.) within the Community House car park at 301 Moray Place, legally described as part Town Section 26, Block XVI, Town of Dunedin; and
● 60.8m² (approx.) within the Wilsons car park at 30-36 Great King Street, legally described as Lot 2 DP 338932.

The Notice of Requirement, plans showing the extent of the requirement, and the assessment of environmental effects may be inspected at the following locations:
● City Planning Enquiries, Customer Services Centre, Ground Floor, Civic Centre, 50 The Octagon, Dunedin
● The Dunedin Central Public Library
● The Mosgiel Service Centre
● Online

Please contact Paul Freeland on 477 4000 if you have any questions about the Notice of Requirement.

█ Go to this DCC webpage for all the information pertaining to the Notice of Requirement (NoR):
DIS-2017-1 – Central City Bus Hub
Closing date for submissions: Friday 18 August 2017 at 5pm.
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/district-plan/district-plan-changes/dis-2017-1-central-city-bus-hub

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█ Supplementary Reading
From the ‘RMA Quality Planning Resource’ (NZ):

Notices of requirement and requiring authorities

To begin the process of designating land, a requiring authority must serve a notice of requirement on the relevant territorial authority (s168 of the RMA) or lodge it with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) (s145(3)). A notice of requirement is a proposal for a designation.

The notice of requirement has an interim effect, in that it protects the land for the designated purpose until the designation is confirmed and included in an operative district plan (s178). If the designation is confirmed it overrides the provisions of the district plan so the project or the works may be implemented by the requiring authority in accordance with that designation and any conditions attached to it. However, the underlying plan provisions continue to apply if the land is used for a purpose other than the designated purpose.

When processing a notice of requirement Part 8 of the RMA requires the territorial authority to consider the requirement and any submissions received (if the requirement was notified), and then make a recommendation to the requiring authority. The territorial authority is only able to make a recommendation to the requiring authority and the requiring authority has the final decision on the matter. Refer to the flowchart for steps in the new designation process.

An alternative process is available under Part 6AA of the RMA for notices of requirement that are for proposals of national significance. Sections 198A – 198M of the RMA also provide for the direct referral of notices of requirement to the Environment Court for a decision. The direct referral provisions under the RMA allow for requiring authorities to request that notified notices of requirement be directly referred to the Environment Court for a decision, instead of a recommendation by a territorial authority and a decision by a requiring authority.

The designation provides for the long-term ‘approval’ of the work. Because details of the work may not be known at the time of lodging the notice of requirement, s176A provides for further detail or subsequent changes and updates to the work through an outline plan. An outline plan is required to be submitted to the territorial authority, showing details of the work or project to be constructed on the designated land.

As for the notice of requirement process, the territorial authority only has a recommendation role for outline plans. The territorial authority is only able to request changes of the requiring authority and cannot turn down an outline plan.

A notice of requirement and an outline plan describing the works proposed can be served/submitted at the same time. This approach can be helpful to allow the territorial authority to understand the designation, and can speed up the overall process allowing works to begin sooner. Alternatively, the requirement for an outline plan can be waived by the territorial authority if sufficient information was submitted with the notice of requirement.

Read more: http://www.qualityplanning.org.nz/index.php/plan-development-components/designations/overview/notices-of-requirements

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All we want is …. [possibly?]

No highly coloured tarseal or paving materials not in keeping with Dunedin’s built environment.

NO Bus Hub in Great King St.

And….
smaller more frequent shuttle buses, suburban areas properly serviced with well-spaced bus stops and shelters, easy transfer cards, on-board EFTPOS card top-ups ($5 minimum), digital readouts for next bus at all stops, wifi buses, direct pick-up drop-off in George and Princes streets, well serviced peak hours and school runs, bus inspectors, highly trained drivers, mechanically well serviced buses, plenty of mobility access for all comers.

Or to just call an affordable version of Uber or Lyft.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

[whatifdunedin]

2 Comments

Filed under Business, Construction, DCC, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Education, Finance, Health & Safety, Heritage, Infrastructure, LTP/AP, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as Apps, BAD transport design, Black car service, BRIGHT COLOURS, Bus hub, Buses, Central City Plan, DCC, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin City District Plan, Electric vehicles, Fewer bus stops (en route), Great King St, Hail apps, Heritage City, Hybrid vehicles, Intersections, Lack of convenience, Lack of fit, Notice of Requirement, ORC Bus Hub, Otago Regional Council, Passengers, Pooling, Public transport, Regulation, Requirement for a desigation, Ride hailing apps, Rides, Second generation district plan (2GP), Self-drive vehicles, Smartphones, Technology, Traffic congestion, Transfer system, Transport operators, Transportation, Travel, Turning issues

by Elizabeth | July 22, 2017 · 1:22 am

Regional state of emergency lifted in Otago (incl Dunedin & Waitaki)

Otago’s state of emergency has been lifted.
Emergency Management Otago this morning lifted the state of emergency which existed since deluges and heavy wind battered Otago’s eastern coast over the weekend. The region has now officially entered a recovery phase with teams moving on to assessing the damage and checking on the needs of those affected by the devastating floods. Emergency Management Otago group controller Chris Hawker, in Dunedin, said the move towards recovery did not signal any reduction in effort.

● Dunedin City Council (03) 477-4000
● Federated Farmers 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646)
● Otago Rural Support Trust 0800 787 254
● http://www.rural-support.org.nz

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DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL

Dunedin July Severe Weather update
10.45am Monday 24 July 2017

State of Emergency lifted

The Dunedin State of Emergency was lifted at 9am today. Under the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 we are now operating under a Notice of Local Transition Period as we move into the recovery phase.
The transition period is in force for 28 days (expires 9am 21 August) unless extended or ended earlier. The notice still gives the local authority powers to carry out essential emergency-related work.
More information about the work happening as part of the recovery phase will be provided today. The work will be led by Dunedin City Council Recovery Manager Simon Pickford.

Evacuation map – Upper Taieri Pond (PDF, 3.3 MB)
Mill Creek ponding area (PDF, 2.3 MB)

██████ DCC TWITTER FEED AUTOMATICALLY UPDATING

Tweets by DnCityCouncil

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64 Comments

Filed under Business, Central Otago, DCC, Dunedin, Emergency services, Fire and Emergency NZ, Health & Safety, Housing, Infrastructure, Media, New Zealand, North Otago, NZTA, ORC, People, Police, Property, Public interest, Queenstown Lakes, South Dunedin, Transportation

Tagged as Basements, Civil Defence, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Emergency services, Evacuations, Flooding, Gutters, Heavy Rainfall Warnings, King tides, Mosgiel, Mudtanks, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Preparations, Pumping stations, Rising rivers, Safety, Sandbags, Slips and landslides, South Dunedin, Spoutings, State of Emergency, Stormwater drains, Waitaki District Council

by Elizabeth | July 21, 2017 · 12:10 pm

DCC ORC : Heavy rain warnings preparations #PublicNotice

See new post : Regional state of emergency declared in Otago in support of Dunedin & Waitaki

██████ DCC TWITTER FEED AUTOMATICALLY UPDATING

Tweets by DnCityCouncil

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A regional state of emergency has been declared in Otago in support of Dunedin and Waitaki. Updates at https://t.co/JrP2YPcwHt pic.twitter.com/Hj0RihRd6K

— MCDEM (@NZcivildefence) July 21, 2017

(sp) Oturehua, Ida Valley, Central Otago

A state of local emergency has been declared in Dunedin in response to issues arising from the heavy rain. Follow @DnEmergency for updates.

— MCDEM (@NZcivildefence) July 21, 2017

A state of local emergency has been declared in Timaru due to significant rainfall in low-lying areas. More info at https://t.co/rwPajVeDZu

— MCDEM (@NZcivildefence) July 21, 2017

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At Facebook:

### ODT Online Fri, 21 Jul 2017
Storm hits: what you need to know

Oamaru
Oamaru and surrounds are bearing the brunt of the storm, with widespread surface flooding and some homes flooded.

Mosgiel
There is surface flooding in Mosgiel, which is being closely monitored.

Sandbags
Mosgiel people concerned about rising water can access sandbags and sand from the Memorial Park car park beside the stadium/Mosgiel Memorial Gymnasium.
Sandbags are also available in South Dunedin at the car park behind St Clair Tennis Club, Victoria Road.
Where possible, people should bring a shovel to fill the bags, although contractors are available on-site at both locations to assist with filling and loading.

Information centres
As a precaution the council has opened information centres in South Dunedin, in The Mercy Room, Catholic Social Services, 42 Macandrew Rd, and at Mosgiel Fire Station Theatre, 3 Cargill St.

Freedom Campers
Due to the weather the Dunedin City Council recommends all freedom campers find alternative accommodation rather than staying at either of the council’s two freedom camping sites tonight.

Roads
NZ Transport Agency has issued road warnings for surface water and flooding across Otago, including SH1 from Waipahi to Waitaki Bridge.
Warnings are also in place for SH88 from Dunedin to Port Chalmers, SH 87 from Kyeburn to Outram.
SH83 from Pukeuri to Duntroon is also affected by flooding and is closed between Gray Rd And Horse Gully Rd.
In Canterbury SH 82 Waimate To Kurow is closed.
SH1 is now closed between Pukeuri to Morven

Rivers
The Kakanui, Shag and Taieri Rivers, the Silver Stream, Water of Leith and the Lindsay Creek are all rising steadily.

Flights cancelled
Flights to and from Dunedin Airport have been cancelled this afternoon.
The cancelled flights include Air New Zealand flights to and from Auckland and Christchurch.
The Jetstar flight from Dunedin to Auckland at 4.15pm has been cancelled.
Air New Zealand is advising customers booked to travel to and from Dunedin to consult the arrivals and departures information on our website here for up to date schedule information.

Sports grounds
The Dunedin City Council has closed all sports grounds for the weekend because of the weather.
The club rugby semi-finals may still go ahead at Hancock Park on Saturday depending on the weather. The decision will be made by the Otago Rugby Football Union.

