Meola Creek

stephen March 23rd, 2011

STEPS joined with South Epsom Planning Group in appealing the original Environment Court decision to request higher standards of cleanfill to minimise any risk of pollution of the Three Kings-Meola-Western Springs aquifer and to protect the environment for future generations.

STEPS is pleased that the Court accepted all the evidence of SEPG and STEPS expert witnesses, and we especially note that that Watercare Services were involved in the case to protect aquifer water quality.

As is normal practice, the Environment Court reserved their decision and indicated that they would be likely to deliver the decision sometime within the next 12 weeks.

STEPS submission is attached and a full report can be found on Joel Cayford’s blog http://joelcayford.blogspot.com/2011/03/fletcherwinstone-cleanfill-court-action.html

STEPS submission Winstones hearing

• Environmental Issues , STEPS
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stephen November 25th, 2010

Here is the link to Bob Dey’s summary on the new Auckland Council’s debate and approval of the change to the district plan which would allow Westfield to expand St Lukes. http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=15241&SID=554981993. Links to previous stories can be found there too.

Thanks to the 5 Auckland Councillors who voted against this.

We have been trying to get this infrastructural situation recognised for many years now. However this latest setback clearly means that even when the problem is acknowledged by council. it makes no difference to the Commissioners or to the Council decision. We look forward to your support as we continue to try to protect Meola Creek and get Watercare Services and Council to take some responsibility for protection.

• Environmental Issues , Politics , Resource Consents , STEPS , news
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stephen November 25th, 2010

Westfield St Lukes Plan Change – Update October 2010 (Apologies for this being historical now)

Following the plan change hearings in June 2010, a draft planners report was produced. The report link is http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/members/councilmeetings/20100923_1800/CNCL%2D23092010%2DOPN%2DAGD%2D%2312.pdf

The independent Commissioners for Auckland City recommended in the final weeks of Auckland City existence that the plan change to facilitate the St Lukes expansion should go ahead. STEPS had made a comprehensive submission on the impacts on Meola Creek, and we presented at the hearings. As reported in an earlier Blog, we supported the peer review done by Council officers in respect of water issues. One reason we appeared is that it has been made clear to us at Resource consent time that our only hope for being heard is by influencing the plan. The Commissioners report appeared to rely on the evidence from the developer.

See pages 62-64 in the decision for 1 page on water and lava forest. As we read it:

- Stormwater will all be worked out at the appropriate time. Despite the contradictory evidence – Westfield engineer is happy with soakage. And the commissioners agreed.

- Waste water effects will be no more than minor and anyway though the situation is unsatisfactory, this is beyond the control of the applicant so it would NOT BE REASONABLE FOR A PLAN CHANGE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LACK OF AN INTERCEPTOR.

STEPS asks Who would need sewerage infrastructure to increase peak waste water flows by 8 times?

We were pleasantly surprised at the final AC COUncil meeting on 23 September that the council deferred a decision.

STEPS believes that St Lukes Community Association were key to achieving this deferral – see press release at:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1009/S00306/st-lukes-community-applauds-mayoral-leadership.htm

Reporter Bob Dey reported on it as follows:

http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=14964&SID=351783881

Later the Auckland City Council wisely decided to leave the decision for the new council – see

http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=15078&SID=407944042

STEPS is hopeful that the new City COuncil will pay more attention to the very real infrastructure issues faced by the St Lukes area and will consider the interests of local residents when they review this plan change.

• Resource Consents , history
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stephen October 31st, 2010

Westfield St Lukes Plan Change – Update October 2010

Following the plan change hearings in June 2010, a draft planners report was produced. The report link is http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/members/councilmeetings/20100923_1800/CNCL%2D23092010%2DOPN%2DAGD%2D%2312.pdf

The independent Commissioners for Auckland City recommended in the final weeks of Auckland City existence that the plan change to facilitate the St Lukes expansion should go ahead. STEPS had made a comprehensive submission on the impacts on Meola Creek, and we presented at the hearings. As reported in an earlier Blog, we supported the peer review done by Council officers in respect of water issues. One reason we appeared is that it has been made clear to us at Resource consent time that our only hope for being heard is by influencing the plan. The Commissioners report appeared to rely on the evidence from the developer.

See pages 62-64 in the decision for 1 page on water and lava forest. As we read it:

- Stormwater will all be worked out at the appropriate time. Despite the contradictory evidence – Westfield engineer is happy with soakage. And the commissioners agreed.

- Waste water effects will be no more than minor and anyway though the situation is unsatisfactory, this is beyond the control of the applicant so it would NOT BE REASONABLE FOR A PLAN CHANGE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LACK OF AN INTERCEPTOR.

STEPS asks Who would need sewerage infrastructure to increase peak waste water flows by 8 times?

We were pleasantly surprised at the final Auckland City Council meeting on 23 September that the council deferred a decision.

STEPS believes that St Lukes Community Association were key to achieving this deferral – see press release at:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1009/S00306/st-lukes-community-applauds-mayoral-leadership.htm

Reporter Bob Dey reported on it as follows:

http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=14964&SID=351783881

Later the Auckland City Council wisely decided to leave the decision for the new council – see

http://www.bdcentral.co.nz/afa.asp?idWebPage=8338&idBobDeyProperty_Articles=15078&SID=407944042

STEPS is hopeful that the new City Council will pay more attention to the very real infrastructure issues faced by the St Lukes area and will consider the interests of local residents when they review this plan change.

