NCC’s draft plan was released for consultation online on Friday, and submissions are open until midday on Friday 14 May 2018.The bespoke consultation website www.sayitnapier.nz contains video content, the consultation document including sign language and plain text versions for those residents with disablities, and links to supporting documentation.The printed consultation document will be dropped into Napier letter boxes from this weekend.It’s a progressive and practical plan, says Mayor Bill Dalton. “This draft LTP has been designed to address some core issues we’ll face, or are already facing, during the coming decade – things like the Ahuriri Estuary environment and the challenges we face around pollution, ecology and inundation risks. We have money in the budget to invest over $21m into 12 projects that will see significant improvements to this environment, or we could start with stormwater only and delay some of our other work, for around $6.6m.”The possible National Aquarium of New Zealand expansion is another project out for consultation. “Our Aquarium is certainly growing tired and is due for an upgrade,” Mayor Dalton says. “We see this as an opportunity to partner with the likes of Weta Workshop, Air New Zealand and central Government, attract external funding, and create a marine centre of excellence. It’s a bold idea, but one we believe would help educate and inspire visitors to take care of our ocean, our marine animals, and to make changes in their own behaviour.Our investment would be around a fifth of the cost, with the rest of the funding coming from external partners. The other option is to consider a more basic refurbishment, upgrade our plant and equipment and refresh the interior and exterior, at around $11m – a refurbishment alone would not attract external support from funders.”Dechlorinated water stations have been topical since Napier began mandatory chlorination of the drinking water supply and the consultation document contains information on how the city could provide this convenience to the community and the costs associated with each option. The Napier Aquatic Centre has been a hot topic too – the two options on the table currently are further exploration of a green fields development on Council land at Prebensen Drive, or an upgrade to the existing pools at Onekawa.The final major project out for LTP consultation is a proposal to change the policy for leasehold land owned by Council. This change would enable land identified as non-strategic to be made available for sale, provided Council had alternative revenue in place to offset the income those properties currently generate. There is also a question for consideration by Napier residents around the mix of projects currently underway. It asks if Council has the balance right between essential services and the “sparkle” – the playgrounds, events and pop-ups that create vibrancy in the city.Mayor Dalton emphasises the importance of the community spending time reading the website or the booklet, which will also be made available at the Customer Services Centre on Hastings Street, and at library counters from next week. There is a host of events planned over the coming weeks, too, where Councillors will be available to chat with the community about the plan.“Consultation is fundamental to the success of our long term planning process. I’m looking forward to hearing the spectrum of thought on not only the consultation items, but anything else Council is working on – such as our library strategy development, our playgrounds, or the future of community housing. It’s an excellent chance to say what you think about anything Council is doing, and influence how we navigate future challenges.”Online submissions are open now at www.sayitnapier.nz
{ A NapierCityCouncil release | || April 17, 2018 |||