Power cuts
There are reports of power cuts in Oamaru. In Dunedin power has been cut to about 100 customers in Green Island, Fairfield and Abbotsford suburbs of Dunedin after a power line came down.
Aurora Energy says it has a response crew working to fix the fault and power was expected to be restored by 5pm.

General preparedness
The Dunedin City Council is encouraging all residents and businesses across the city to make their own preparations.
Residents in low-lying areas who feel concerned should make plans to self-evacuate themselves to stay with friends or family who live on higher ground should it be required later on.
Check on neighbours, particularly if they are vulnerable.
Check spoutings and drainage channels for blockages and clear them if necessary
If your basement is prone to flooding lift items that could be damaged by water off the floor. Be sure garden sprays and other chemicals won’t be affected
Check grates near your house for blockages and keep them clear of leaves and other debris to avoid water building up and affecting your property.
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/storm-hits-what-you-need-know

Continue reading →

22 Comments

Filed under Business, DCC, Dunedin, Health & Safety, Housing, Infrastructure, ORC, Property, Public interest, South Dunedin

Tagged as Basements, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Gutters, Heavy Rainfall Warnings, Mosgiel, Mudtanks, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Potential flooding, Preparations, Safety, Sandbags, Slips and landslides, South Dunedin, Spoutings, Stormwater drains

by Elizabeth | April 23, 2017 · 4:15 am

Regional council builds Palace, refuses help to dredge Otago boat harbour

The ironies are Most Apparent.

The Otago Regional Council contributed $30m to the stadium roof (an activity beyond its local authority mandate), yet the council has no intention of helping the Otago Yacht Club to maintain the city’s marina, the Otago Boat Harbour.

[click to enlarge]
DCC Webmaps – Otago Boat Harbour at Mouth of Leith JanFeb 2013

Otago Yacht Club’s origin dates back to 1892, making it one of the oldest yacht clubs in Otago. The club caters for a range of sailing interests from keelboats to trailer yachts and centreboarders. The club also operates keeler haul-out facilities and welcomes visiting boats. The club manages a full events programme during summer, including harbour, coastal and ocean races. On Sunday mornings in the season the club runs ‘learn to sail’ and ‘learn to race’ programmes which cater for all ages. The clubhouse is a popular venue for private functions and for local organisations to hold meetings and events. Within walking distance of the city centre, the clubhouse offers showers, laundry facilities, email connections etc. The resident caretaker-manager will usually manage to accommodate requests for berthage for boats up to 50 feet. The alongside mooring facilities consist of several large punts inside a walled boat harbour. Due to silting, access to the boat harbour has only been tenable approximately two hours either side of high tide for boats with 2m draft. The Otago boat harbour was last dredged in 1995.
Source: otagoyachtclub.org.nz

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### ODT Online Thu, 20 Apr 2017
Club gets go-ahead to dredge boat harbour
By David Loughrey
The Otago Boat Harbour is about to get its first dredging in more than 20 years, after the facility reached such a state rescue vessels could not leave the harbour at low tide. The work, expected to start soon, has been described as a major achievement by the Otago Yacht Club, which leases the boat harbour. Club vice-commodore Blair McNab said the cost of the project – more than $300,000 – was being paid for from grants and club membership fees. […] The club recently received resource consent from the Dunedin City Council for the work. The consent allowed the club to deposit dredged sediment and soil on land in Magnet St, behind the club, for drying. Mr McNab said once the dredged material had been dried, which took about two weeks, it would be taken to the nearby Logan Point quarry. The consent said once the work was completed, about 100cu m would remain on the grass area at Magnet St to form a barrier around its perimeter, and provide better drainage. The consent decision said the boat harbour was in such a state that at low tide, craft used for harbour rescues could not get out. […] The club had hoped the Otago Regional Council might help with the cost of the dredging, as alterations to the Water of Leith meant more spoil was coming from the nearby mouth of the stream. Mr McNab said it appeared the council was not going to help.
Read more

The Star April 2014 via Otago Yacht Club. Also at ODT Online 22.4.14

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The Otago Regional Council’s “special consultation” over its Dunedin headquarters is flawed, writes former councillor Gerrard Eckhoff.

### ODT Online Tue, 18 Apr 2017
Review needed in lieu of proper consultation
By Gerrard Eckhoff
The Otago Regional Council’s annual plan is now open for public consultation. Implicit in the word consultation is the opening of a meaningful dialogue with the public. It would be entirely disingenuous for any local authority to enter into discussion on their annual plan by merely informing the public of council intent without showing a willingness to accept “the wisdom of crowds”.
….This year’s ORC annual plan contains four lines on “Dunedin building review” in its feedback document which could easily be missed at first reading. To its credit, the council has finally accepted its statutory obligation for “special consultation” on this $30million major project.
….The last time the council ventured forth on a new building project without any prior special consultation, it cost the ratepayers upwards of $3million for the concept design and drawings alone. The cost of that proposal was well over $30million and it was never built. It is, therefore, hard to reconcile how the new building/s is going to be around the projected $20million mark, unless building costs have halved in Dunedin from eight years or so ago. The potential cost of a new car park building must also be factored in, so the ratepayers could soon be the lucky owners of two new buildings, as well as a difficult-to-sell ORC headquarters building in Stafford St.
Read more

DCC Webmap – Dowling St carpark JanFeb 2013, ORC office site starred

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: Otago Yacht Club except where stated otherwise.

14 Comments

Filed under Business, DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Economics, Education, Finance, Geography, Heritage, Infrastructure, Media, Name, New Zealand, ORC, People, Perversion, POL, Politics, Project management, Property, Public interest, Resource management, Site, Sport, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as Consultants, DCC, Diligence, Dowling St carpark (DCC-owned), Dredging, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Environmental monitoring, Environmental protection, Feasilibility, Fiduciary responsibility, Forgone conclusions, Headquarters, Intergenerational debt, Offices, Options farce, ORC, Otago boat harbour, Otago Harbour Board, Otago ratepayers, Otago Regional Council, Otago Regional Policy Statement, Otago Yacht Club, Port Otago Ltd, Public consultation, Public funds, Ratepayers, Rates, Silting, Stadium subsidy, Stafford Street, Water of Leith

by Elizabeth | March 18, 2017 · 5:09 pm

DCC Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw : Real-deal submission

[click to enlarge]

Dunedin City Council
Current consultations: Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw 2017

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Received from JimmyJones
Sat, 17 Mar 2017 at 10:03 p.m.

Subject: RE: Reserves and beaches consultation failure

Message: Find attached an outstanding submission on the horse-hating bylaw. I am sure there were many good subs, but I noticed this one from an 11-year-old who has a horse called Tonka. She makes a very good case for freedom. Like many of the other submitters, she bypassed the professionally organised DCC misinformation and understood that the DCC are threatening a total ban on horses on beaches.

I think other people should see it, I have removed her name from the submission in case she wasn’t expecting widespread publicity.

The submitters tell us that no other Council has a ban on horse riding on beaches in New Zealand.

—

Related Post and Comments:
8.2.17 Hands Off Enjoyment of OUR Beaches #DCC

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

14 Comments

Filed under Adventure sport, Business, Corruption, DCC, DCC Bylaws, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Education, Events, Geography, Health, Health & Safety, Heritage, New Zealand, ORC, People, Perversion, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Public interest, Resource management, Sport, Tourism, Transportation, Travesty, What stadium

Tagged as Beach racing, Beaches, Bylaws, Coastal communities, Coastal environment, Cultural heritage, Cultural heritage amenity, DCC, DCC Parks and Reserves, Democracy, Dunedin City beaches, Dunedin City Council, Dunes, Freedom to move, Horse training, Horses, Leisure, Otago beaches, PC WANKERS, Policy planners, Public consultation, Recreation, Red-tape MORONS, Riding, Sand dunes, Shared history, SLANT questionaire, Sport, Submissions, Tradition, Visitor industry

by Elizabeth | March 14, 2017 · 3:40 pm

Maggie Lawton, RIP

Received from Russell Garbutt
Tue, 14 Mar 2017 at 12:47 p.m.

Extremely sad to learn this morning that Maggie Lawton died yesterday at Wanaka following a diagnosis of cancer a short time ago.
Maggie was the top polling candidate in the Dunstan Ward for the Otago Regional Council in the last Local Body Elections and she brought to the role a huge passion for the quality of our region’s waterways and lakes. Extraordinarily well qualified and a vast experience in all things water, her death will mean a huge loss in the Central Otago/Lakes area as well as a strong voice for the wider region. Just a few days ago we were emailing each other and she had said that she was amazed how cancer is both so random and so rampant.
Sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

****

Otago Regional Council
ORC mourns Cr Lawton’s untimely passing
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead today noted with sorrow the passing of Dunstan constituency representative Maggie Lawton on Sunday after a brief but determined battle with cancer.
Mr Woodhead said Cr Lawton, who was elected to the council as the constituency’s top-polling candidate at last year’s local government elections, was passionate about environmental issues and the region she served, and particularly water quality.
As chairwoman of the council’s technical committee, her contribution, while brief, was an indication of the time and effort she intended to put into her role as an elected member during the remainder of the 2016-2019 triennium, he said.
“All of us at ORC mourn Maggie’s untimely passing, and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”
ORC Link

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At Facebook:

Tue, 14 Mar 2017
ODT: ORC pays tribute to late councillorThe Otago Regional Council is mourning and paying tribute to one of its own, following the death of Dunstan constituency representative Maggie Lawton. The Wanaka-based councillor was diagnosed with cancer about two months ago, after it was discovered during an operation, and died yesterday. She was 67 …. Cr Lawton told the Otago Daily Times last week she was determined to make sure the concerns of her constituents were still heard at the council and was receiving treatment at home, but still taking part in council business.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

6 Comments

Filed under Central Otago, Democracy, Dunedin, Geography, Name, New Zealand, ORC, People, Politics, Public interest, Queenstown Lakes

Tagged as Central Otago, Councillors, Dunstan constituency, Lakes District, Maggie Lawton, New Zealand, Otago Regional Council, Wanaka

by Elizabeth | January 28, 2017 · 8:40 pm

DCC hideous ‘Adam of your labours’

ODT 28.1.17 (page 30)

[phoneshot scribbled – click to enlarge]

DCC is rubbish governance.