• Environmental Issues , Politics , Press , Resource Consents
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stephen September 22nd, 2010

A very large group of volunteers turned up to help with planting the north eastern corner of the walk way near the Watercare Services Eden branch overflow (area 5a on the planting plan).

Selene, Taryn and Caleb from Morphum were there early to unload and lay out the plants. Then we had a large group  from Bhaska who helped STEPS and others to get 800 plants in the ground in record time. The plant list is attached, though a few substitutions were made: the tree fuchsia was replaced with the groundcover Fuchsia procumbens, Coprosma rhamnoides with Coprosma propinqua and Corokia buddleoides with Corokia cotoneaster.

Thanks to Morphum for their generosity in providing plants, time and the expertise to plan and make it happen. Our grateful thanks to all the people from Bhaska, and other volunteers including some from Rasheed Trust,  John and Jane from Teradata, and Sel, Nick and Stan. We were also thrilled to have Onno Ursem from Metrowater contributing his time. Onno was the first person from our local authorities to arrange the creekside plantings by the bridge in the Kerr-Taylor Reserve. Thanks Onno – we wish you and your family well on your travels and look forward to your return and ongoing involvement with Meola.

Some photos are attached – others are available also if you contact us via this site we can email them to you.

Post script: September 2010.  Thanks also to neighbours Peter and John who are helpfully tracking down plants which have been removed from time to time and replanting them. It makes such a difference to have active and ongoing contributions to improving the creekside.

Planting Schedule Morphum 2010

• Planting days
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stephen July 11th, 2010

Join members of the St Lukes Environmental Protection Society (STEPS) and Morphum Environmental Ltd who are supplying the plants for the last community planting day this winter at Meola Creek.
Bring along your family and friends for a couple of hours of planting.

Where: The entrance to Roy Clements Treeway behind Noel Leemings, Wagner Place Megacentre, St Lukes.

What to Bring: Sunhat, Sunblock, Raincoat, Water Bottle, Gardening Gloves and a Spade if you have them.
For further information contact: Selene@morphum.com Selene (09) 377 9779.

Download the Roy Clements planting flyer and invite your friends.

• Planting days
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stephen July 8th, 2010

On a wet Sunday afternoon 4th July I stood beneath the trees on the lava strewn hillock to the north of the Kerr Taylor Reserve to do our first 1 hour bird count for the annual Garden bird survey run by Landcare Research. http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biocons/gardenbird/

We had a slow start on the wetland. But looking south to the newly planted “habitat area” with a few meagre young native grasses planted in lawn – a group of blackbirds was hard at work. They kept me entertained for half an hour – and if the people in the brick apartments wondered who was standing under the trees looking their way with binoculars, none of them came out to find out.

A solitary chaffinch flew by, and the number of blackbirds in the open habitat area increasd to 6. A loan grey seagull wheeled overhead. A large cat slowly walked from the weir to Kerr Taylor reserve, staying dry using the boardwalk as a shelter from the rain.

With 10 minutes to go I heard singing – then louder; and a man and woman came walking south along the boardwalk in the misty rain, singing a waiata. A magical close out to the hour.

Thanks Eden Albert Community Board and Te Ngahere for the recent historic plantings of the Kerr Taylor reserve. The blackbirds certainly spent the time in the habitat area. Perhaps next year our pukeko, ducks or shags will show up in the wetland to be counted.

• Environmental Issues , Wildlife
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stephen June 27th, 2010

Update: Further to STEPS submission regarding the lack of waste and storm water infrastructure at http://www.meolacreek.org.nz/2009/07/23/steps-submission-on-westfield-st-lukes-plan-change/ Roy Clements, Pat Prescott and Liz Walker appeared at the hearings on 22 June 2010.

Our presentation is linked  click here (3Mb pdf), including pictures of the 1 June storm which covered the board walk with storm and waste water overflow. STEPS was very interested to discover that the Environment Court had made a ruling in December 2009 declaring St Lukes a town centre, with input from ARC and ACC and despite lack of infrastructure.   All hearings submissions and evidence have been scanned by the council and placed here (click on Agenda Attachments) http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/members/hearings/a201006140930.asp

• Environmental Issues , Resource Consents , STEPS
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stephen June 27th, 2010

Despite the challenging conditions (ranging from impenetrable scoria to ankle-deep mud), we managed to get over 800 plants into the ground. We decided on a more diverse species mix to enhance last year’s plantings. Species included wet-loving plants such as Carex lessoniana, giant umbrella sedge, swamp maire, and toetoe to terrestrial shrubland and forest species such as whau, wineberry, kowhai, lemonwood, and taraire. In addition, two species of threatened fern (Todea barbara and Cyclosorus interruptus), one species of threatened sedge (Baumea complanata), and swamp maire and Coprosma propinqua (both uncommon in the Auckland Region) now have new homes in the wetland.

Around 30 volunteers, including people from the Rasheed Memorial Trust, turned up to help on the day - so special thanks to them and the other volunteers.  Thanks also to David Bowden from Auckland City Council for funding and helping to organise this event.

We have found a BIG SPADE  – if anyone lost a spade, please email STEPS via this website.

• Planting days
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stephen June 24th, 2010

• Meetings , STEPS
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