Comparing the two territorial authorities, ORC and DCC, ODT says “the regional council has been a wiser council-company owner”.

Ain’t that the sheer truth with bells on, oversewn with screaming sirens and flashing red lights.

Stuff that up your blood-soaked jumper, Dunedin City Council.

DCC takes the knife to Ratepayers’ private wealth, there’s no sign of let up. Blunt force trauma, gushing blood and the decimated entrails of a city once thriving.

The squalid recent history of Dunedin City Council is one of incompetence and worse : failed schemes, massive overburden of debt, inability to prioritise, budget and project manage, crippling levels of deferred maintenance and upgrades for essential infrastructure, unprosecuted thefts, corruption in certain of the CCOs and serious questions about the holding company (last year, a ‘partial audit’), Otago power network assets burnt off (no safety and security of supply), a dead loss-making stadium and associated companies clawing $20million per annum off ratepayers (no valid explanation, just mindless spin), destruction of high class Taieri soils for housing sprawl initiated by city councillor with a private profit motive, trite succession of gormless city councillors lining own pockets/inflating egos at the council table – leaches and nematodes have more credibility. On it goes at DCC.

Otago Regional Council is debt free.

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### ODT Online Sat, 28 Jan 2017
Editorial: City and ORC merger unlikely
OPINION Any progress towards one or more unitary authorities in Otago will be difficult, largely because of the region’s geography. The Dunedin City Council this week ordered a report into a possible merger between it and the Otago Regional Council, and it would be surprising if proposals which might emerge make much headway with the Local Government Commission.
….Since 1988, the [ORC] has received a total of $148.9million in dividends and special payments from Port Otago. How the city must covet that cash. Given the city’s pressures on Delta/Aurora for dividends and the regional council’s hands-off attitude to the Port Company, it would seem, however, the regional council has been a wiser council-company owner.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

ORC $wimming in it —SHOULD afford more Otago environmental protection

….not a new office palace at Dunedin.

Spending figures on flood protection and river management, particularly on the Leith and Taieri systems, and public transport, are heavily weighted towards Dunedin.

### ODT Online Mon, 9 Jan 2017
‘Dunedin-centric’ ORC gets roasting
By David Williams
Michael Laws’ already poor appraisal of the Otago Regional Council just gets worse. Official council figures provided to the Otago Daily Times detail the council’s $56million in reserves, its plans for spending up to $24million on a new Dunedin headquarters and a breakdown of spending in the Queenstown Lakes, which is affected by lake snow. Mr Laws, who was elected to the council’s Dunstan ward in October, said: “It’s worse than we thought, to a degree. They’ve got a huge amount of money and they spend very little.”
….He accused the council of having a very hands-off policy towards Dunstan issues and particularly Queenstown and the lakes over the past five years. “It’s withdrawn staff from the area, it’s not monitored the lakes which is its basic statutory responsibility, it’s spent very little money dealing with pests, whether flora or fauna, and I think personally that the reason in large part is if you don’t live in an area you don’t properly understand it.”
Read more

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L A K E ● S N O W

10.6.16
The alga called Cyclotella, or recently renamed by algologists as Lindavia intermedia, is related to the ‘rock snot’ alga didymo. The recent appearance of lake snot is associated with the emergence and dominance in Cyclotella, according to a team of scientists from the University of Otago, Landcare Research and Université Laval (Canada).
–Erica Mather, Sciblogs: Southern NZ lakes congested with algal snot

Lake Snow [stuff.co.nz]

ORC – Lake Snow
In recent years, a slimy substance called ‘lake snow’ has been found in Lake Wanaka, Wakatipu and Hawea. Otago Regional Council (ORC) is working with stakeholders and researchers to find out more about where lake snow comes from, what influences it, and how it could be managed. Read more

█ Lake snow brochure (PDF, 1 MB)

QLDC – Lake Algae
For a number of years the Lake Wanaka water supply has been affected by the presence of algae. The algae is not harmful from a health perspective, but has had an effect water filters, irrigation fittings, new appliances and other equipment. The algae is not noticed at all the properties in Wanaka and no pattern has been found. In mid-2016 QLDC began receiving reports of algae build-ups in a number of water filters around Queenstown that take water from Lake Wakatipu. It has been identified as the same algae that has affected the water system in Wanaka for the past eight years or so.
Identifying and managing lake algae

In 2004 Didymosphenia geminata, a diatom commonly known as didymo or rock snot, was discovered in New Zealand, the first time it was found in the Southern Hemisphere. To restrict its spread, the whole of the South Island of New Zealand was declared a controlled area in December 2005. All items, such as boats, fishing gear, clothing, and vehicles, that have been in a stream, river or lake, must be cleaned before they enter another waterway.
Wikipedia: Didymo in New Zealand

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### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:14, Sep 1 2016
Fears lake snow could make Lake Wakatipu ‘unfishable’
By Jo McKenzie-McLean
An experienced fishing guide fears Lake Wakatipu could end up “unfishable” with the invasive spread of the algae bloom, lake snow, and warns Lake Dunstan could be next. Queenstown fishing guide Stu Dever, armed with his rod and reel, voiced his concerns about the presence of lake snow in Lake Wakatipu to Otago Fish and Game committee members at a meeting in Cromwell last month. His rod was clogged with the thick globules of algae after only one day’s fishing on the lake … The mucous-like substance is produced by the algae cyclotella has now been observed in three South Island lakes.
Read more

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:49, Nov 4 2016
Lake snow discovered in Hawea as algae spreads through southern lakes
The nuisance algae known as lake snow has been confirmed in Lake Hawea as it continues to spread through the southern lakes. Officially known as Cyclotella bodanica, it has been present in Lake Wanaka for several years and has this year been confirmed in Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown. It has also been found in Lake Coleridge in Canterbury. It does not present a health risk but can block water filters on commercial premises and residential appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines.
Read more

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 11:13, Dec 19 2016
Laws calls for Otago Regional Council to apologise over Lake Snow ‘inaction’
By Jo McKenzie-McLean
The Otago Regional Council needs to “apologise and atone” for its “grossly inadequate” action over the Lake Snow problem in the alpine lakes, newly-elected Otago regional councillor Michael Laws says. “Lake snow was notified to the Otago Regional Council in 2008. It did nothing until September 2016, and in that time the algae and its effects have taken a firm grip on Lake Wanaka and now spread to other lakes. As with the invasive weed lagorosiphon [oxygen weed], the ORC’s inertia on lake snow stands as an object lesson of what can go wrong when you react, and react late, rather than research. There are some massive lessons for our governance here. We dropped the ball big time and need to accept, apologise and atone.” Cr Laws said there needed to be a significant financial investment in the southern lakes and that any delay would only make the problems less manageable and more expensive. “The Otago Regional Council has no debt, and $56 million in reserves. It wants to spend $25 million on a new HQ in Dunedin. I say those priorities are dead wrong: The lakes and our waterways – along with pest destruction – must be our prime responsibilities.”
Read more

****

Dr Schallenberg and other scientists have been frustrated by rejected funding applications on research into lake snow, and the Otago Regional Council only stepped up monitoring last year, although it has paid for some research on Lake Wanaka’s health.

### ODT Online Sat, 7 Jan 2017
Editorial: The lake snow threat
It is past time to drive action on “lake snow” (“lake snot”). The slime produced by an algae in Lake Wanaka — it is also in Lake Coleridge and was found last year in Lakes Hawea and Wakatipu — is unsightly and a significant nuisance. More importantly, it could have long-term and unknown ecological impacts.
….It was first noticed in Lake Wanaka about 2004 as those fishing spoke of fouled lines and blocked engine intakes. Washing machine and other filters in Wanaka began to become clogged because the town water supply comes from the lake. […] The same algae had also been found in another relatively unpolluted lake in Seattle in the United States. Just like didymo (“rock snot”), under certain conditions cyclotella secretes large amounts of mucus. This can all join together to form a mat. Just why it appears is still a mystery.
Read more

### ODT Online Sat, 7 Jan 2017
Lake snot costs hit six figures
By Guy Williams
Queenstown hotels are being forced to install expensive filtration systems to prevent lake snot (also called lake snow) damaging or blocking their water systems. Sofitel Queenstown Hotel manager Vincent Macquet said a self-cleaning filter identical to one operating at Dunedin Hospital was installed at the hotel five weeks ago at a cost of “hundreds of thousands” of dollars. Lake snot began clogging its water system last winter, causing hot-water valves to fail and reducing water pressure. […] Macquet said it was a “touchy subject” with hoteliers, with representatives from seven hotels meeting Queenstown Lakes District Council staff about a month ago to express their concerns.
Read more

Didymo, Hawea [landcareresearch.co.nz]

Didymo (aka rock snot) [jrn.com via knownews.com]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

9 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Business, Central Otago, Construction, Democracy, Design, Dunedin, Economics, Finance, Geography, Infrastructure, Media, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Public interest, Queenstown Lakes, Resource management, Tourism, University of Otago, What stadium

Tagged as Algae, Cash flow, Cash reserves, Central Otago, Cyclotella (alga), Debt free, Diatoms, Didymo, Dunedin HQ, Dunedin-centric, Environmental monitoring, Environmental protection, Flora and fauna, Fresh water protection, Hoarding, Lagarosiphon, Lake Snot, Lake snow, Lakes, Marc Schallenberg - University of Otago, Michael Laws, Noxious pests, ORC, ORC offices, Otago Regional Council, Oxygen weed (lagarosiphon), Port Otago Ltd, Queenstown Lakes, Rabbits, Rivers, Rock snot, Southern lakes, Statutory responsibility, Wilding pines

by Elizabeth | December 27, 2016 · 8:23 pm

Michael Lewis : The Undoing Project —Interview with Kathryn Ryan #RNZ

Link received 27/12/2016 at 3:21 p.m.
Message: A lesson for some Dunedin ‘luminaries’ perchance?

It’s amazing how resistant, particularly powerful men, are to people coming from outside and giving them advice on how to make decisions.
—Michael Lewis

RNZ National
Trust your gut? Think again
From Nine To Noon with Kathryn Ryan, 10:09 am on 21 December 2016

[Abridged.] Michael Lewis is one of the most famous non-fiction writers in America. He has written 14 books, edited one and is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair. His books include the global best-selling Flash Boys – an expose of high speed scamming in the stock market; The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine – an account of shady financial transactions and accounting that led to the 2008 global financial meltdown and on which the film The Big Short was based and Moneyball, the story of a maverick outsider who beat the system.

Lewis’s new book is called The Undoing Project in which he profiles the professional and personal relationship between the behavioural psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Kahneman and Tversky’s work shed new light on how humans make decisions when faced with risk and uncertainty. They established that we generally trust our gut instinct, over the evidence, to guide our decision-making.

[simonandschuster.com]

Lewis says he came across Kahneman and Tversky after writing Moneyball. He says the two were very different personalities and that made for the perfect team.

“They sensed in the other something they wished they had. Kahneman is an unbelievable creative mind he really has a mind more like a poet or a novelist filled with these flashing insights about human nature. Tversky wanted to be a poet but he has a scientific, logical mind. He’s a brilliant logician.”

The two decide to come together and study how the human mind works. That work became an examination of human fallibility – the weakness of the human mind. They designed experiments to show how our mind plays tricks on us.

One they stumbled on was a phenomenon they called anchoring that skews human decisions. They also established that we are terrible at assessing risk – we rate risk based on what’s most memorable which tends to be what happened most recently.

[marketwatch.com]

“People long for the world to be a far more certain place than it is, instead of dealing with uncertainties they tell stories that make it seem much more certain and respond to stories that make it seem much more certain than it is. A politician speaking in certain terms as if he’s infallible has weirdly an advantage – even though we shouldn’t believe him. We’re very vulnerable to people who simulate certainty.”

Lewis is unsure whether this inbuilt fallibility can be fixed.

“I hate to sound fatalistic but one of the big takeaways from [Kahneman and Tversky’s] work is just how hard it is to correct for human fallibility – they equate cognitive illusion with optical illusion.”
Read more

█ Audio | Download: Ogg MP3 (26′07″)

—

Michael Monroe Lewis (born Oct 15, 1960) was born in New Orleans to corporate lawyer J. Thomas Lewis and community activist Diana Monroe Lewis. He attended the college preparatory Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. He then attended Princeton University where he received a BA degree (cum laude) in Art History in 1982 and was a member of the Ivy Club. He went on to work with New York art dealer Daniel Wildenstein. He enrolled in the London School of Economics, and received his MA degree in Economics in 1985. Lewis was hired by Salomon Brothers and moved to New York for their training program. He worked at its London office as a bond salesman. He resigned to write Liar’s Poker and become a financial journalist. A contributing editor to Vanity Fair since 2009. More at Wikipedia.

Vanity Fair – Hive: Politics
█ Donald Trump and the Rules of the New American Board Game
By Michael Lewis Dec 18, 2016 7:00 pm
While volunteering at his daughter’s new high school, Michael Lewis watched kids of all races and backgrounds react to Trump’s election with a peaceful demonstration of their grief and fear. It inspired a game he’s devised for thinking about the future. Link

Vanity Fair – Hive: Politics
█ Obama’s Way
By Michael Lewis Sep 11, 2012 6:12 pm
To understand how air-force navigator Tyler Stark ended up in a thornbush in the Libyan desert in March 2011, one must understand what it’s like to be president of the United States—and this president in particular. Hanging around Barack Obama for six months, in the White House, aboard Air Force One, and on the basketball court, Michael Lewis learns the reality of the Nobel Peace Prize winner who sent Stark into combat. Link

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: Michael Lewis by Tabitha Soren / W.W. Norton Company
blackwhite by whatifdunedin

1 Comment

Filed under Aurora Energy, Business, Carisbrook, Central Otago, Citifleet, Climate change, Concerts, Construction, Corruption, CST, Cycle network, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Delta, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, DVL, DVML, Economics, Education, Electricity, Enterprise Dunedin, Events, Finance, Geography, Health, Hot air, Infrastructure, LGNZ, Media, Museums, Name, New Zealand, NZRU, NZTA, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, ORFU, People, Perversion, Pet projects, Police, Politics, Pools, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Queenstown Lakes, Resource management, SDHB, SFO, South Dunedin, Sport, Stadiums, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design

Tagged as 'The powerful', ANCHORING, Behavioural psychologists, Change, Cognitive illusion, Creative minds, Decision-making, Donald Trump, Fallibility, Finance, Gut instinct, Human nature, Memory, Michael Lewis, Money, Optical illusion, Personalities, Red alert, Risk and uncertainty, Risk assessment, Rose-coloured glasses, Scientific minds, Simulating certainty, Stories/Myths, The Big Short (film), The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine (book), The Undoing Project (book), Trust, Vulnerability, Wheel of fortune

by Elizabeth | December 14, 2016 · 3:20 am

Mosgiel pool site options —muddy water from mainstreet businesses

At the public forum before Monday’s Council meeting, the Taieri Community Facilities Trust (aka TCFT or ‘pooling together’) turned up in the guise of Irene Mosley, its chairwoman. Her only visible means of support was Bill Feather, ex Mosgiel-Taieri community board chairman.

Ms Mosley put up images of two site options (see graphics below), however nobody in the public gallery could read them. A previous round of public consultation had determined that 127 people favoured Site A, the site of the existing pool beside the Silver Stream. And 17 favoured Site B, at the township’s Memorial Gardens.

Ms Mosley is lobbying for the build being at the Gardens, a site (B) more likely to flood. Site A, the existing pool site, is higher; and the flood banks to the Silver Stream are doing their job.

We were trotted the line that the (rearguard) push for Site B was entirely down to the Otago Regional Council (ORC) because they have issues with Site A, that construction could potentially destabilise the flood bank. Phooey. Pure folly, Ms Mosley! Besides, ORC has no particular jurisdiction over the siting.

Ms Mosley carefully emphasised that a second round of public concultation on site options was for “transparency”. Hmm. Although she told Councillors there’s lots of positive support for the new pool, we’re not too sure who Ms Mosley has asked lately. We doubt the “positive support” is people with spare millions to give away on her trust’s “Logic” (loaded commercial term) dream.

All we know is business owners in central Mosgiel want the pool located closer to them, thus why Site B is being PUSHED by the trust. What a lot of fines there are, swirling about in the local water supply.

—

Mosgiel resident Peter Sim said he would oppose Site B. Green space was “at a premium” in Mosgiel and the DCC was “nibbling away” at it. “It’s time it bloody well stopped.”

### ODT Online Tue, 13 Dec 2016
Pool locations not ‘perfect’
By Shawn McAvinue
The two possible locations for a new aquatic facility in Mosgiel were revealed yesterday, along with a concession that “neither site is perfect”. At a Dunedin City Council meeting, Taieri Communities Facility Trust chairwoman Irene Mosley revealed the possible footprint of both sites … “We have decided we need to go back to the community and explain there is no perfect site … we just want to get it right.”
Read more

—

From the pool trust’s website [click to enlarge]:

█ More information at http://www.poolingtogether.org.nz/

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

22 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Business, Construction, DCC, DCTL, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Finance, Geography, Highlanders, Infrastructure, Media, Name, NZRU, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, ORFU, People, Pet projects, Politics, Pools, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, Sport, Tourism, Town planning, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as Backroom deals, Conflicts of interest, Council debt CRISIS, Council subsidies, DCC, Developers, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Feasibility, Good Old Boys (GOBs), High class soils, Housing speculators, Lobbying, Logic Group, Long Term Plan (LTP), Memorandum of Understanding, Mosgiel, Mosgiel Business Association, Mosgiel mainstreet, Mosgiel Pool, Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Pooling Together, Pools, Public consultation, Ratepayers and Residents, Real Estate, Rorts, Secret meetings, Stadium funding model, Subdivision, Swimming pools, Taieri, Taieri Aquatic Centre, Taieri Community Facilities Trust, Targeted rates, Vested interests, Warren & Mahoney Architects Ltd

by Elizabeth | December 8, 2016 · 10:54 pm

Our loss-making public bus system, as for the colours *spew

Inner city Dunedin is NOT a freaking circus or Disneyland.
Obviously, the bozos at ORC/DCC think differently.

Here is something CHEAP-NASTY-like:

Troughing consultants, transportation planners and those who purport to be ‘urban design’ from both councils appear to be barely out of grade school —my god, it shows (see video).

PRIMARY SCHOOL
Colouring in, by non-learned non-contextualists —who manage do it so very BADLY. This is absolute proof that Landscape Architecture at Dunedin is DEAD, BANKRUPT and bloody SMELLY. My cardboard box of pet maggots could design “the interchange” better. They could: swiftly, cleanly, without the disease that is ‘the carnival-scathed’ at local government.

Junior short-term work experience only, no proven local body management expertise or ‘factory floor’ experience whatsoever, now make for ‘team leader’ placements at Dunedin. That’s how tragic the workpool is. Low shoulder-tapping at the tertiary institution is no substitute for a smart council workforce, not that we have a hope in hell of attracting one.

Business leaders need to Take Dunedin!
By Storm, from the doughbrains at local government.
But Business leaders, Entrepreneurs and Investors now have the Largest, most IMMENSE PROBLEM.

At this un-populous sinking town :
At the productive, growth-generating Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes :
THERE IS NO AFFORDABLY SAFE AND SECURE POWER SUPPLY
None! This is All down to leaders, councillors, directors and executives at DCC, DCHL, Delta and Aurora.

And ORC/DCC think the sorry ratepayers and residents can afford an improved, convenient and efficient bus system. Ho. Ho. Ho.

—

Apart from or because of the buses making losses….

Clearly, the proposed changes to the bus system are NOT designed to embrace the Accessible Journey —to enhance the experience of city travel for mobility impaired citizens.

The Regional Public Transport Plan 2014 and the Dunedin City Integrated Transport Strategy 2013 DO NOT anticipate the growth of Uber, new technology or ‘other’ vehicular modes of travel, or indeed anything that is the future of transport at (Our Place) Dunedin.

The proposed changes are NOT subject to ANY ECONOMIC STUDIES to safeguard businesses, vehicle users, and the users of public transport, city-wide. None! So Predictable. So Deficient. So Grossly Negligent.

Coloured road markings, a Fun Distraction when there’s a MASSIVE POWER BLACKOUT at Dunedin.

*Note: DCC does not have a spare ONE BILLION DOLLARS in the bank to right Aurora/Delta’s wrongs.

—

The Otago Regional Council says:

Dunedin Bus Interchange (hub)
Dunedin’s public transport is changing. Since the adoption of the Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) in 2014, Otago Regional Council (ORC) has been rolling out network wide changes to create an affordable and connected public transport system in Dunedin. While many of these changes focus on implementing direct and stable bus routes with regular frequencies, we are also looking to improve the accessibility of the bus services, information, and infrastructure. As part of these changes we are providing a bus interchange (hub) in the city centre to make your bus journey better.

█ To find out more and how to make submissions, go to http://www.orc.govt.nz/Information-and-Services/Buses/Bushub/

—

There are several things the ORC can do immediately to signal its serious intent in improving services to its ratepayers. (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 7 Dec 2016
Editorial: Bus hub challenges
OPINION Public transport is essential in any major centre and now Dunedin faces its own challenges with the release of the long-awaited central-city bus hub plans. The Otago Regional Council is seeking community feedback on the hub planned for Great King St, near the central police station. It includes five parking bays on each side of the street. […] The idea of a Great King St hub cannot be taken seriously if people are going to be forced off one bus and on to another in quick time. […] Dunedin’s central area is the Octagon and the regional council needs to recognise the need to keep buses flowing through the Octagon.
Read more

****

Bus hub part of $3million transport project, including “super stops”. 38 car parks lost from Great King St between Moray Pl and St Andrew St.

### ODT Online Mon, 5 Dec 2016
Dunedin bus hub details released
By John Gibb
The Otago Regional Council has unveiled its long-awaited central Dunedin bus hub plans and is seeking community feedback. The bus hub, also termed the “bus interchange”, is, as previously signalled, in Great King St, near the central police station. It includes five parking bays on each side of the street. […] The size and style of bus shelters are partly dependent on public feedback, and also on any negotiations required with owners of nearby land, to be undertaken early next year. It is also proposed to use paints or other coloured materials, including on part of the street, to give the hub area a more lively appearance.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

24 Comments

Filed under Aurora Energy, Business, Central Otago, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Delta, Democracy, Dunedin, DVL, DVML, Economics, Electricity, Finance, Geography, Highlanders, Infrastructure, Media, NZRU, NZTA, OAG, OCA, Ombudsman, ORC, ORFU, People, Perversion, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Public interest, Queenstown Lakes, Resource management, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as 'team leaders', Accountability, Aurora Energy Ltd, Bus hub, Bus interchange, Buses, Car park LOSS, Central City Plan, Dangerous network, DCC, DCHL, Degraded network, Delta Utility Services Ltd, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin City Holdings Ltd, Dunedin City Integrated Transport Strategy 2013, Electricity, FAILED academics, Gerard Collings, Landscape Architecture, New Zealand Transport Agency, Newbies, NZTA, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Poor management, Power supply, Public consultation, Public transport, Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) 2014, Routes, Transparency, Transportation planning, Urban design

by Elizabeth | November 20, 2016 · 5:02 pm

Dunedin Buses – Route planners don’t consider effects on local business

[buswatchnz.blogspot.co.nz]

With a new central city bus hub proposed for Great King St and further route changes planned, how extensive has council consultation been with local businesses and retailers? We suspect ‘minimal’ if not at all.
Don’t mention car parking.

In the absence of sound economic modelling carried out in public domain – the collective study of cause and effect – ‘top-down’ imposed route changes are the death knell to small business operators and their livelihoods, wrecking the local retail economy, slaying the fabric, busyness and potential diversity of our town centres. Improper unconsulted changes to the bus system problematise or completely sever established movement patterns between our points of congregation. Affordable options for transit and visitation across the city are smashed and disappear. Everybody loses.

—

█ How much more harm can Otago Regional Council and Dunedin City Council inflict upon the Community of South Dunedin?

Less foot traffic in South Dunedin since changes to bus services.

### ODT Online Sun, 20 Nov 2016
New routes hurting business: retailers
By Greta Yeoman – The Star
Changes to Dunedin’s southern bus routes are affecting business in South Dunedin, shop owners say. The changes to the Mosgiel-Taieri bus routes in June last year led to buses from Green Island being rerouted to travel along the Southern Motorway into the Octagon rather than through South Dunedin. Grey Power Otago president Jo Miller said the new routes meant it was more difficult for customers to get to South Dunedin. […] Other updates to the bus service in August this year had also affected southern bus users. The Ross Creek to Ocean Grove service now travelled directly down Andersons Bay Rd instead of King Edward St. […] When approached by The Star for comment about businesses being affected by the bus routes, Otago Regional Council support services manager Gerard Collings said “that matter hasn’t been raised with us directly”.
Read more

● Gerard Collings [LinkedIn] is the multifarious ‘go-to’ at Otago Regional Council. Mr Collings is experienced in local body administration and community board representation. His profile shows no tertiary qualifications or accredited work experience in urban economics, business development or placemaking.
The Council has provided Mr Collings with a ‘management’ role for public transport planning and operations. He is a national certificate holder (NZTA approved proposal evaluator) – refer to NZTA Procurement Manual, sections 10.19 Qualifications of proposal evaluators and 11.2 Performance measurement and monitoring framework.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

26 Comments

Filed under Business, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Education, Finance, Geography, Infrastructure, Media, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Politics, Project management, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, South Dunedin, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design

Tagged as Bus hub, Bus services, Buses, Convenience travel, Customers, Dunedin, Economic pitfalls, Foot traffic, Inadequate research, Micro-economics, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Public transport, Shopping, South Dunedin retail, South Dunedin Retail Strategy, Suburban shopping centres, Transportation routes, Urban frameworks

by Elizabeth | September 29, 2016 · 3:23 pm

DCC Voting Paper Returns

Voting Paper Returns – check these out daily

Once voting opens information on numbers of votes returned each day will be available:

█ Find out the daily return of voting papers for the Dunedin City Council

█ Find out the daily return of voting papers for other 2016 Local Elections

—

Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: electionz.com

DCC & ORC Electoral Officer on Voting

### channel39.co.nz Wed, 22 Aug 2016
Nightly Interview: Pam Jordan
Most residents should have received their local body elections voting packs in the mail by now. Tonight we’re joined by Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council electoral officer Pam Jordan, who’s going to explain the ins and outs of voting.

Channel 39 Published on Sep 21, 2016

—

█ Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

On the STV voting system
Go to this post and comments to read more about STV – note comments by STV advocate Steve [Stephen Todd of Wellington]:

26.8.10 In defence of STV

█ For more, enter the term *candidate* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

3 Comments

Filed under DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Media, Name, ORC, People, Politics, Public interest

Tagged as 2016 local body elections, Community Boards, Council candidates, DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Elections, Electoral officer, Local body elections 2016, Mayoral candidates, ORC, Otago, Otago Regional Council, Special votes, Voting, Voting forms

by Elizabeth | August 15, 2016 · 2:30 pm

ORC : Official complaints show integrity

### ODT Online Mon, 15 Aug 2016
Two complaints laid against ORC
By Simon Hartley
Complaints against the Otago Regional Council have been laid by Cr Gerry Eckhoff with the Ombudsman and also the Office of the Auditor-general over exclusion of the public from a recent meeting. A decision was publicly released by the regional council late on Friday, from an in-committee, meaning non-public, non-media meeting on Wednesday, which the ORC yesterday defended on the basis the decision could be appealed.

The regional councillors voted in favour of accepting commissioners’ recommendation that a minimum water flow be set for the Lindis River catchment in Central Otago.

Mr Eckhoff released a statement yesterday outlining his complaints, and in an interview said not having the issue aired in public revealed a “grossly inappropriate process”. […] Council staff made the recommendation to hear the Lindis matter in public exclusion after seeking legal advice on matters where a decision by the council is open to an appeal in a court or tribunal, [ORC chief executive Peter Bodeker] said.
Read more

—

█ ORC : Combined Council Agenda 10 August – Public.pdf

Go to PART D – EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC
See Item 14 Recommendations of the Hearing Committee on the Proposed Plan Change 5A (Lindis: Integrated water management) to the Regional Plan: Water for Otago.
In relation to item 14, this resolution is made in reliance of section 48(1)(d) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

█ Otago Regional Council http://www.orc.govt.nz/

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

1 Comment

Filed under Agriculture, Business, Democracy, Geography, Media, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Politics, Public interest, Resource management, Travesty

Tagged as Auditor-General, Decision-making processes, Democracy, Lindis River catchment, Minimum water flow, Non public, Office of the Auditor-General, Office of the Ombudsmen, Official complaints, ORC, Otago, Otago Regional Council, Public interest, Rivers, Water

by Elizabeth | August 9, 2016 · 7:40 pm

Election Candidates : DCC, ORC and Community Boards

Updated post
Sat, 13 Aug 2016 at 12:50 a.m.

█ Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

—

### dunedintv.co.nz Tue, 9 Aug 2016 6:52 pm
Nightly Interview: Pam Jordan
Nominations close soon for the local body elections, and it’s a busy time for the officials, especially those at the helm. Dunedin returning officer Pam Jordan, has one of the busiest jobs.
Ch39 Link

Channel 39 Published on Aug 8, 2016

****

Tuesday, 9 August 2016
ODT: Too few standing to fill council roles
Just three and a-half days from the deadline for nominations in October’s local body elections, there are not enough prospective candidates to fill Otago’s councils and community boards. While candidates regularly leave nominations until the last minute, electoral officers across the southern region say for this election the response is particularly slow. Dunedin’s community boards have just 10 nominations for 30 positions, while in the Clutha district there have been only five nominations so far for the 27 positions available. Electoral officers have called on candidates to get cracking and submit their nominations before they close at noon on Friday, 12 August.

****

[older item]

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Only a week to go

This item was published on [FRIDAY] 05 Aug 2016

Candidates wishing to stand for this year’s local authority elections have a week left to put in their nominations.

Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday, 12 August.

The Electoral Officer for the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council, Pam Jordan, says the following numbers of nominations had been received by 10am today [Fri, 5 Aug].

Dunedin City Council (DCC):
● Mayor of Dunedin – 1
● Council – 8
● Community Boards (six vacancies for each of six boards) – 5 in total

Otago Regional Council (ORC):
● Dunedin Constituency (six vacancies) – 0
● Dunstan Constituency (three vacancies) – 4
● Moeraki Constituency (one vacancy) – 1
● Molyneux Constituency (two vacancies) – 1

Anyone wishing to stand as a candidate for the DCC (including their local community board) or the ORC can obtain nomination forms and candidate information at www.dunedin.govt.nz/elections or phone 03 4774000.

Candidates can also get further information from Local Government New Zealand at www.lgnz.co.nz/vote2016/candidates.

The names of candidates are put on the DCC website as nominations are received and processed. Candidate profiles will be published once nominations close. The elections are held by postal vote and voting papers will be sent out from 16 September. These must be mailed back in time to be received by 12 noon on Election Day, Saturday, 8 October.

Contact Electoral Officer on 03 4774000.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

124 Comments

Filed under Aurora Energy, Business, Corruption, Cycle network, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Delta, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Finance, Geography, Housing, Infrastructure, Media, Name, New Zealand, ORC, People, Pet projects, Politics, Pools, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, South Dunedin, Stadiums, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation

Tagged as 2016 local body elections, Campaigning, Candidates, Community Boards, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Elections, Electors, Local body elections 2016, Otago Regional Council, Postal voting, Ratepayers and Residents

by Elizabeth | August 9, 2016 · 4:09 pm

ORC, DCC continuing Deceptions : Natural Hazards for #SouthDunedin

W H A T ● P L A N ?

ORC stakeholder engagement director Caroline Rowe said the sessions were part of a wider “South Dunedin community engagement plan”.

### ODT Online Tue, 9 Aug 2016
Sessions on natural hazards
By John Gibb
South Dunedin residents will be able to learn more about natural hazards facing the area through drop-in sessions to be held at the Dunedin Gasworks Museum early next month.
The Otago Regional Council is organising the September 1 and 2 sessions, in collaboration with the Dunedin City Council. The drop-in session on the first day will run from 1.30pm to 7pm, and on the second day from 10am to 2.30pm.
Last month the ORC released a report titled “Natural Hazards of South Dunedin”. This report consolidated information and analysis gathered over the past seven years on the natural hazards facing the area, particularly the “increased likelihood of surface flooding associated with rising sea level”.
Read more

—

W H A T ● R I S K S ?
Answer ……. M I S I N F O R M A T I O N via ORC Hazard Plans and Maps

F I G H T >>> To Protect Your Property Values

“In a report to be tabled at the ORC’s technical committee tomorrow, Ms Rowe said South Dunedin was “an integral part of the wider Dunedin community” and many people and groups had an interest in how its risks would be managed. The report said the ORC also planned several other communication activities over the hazards plan, this month and next.” –ODT

—

█ ORC : Combined Council Agenda 10 August – Public.pdf
● Go to Agenda Item 5 (pp 34-35)
2016/0988 South Dunedin Community Engagement Report
The report outlines the approach management is taking to the community engagement as was verbally communicated at the Technical Committee meeting held on 20 July 2016 where Council received the report entitled “The Natural Hazards of South Dunedin” and made the decision to “endorse further community and stakeholder engagement within a timely manner”.

[screenshot – click to enlarge]

—

General reading (Otago including Dunedin City District)
● ORC : Natural Hazards

● Information coming to this ORC webpage: ORC committee report – natural hazards of the Dunedin district: technical documents

● Natural Hazards of South Dunedin – July 2016

● See also, the DCC second generation district plan (2GP) hazard zone information and maps based on ORC data, via the 2GP Index page.

—

Related Post and Comments:
6.8.16 LGOIMA trials and tribulations with peer reviews #SouthDunedinflood

█ For more, enter the terms *flood*, *hazard*, *south dunedin* and *southdunedinflood* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

10 Comments

Filed under Baloney, Business, Climate change, Construction, Corruption, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Finance, Geography, Health, Heritage, Housing, Infrastructure, Media, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Perversion, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, South Dunedin, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as 3 June 2015 Flood, 3 Waters Strategy, Bruce Hendry, Climate Change, Contract supervision, Crap artists, Cyclical maintenance and repair, DCC, Drainage, Drains, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Environment, Flood, Flood damage, Flood risk, Flooding, Floods, Fruitcakes, Fucking Climate Change BOOSTERS, Hazard zones, Infrastructure, Inundation, Jan Wright, Lack of accountability, LGOIMA requests, Liability and risk, Liquefaction, Maintenance contracts, Monitoring and supervision, Mudtanks, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Parliamentary, PCE, Peer reviews, Reports, South Dunedin, South Dunedin community engagement plan, South Dunedin Integrated Catchment Management Plan (ICMP), Stormwater drainage, Stormwater pumping stations

by Elizabeth | June 17, 2016 · 7:07 pm

So we’re going to play it this way #SouthDunedinFlood

ODT 17.6.16 (page 10) —[click to enlarge]

—

whatifdunedin:

1. The claim of “factual errors” is surely able to be substantiated or thrown out by a suitably qualified (named) EXTERNAL peer reviewer acceptable to DCC and engineer Neil Johnstone. The ‘matter of degree’ (serious ?) is a matter for the peer reviewer to comment on. As are issues of professional competencies —which only an independent and transparent peer reviewer with nationally recognised engineering expertise can deal to. Not an in-house operational.

2. Neil Johnstone has issued three reviews, two of these deal to DCC’s formal reports on the June 2015 South Dunedin “flood event”, dated 30 Nov 2015 and 26 Apr 2016 respectively; and the third deals to comments (video recorded by Ch39 and published at DCC’s Youtube channel) during the DCC Infrastructure Services Committee meeting held on 26 April 2016. The reviews are published at this website – enter the term *johnstone* in the search box at right.

3. Neil Johnstone has requested that factual errors noted by DCC be made discoverable. DCC appears to be side-stepping qualification and quantification of its verbal assertions every which way.

4. It is highly likely that no expert external peer reviews exist or they would have been made public by now. More than a year after the “flood event”, we wait.

5. A peer review(s) is not something to hide. Why is DCC doing secret squirrel when challenged to substantiate its earlier comments (publicly stated on more than one occasion, recorded by mainstream media – for example, by Mayor Cull and Transportation’s Ian McCabe, who later resigned) – that external peer reviews of its formal reports did happen. After the fact is a little squiffy, if DCC is writing them now.

“Technical qualifications and experience with stormwater infrastructure design and management” are not provided. Rhetorical.

Holes being dug, an epitaph.

█ For related posts and comments, enter the terms *flood*, *sea level rise*, *stormwater*, *hazard*, *johnstone*, *hendry*, *south dunedin action group*, *debriefing notes* or *listener* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

17 Comments

Filed under Business, Climate change, Construction, Democracy, Design, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Events, Finance, Geography, Heritage, Hot air, Housing, Infrastructure, Media, Name, New Zealand, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, South Dunedin, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as 3 June 2015 Flood, 3 Waters Strategy, Commercial development, Contract supervision, Cyclical maintenance and repair, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Drainage, Drains, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Flood, Flood damage, Groundwater level, Historical storm events, Infiltration, Information DELAY, Infrastructure, Insurance debacle, Lack of accountability, Legal advice, Liability and risk, Listener, Maintenance contracts, Media, Monitoring and supervision, Mudtanks, NZ Listener, Obfuscation, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Peer reviews, Public meetings, Rebecca Macfie, Reports, Sea level rise, South Dunedin, South Dunedin Integrated Catchment Management Plan (ICMP), Stormwater DAMAGE, Stormwater drainage, Stormwater pumping stations, Unliveable houses

by Elizabeth | June 6, 2016 · 4:20 pm

Listener June 11-17 2016 : Revisiting distress and mismanagement #SouthDunedinFlood

R E S O N A T E S
Get the latest issue of New Zealand Listener (pp 22-29), more soon….

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: phoneshot at a diner by whatifdunedin [click to enlarge]

10 Comments

Filed under Business, Climate change, DCC, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Events, Finance, Geography, Heritage, Housing, Infrastructure, Inspiration, Media, Name, New Zealand, ORC, People, Pet projects, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Public interest, Resource management, Site, South Dunedin, Town planning, Transportation, Travesty, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as 3 June 2015 Flood, 3 Waters Strategy, Commercial development, Contract supervision, Cyclical maintenance and repair, DCC, DCC Infrastructure Services, DCC Infrastructure Services Committee, Drainage, Drains, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Flood, Flood damage, Groundwater level, Historical storm events, Infiltration, Information DELAY, Infrastructure, Insurance debacle, Lack of accountability, Legal advice, Liability and risk, Listener, Maintenance contracts, Media, Monitoring and supervision, Mudtanks, NZ Listener, Obfuscation, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Peer reviews, Rebecca Macfie, Reports, Sea level rise, South Dunedin, South Dunedin Integrated Catchment Management Plan (ICMP), Stormwater DAMAGE, Stormwater drainage, Stormwater pumping stations, Unliveable houses

by Elizabeth | December 14, 2015 · 12:40 pm

ORC, DCC – must be the season, minus goodwill, plus fear! and generous pay!

O me miserum, O Christmas Tree, WHYYYYY (Santa will look after us, won’t he)
THERE IS NO BULLYING, NOPE

—

The survey showed staff were particularly unhappy about the council’s executive team of five directors and Mr Bodeker.

### ODT Online Mon, 14 Dec 2015
Unhappy at ORC, staff say
By Vaughan Elder
Otago Regional Council’s chief executive has denied there is a “culture of fear” in the organisation after top management were singled out for criticism in a staff survey. Peter Bodeker, who was appointed chief executive in 2012, made the comments after the “2015 Employee Survey”, which was answered by 123 staff (95%), was leaked to the Otago Daily Times.
Read more

—

Proposal in response to failed attempts at super councils in the North Island.

### ODT Online Fri, 11 Dec 2015
Councils may share services
By David Loughrey
A proposal to amalgamate some services of the six Otago councils is not a move to a super council, mayors say. […] Under the proposed system, local representation would stay as it is, but areas from payroll to IT, legal services, water, wastewater and roading services could be shared.

—

Steady stream of resignations and redundancies taking its toll.

### ODT Online Thu, 3 Dec 2015
‘Culture of fear’ at DCC
By Chris Morris
Morale within the Dunedin City Council is taking a hammering as criticism and upheaval fuel a “culture of fear”, staff say. The concerns come from past and present staff, who have told the Otago Daily Times about the impact of constant restructuring, stretched budgets and redundancies.
Read more

—

Related Post and Comments:
3.12.15 DCC factory crew issues, ELT, CEO….

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: westword.com – Charlie Brown Christmas, re-coloured by whatifdunedin

41 Comments

Filed under Business, Citifleet, Cycle network, DCC, Democracy, District Plan, Economics, Geography, Infrastructure, LGNZ, Media, Name, New Zealand, NZTA, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Police, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Transportation, Urban design, What stadium

Tagged as 'Culture of fear', (under) New management, Audit and Risk Committee, Bullying, Callous disregard, CEO Peter Bodeker, CEO Sue Bidrose, Citifleet, Compliance, Criminal prosecution, DCC, Deception, District plan review, Due process, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin Strategic Cycle Network, Executive Leadership Team, Investigation, Lack of accountability, Lack of ethics, Lack of transparency, Leadership, Natural justice, New Zealand Police, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Police investigation, Proposed 2GP, Prosecution, Public/Non-public, Receiving, Resignations, Sackings, Senior management, Shared resources, South Dunedin flood, Stadium review, Staff make-work schemes, Staff morale, Whistleblowing

by Elizabeth | December 9, 2015 · 8:17 pm

Otago Regional Council hammers DCC’s proposed 2GP

Congratulations Dunedin! You made over ONE THOUSAND submissions on Dunedin City Council’s proposed second generation district plan (2GP).

Amongst these is a cracker from ORC, can’t wait to read.

—

### dunedintv.co.nz Wed, 9 Dec 2015
Council discord over district plan
The Otago Regional Council is taking aim at its district counterpart, by opposing a draft plan for the wider city area. The ORC has prepared two submissions on the Dunedin City Council’s second generation district plan. As a landowner, the ORC says the plan doesn’t represent sound resource management practice. It says the plan won’t promote efficient use or development of local resources, and is contrary to parts of the relevant government legislation. The ORC’s submission as an authority includes almost 50 separate requests for changes. But it also highlights the ORC’s support for other sections of the plan.
The DCC has received over 1000 submissions on its draft plan.
Ch39 Link

39 Dunedin Television Published on Dec 8, 2015
Council discord over district plan

****

But flawed consultation can be worse than no consultation at all.

### ODT Online Wed, 9 Dec 2015
Sharing fair and expert information among all
By Hilary Calvert
OPINION Consultation has grown like topsy in New Zealand for the best of reasons – a choice of governance once every three years will clearly not on its own provide democracy. […] If we (the council members) get it wrong, consultation can leave people disenchanted and disenfranchised, with a sense of outrage that their time was wasted involving themselves in a process which did not provide fair and accurate feedback.
Read more

—

To The Councillor

Y E S ● I’ M ● A N G R Y

You’re too fricking late – where were you Cr Hilary Calvert when the 2GP was being formulated, formatted and its timeline set, ie well before 24 November this year ??? Where were your ideas and protests then ???
NOT TO BE SEEN. Other than fences….
As for your behaviour lately – in “consultation” – when serving as a commissioner for the Jetty Street restricted access application…. you remain unrepentant. GOD SAVE US.

Nup, don’t do the johnny-come-lately ACT with us.
Con? Look in the mirror why not. And sharpen up at council meetings, learn to speak con-cise plain English when putting a question. Raise your game, but not after everyone’s gone home and you have your pen out to the editor. Talent means timing.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: 2GP Dave green monsters – whatifdunedin

1 Comment

Filed under Business, DCC, Democracy, District Plan, Dunedin, Economics, Geography, Media, Name, New Zealand, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, People, Politics, Project management, Property, Proposed 2GP, Resource management, Site, Town planning, Transportation, Urban design

Tagged as 2GP, DANGER, DCC, Defend your property assets, Democracy, DESTROY DUNEDIN, Disturbed public, Document tracking, Draft 2GP, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Fairness, Formatting, Greater Dunedin, Greenwash, Justness, Lack of accountability, Lack of transparency, Laptops, Legal action, Manipulation, Mayor Cull, Medium density zones, Narrow consultation, Natural Hazards, Natural justice, ORC, Otago Regional Council, PANIC BUTTON, Planning, Policies, Policy planning, Printed copies, Ratepayers and Residents, Resource management, Resource Management Act, Second generation district plan (2GP), Submissions, The Developers' Plan, Threats, Zoning

by Elizabeth | September 18, 2015 · 6:45 pm

Tsunami stadium #DUD

ODT 17.9.15 Wave surge warning for Otago
New Zealand’s southern marine and beach areas can expect strong currents and unpredictable water flows from wave surges following the earthquake.
Coastal Otago residents are being urged to watch out for wave surges from a tsunami generated by an 8.3 magnitude earthquake near Chile today.
Read more

Well done!
Submitted by Albert Square on Thu, 17/09/2015 – 7:16pm

What most people don’t realise is that Dunedin probably wouldn’t be able to attract an international tsunami of this size if we didn’t have the FB Stadium. So well done to Mr Davies and all those at the DVML/DVL for all your hard work.

It looks like the tide is finally turning. . .

—

█ ‘Bread and Circuses – The Shady, Slimy and Corrupt World of Taxpayer Funded Sports Stadiums’ | posted by Michael Krieger at libertyblitzkrieg.com
[via zerohedge.com —see comments]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image merge by whatifdunedin: tsunami [commonsenseevaluation.com] + fubar stadium [trendsideas.com]

3 Comments

Filed under Business, Carisbrook, Construction, CST, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Delta, Design, DVL, DVML, Economics, Enterprise Dunedin, Events, Geography, Hot air, Media, Name, New Zealand, NZRU, OAG, Ombudsman, ORC, ORFU, People, Politics, Pools, Project management, Property, SFO, Site, Sport, Stadiums, Tourism, Town planning, University of Otago, Urban design

Tagged as Council debt CRISIS, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunedin Venues Ltd, Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, fubar stadium, Loss-making stadiums, ORC, Otago Regional Council, Otago Stadium, Ratepayers and Residents, Rorts, Stadium costs +$20million pa, Stadiums, Terry Davies, Tsunami warning

by Elizabeth | September 11, 2015 · 9:38 pm

RAPID dune erosion continues —Council doesn’t give a toss

—

Alex Gilks replies to article St Clair dunes ‘in no danger’ (ODT 3.9.15)

Published at ODT Online
Wed, 9 Sep 2015

Your say: Urgent action is needed
By Alex Gilks
Wayne Stephenson’s comments here, assuming they were reported accurately, seem quite a way off the mark. I’m no expert, but grew up near the dunes, and walk on the beach often.
I visited this morning, and the big sea earlier this week has carved off more of the top of the dune. The two big pines are about 5m and 10m from the edge of the erosion. Bill Brown is right: urgent action is needed. Big-scale protection at the bottom.
Putting aside the throwaway comment about the asteroid, here are the troubling things about this article:

• ‘no risk to property this year’ – this super short-term thinking should be criticized

• ‘if the dune’s foot was staying in place’ – the dune’s foot is absolutely not staying in place! The immediate reason for the dramatic erosion is that the toe of the dune has been completely hammered since the sand sausages were ruined. How can he not see that? Is he not actually visiting the site?

• the idea that the enemy is ‘winter’s storms’, and the implication that it will be ok again until next winter. Where does this come from? The south coast can get powerful southerlies at any time of year. Is there some data that you can use to show the frequency and time of year of southerly/easterly storms and high tides?

• sand sausages and sand replenishment as interim solutions, before ‘more permanent features in coming years’. Shouldn’t this receive more criticism? The previous sands sausages and sand replenishment worked for only what, a handful of years? Wouldn’t you just urgently undertake some more long-term solution?

For this to get real I think decision-makers need to walk along the ridge track from the Kettle Park area, see the shifting edge and the remaining area at the apex of the dune.
I’d take a botanist along too, to get a good gauge on the age of the trees that have been uprooted. The bigger ones must be 50-80 years old, yet you hear some people saying things like ‘this happened in the 70s/90s/a few years back’.
No. We need to get past this complacent idea that this is a seasonal thing, that it’ll replenish itself soon and will start working normally again in the near future.
ODT Link

—

Received from Hype O’Thermia
Tue, 8 Sep 2015 at 10:36 a.m.

The sea does not adapt to humans

Increased storms and extreme weather – get off yer bike! Just for fun I googled “British houses that fell into the sea”, not a helluva rigorous search……..

One dark night in 1664, while local people were attending a wake, the whole village of Runswick slipped into the sea…
Thankfully, all the villagers escaped but by morning there was only one house left standing… the house of the dead man!
http://www.visitengland.com/experience/discover-village-fell-sea

As late as 1817 when George Young, the Whitby historian, wrote of the incident, articles including a silver spoon and coins which had been carried from the rubble by the tide were still being washed back.
http://www.chrisscottwilson.co.uk/runswick-bay/4551457861

It wasn’t always so peaceful – one night in 1664 the entire village slid into the sea! Returning from a wake, one of the villagers noticed the steps of his house slipping away beneath his feet. He gave the alarm and most of the village fled to safety. By morning only one house remained standing- the house of the deceased man. The village was rebuilt further around the shore but land slippage continued to be a problem. In 1970 a new sea wall was finally built, thankfully securing the village’s future.
http://www.simonseeks.com/travel-guides/hands-all-those-whove-heard-runswick-bay__167571

In medieval times, when Dunwich was first accorded representation in Parliament, it was a flourishing port and market town about thirty miles from Ipswich. However, by 1670 the sea had encroached upon the town, destroying the port and swallowing up all but a few houses so that nothing was left but a tiny village. The borough had once consisted of eight parishes, but all that was left was part of the parish of All Saints, Dunwich – which by 1831 had a population of 232, and only 44 houses (“and half a church”, as Oldfield recorded in 1816).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunwich_(UK_Parliament_constituency)

Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire
The raging storms have taken their toll, claiming many buildings as the limestone cliffs erode. In 1780, 22 cottages fell into the sea. Today a rock seawall helps protect the picturesque village.
http://www.britainexpress.com/villages/robinhood.htm

[ends]

—

█ For more, enter the term *coastal* in the search box at right.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: dunedinisforlovers.blogspot.co.nz – Majestic Mansions (April 2010); world50th.files.wordpress.com – dunes (February 2015)

7 Comments

Filed under Business, Construction, DCC, Democracy, Design, Economics, Geography, Heritage, Media, Name, New Zealand, ORC, People, Politics, Project management, Property, Site, Sport, Tourism, Town planning, What stadium

Tagged as Beach access, Budget, Coastal erosion mitigations, Coastal protection, Community and Environment Committee, Complacency, Compromised, Council debt CRISIS, Damage, DCC, Democracy, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Dunes, Ecology, Engineering failure, Kettle Park, Mayoralty, Middle Beach, Mitigation, Natural hazard maps, New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, Ocean Beach, Open ocean, Politics, Public Access, Ramp, Ratepayers and Residents, Sea wall, Seawall, South Dunedin, Sport and recreation, Sports Fields, St Clair, St Clair Beach, St Kilda, Stadium debt, Technology, The Esplanade, Tides, Under-engineered, UNmanaged retreat, Vote catching

by Elizabeth | September 7, 2015 · 4:53 pm

Harbourside: Official information request to Dunedin City Council

Note: LGOIMA official information requests can be emailed direct to officialinformation @dcc.govt.nz

DCC Webmap – Upper Harbour Central Dunedin JanFeb 2013

—

From: Elizabeth Kerr
Sent: Monday, 7 September 2015 2:30 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham [DCC]
Cc: Elizabeth Kerr; Grace Ockwell [DCC]; Sue Bidrose [DCC]
Subject: LGOIMA Information Request

Dear Sandy

Re: Urban Design and Envisioning for Dunedin Harbourside

I note the following media items:

● ODT (19.8.15) Cull to push for more city hotels [hotel accommodation]
● ODT (20.8.15) Under-fire Cull stands by comments [hotel accommodation]
● ODT (26.8.15) – A Mackay, Opinion Harbourside development adds vibrancy
● ODT (31.8.15) – P Entwisle, Opinion Extraordinary works inspired by nature [Van Brandenburg]
● ODT (5.9.15) Waterfront the next big thing? [bridge, aquarium, ORC headquarters, hotels etc]
● ODT (5.9.15) Harbourside views in conflict
● ODT (5.9.15) ORC denies hindering development
● ODT (7.9.15) Vogel Street Party spreads its wings [Van Brandenburg ‘hotel’ model]
● ODT (7.9.15) Conferences ‘great’ boost for city

●● DCC media release (27.8.15) Building stronger local government connections with China

●● Indications are that DCC wants Otago Rowing Club to relocate from their premises to a site of the DCC’s choosing.

I wish to formally request ALL reports and visionary/guiding documents and or statements/statements of proposal or intent that are currently being used by Dunedin City Council in consultation with other parties (real and potential – local, national and international) be they:

focus groups, steering groups, working parties, development partners, surveyors, designers/architects, resource management specialists, investors, project facilitators, project managers, University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic, Otago Chamber of Commerce and or other – to ‘shape and envision’ the future development of Dunedin Harbourside in the urban area that extends from:

Otago Boat Harbour and its vicinity (includes Industrial 1 zone, Stadium zone, Port 2 zone) to the area zoned for mixed use south of Dunedin’s Steamer Basin (Harbourside zone) and further south to Portsmouth Drive (Industrial 1 zone); including connections to existing precincts TH12, TH13, TH05, TH04, TH03 and TH02.

Any corresponding information and explanation that derives from the, to be publicly notified (this month?), second generation plan (2GP) for these city blocks and foreshore area is also requested.

I look forward to prompt receipt of all available information in electronic format.

Regards

Elizabeth Kerr
[Dunedin North]

——————

From: Sandy Graham [DCC]
Sent: Monday, 7 September 2015 2:42 p.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Cc: Grace Ockwell [DCC]; Sue Bidrose [DCC]
Subject: RE: LGOIMA Information Request

Dear Elizabeth

Thanks for your very detailed LGOIMA request which I have forwarded to the officialinformation @dcc.govt.nz. Your request will be processed under the terms of LGOIMA and a response will be provided as soon as practicable but in any event within 20 working days.

Regards
Sandy

[DCC Group Manager Corporate Services]

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
[it’s OK, not holding my breath for too much public disclosure]

26 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Business, COC (Otago), Construction, CST, Cycle network, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Democracy, Design, Economics, Enterprise Dunedin, Events, Geography, Heritage, Highlanders, Hotel, KiwiRail, Media, Museums, Name, New Zealand, NZRU, NZTA, Offshore drilling, ORC, ORFU, Otago Polytechnic, People, POL, Politics, Project management, Property, Site, Sport, Stadiums, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, University of Otago, Urban design

Tagged as Auckland's rejects, Bridge, Built environment, Businesses, CARGO CULLTISM, CARGO CULT, Central City Plan, Chalmers Properties Ltd, Chinese investors, Councillors, Dave Cull, DCC RED CARPET, Dunedin, Dunedin Harbourside, Executive Leadership Team, Foreign capital, Foreign labour, Harbourside zone, Hard sells, Hazeltoe, Hotels, Industrial 1 zone, Kevin Taylor, Leith Boat Harbour, LGOIMA requests, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, Mayor of Dunedin, Media manipulation, Minions, Miss-laid Business Plans (who got screwed?), Otago Chamber of Commerce, Otago Regional Council, Otago Rowing Club, Port 2 Zone, Port Otago Ltd, Ports, Portsmouth Drive, Property development, Roy & Trigger, Stadium, Tartans, Technology, Urban Design Team Leader, Van Brandenburg, Warehouses, Waterfront, Waterfront hotels, Wharves, Zoning

by Elizabeth | September 6, 2015 · 3:16 am

Piss-take (?!) | DCC non comprende ORC and POL

[cold night shrinkage]

ODT brings WHAT EXACTLY to the working desktop —(surprise!)

The city council with one of the largest per capita ratepayer debt levels in New Zealand, and a superlative track record of POOR BUSINESS DECISIONS (costing ratepayers HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in the last 10 years), thinks it can preach to Otago Regional Council and Port Otago Ltd.

Sheer folly – tied to the MISGUIDED mission to sell out to the 1%er Chinese. CARGO CUL_TISM. [Would someone be pushing something small down the throat again, to secure yet another dowry for a hotel.]

—

### ODT Online Sat, 5 Sep 2015
Waterfront the next big thing?
By Chris Morris
Dunedin’s waterfront is the city’s biggest missed opportunity, but the planets could be aligning for development, advocates say. Depending on who you talk to, the waterfront around Dunedin’s Steamer Basin is either a cold, windswept industrial hub or the city’s next big thing. Where some see room for only the existing cluster of industrial businesses and dilapidated buildings, others imagine a waterfront like Wellington’s – populated by cafes, bars, restaurants, apartments and hotels.
Read more

● ODT: Harbourside views in conflict
● ODT: ORC denies hindering development

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

37 Comments

Filed under Architecture, Business, Carisbrook, Citifleet, COC (Otago), Construction, CST, Cycle network, DCC, DCHL, DCTL, Delta, Democracy, Design, DVL, DVML, Economics, Enterprise Dunedin, Geography, Heritage, Hot air, Hotel, LGNZ, Media, Museums, Name, New Zealand, Ngai Tahu, NZRU, NZTA, OCA, ORC, ORFU, Otago Polytechnic, People, POL, Police, Politics, Pools, Project management, Property, Site, Sport, Stadiums, Tourism, Town planning, Transportation, University of Otago, Urban design

Tagged as (Hahaha Taieri industrial estate), Citifleet, Commissioners, Council debt CRISIS, Cycleway BUNGLES, DCC, Dunedin, Dunedin City Council, Harbourside horror, Lack of accountability, Lack of transparency, Piss-takes, Prudential limits, STADIUM tatters - DEBT forever, The Pope, Urban design botchups

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Category Archives: ORC

Stupid ORC Bus Hub : DCC notifies requirement for designation #Dunedin

Regional state of emergency lifted in Otago (incl Dunedin & Waitaki)

DCC ORC : Heavy rain warnings preparations #PublicNotice

Regional council builds Palace, refuses help to dredge Otago boat harbour

DCC Proposed Reserves and Beaches Bylaw : Real-deal submission

Maggie Lawton, RIP

DCC hideous ‘Adam of your labours’

ORC $wimming in it —SHOULD afford more Otago environmental protection

Michael Lewis : The Undoing Project —Interview with Kathryn Ryan #RNZ

Mosgiel pool site options —muddy water from mainstreet businesses

Our loss-making public bus system, as for the colours *spew

Dunedin Buses – Route planners don’t consider effects on local business

DCC Voting Paper Returns

DCC & ORC Electoral Officer on Voting

ORC : Official complaints show integrity

Election Candidates : DCC, ORC and Community Boards

ORC, DCC continuing Deceptions : Natural Hazards for #SouthDunedin

So we’re going to play it this way #SouthDunedinFlood

Listener June 11-17 2016 : Revisiting distress and mismanagement #SouthDunedinFlood

ORC, DCC – must be the season, minus goodwill, plus fear! and generous pay!

Otago Regional Council hammers DCC’s proposed 2GP

Tsunami stadium #DUD

RAPID dune erosion continues —Council doesn’t give a toss

Harbourside: Official information request to Dunedin City Council

Piss-take (?!) | DCC non comprende ORC and POL

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