Community

As we look to the next ten years and beyond, it is important that Council's plans reflect the varying trends occurring within the different communities that make up the District and the likely impact these will have on the demand for new services and infrastructure. This section describes the various communities that have been identified within the Kaipara and the trends that are emerging within those communities. Where new Council activities are planned these are shown. Ongoing maintenance and repair work is not detailed in this section and can be found in the relevant Council Activity section (refer pages 33-84).

Mangawhai

Mangawhai is the fastest growing area within the District and is particularly valued as an attractive lifestyle area to a growing number of people. Coupled with the increasing proximity and improved access to Auckland, the high rate of development occurring in both Mangawhai and the surrounding area will continue. While remaining attractive as a holiday destination, the Council sees a steady increase in resident population continuing (including a significant number of retirees), resulting in Mangawhai becoming the largest community in the District within five years.

This provides Council with the task of building infrastructure to service this community while protecting Mangawhai's outstanding coastal character and natural environment. Comprehensive planning will need to be undertaken to ensure that landscape values are protected from incompatible development. Increased traffic into the area and subdivision of land will drive the need for new or improved arterial and local roading. Adequate open space and reserves are required to meet the needs of a growing community. Development will need to be monitored and facilities such as boat ramps and access ways provided to ensure continued access to the harbour and beaches. Increasing quality standards and public expectations are predicted to see the issue of water supply being addressed within the period of this plan. In addition, a range of services (such as Fire, Police and Health) will need to be enhanced to meet the needs of this growing urban settlement. Growth in commercial and light industry will see a broader range of activity undertaken in response to the increased resident demand and proximity to Auckland. Kaiwaka is expected to develop as a rural service centre town.

For the coming year the focus will be on the implementation of the Mangawhai EcoCare wastewater project and the implementation of the outcomes of the Mangawhai Future Project and Reserves Strategy. Council will begin to develop further recreational and open space facilities. In the longer term Council will need to consider the outcome of development contribution investigations for water, stormwater, roading, community infrastructure and reserves to ensure that developments pay for the infrastructure demand they create. Council will also need to provide adequate administrative services to its ratepayers in the eastern part of the District.

Kaipara Harbour

Growth in Auckland and east coast communities is also driving growth in many of the communities that make up the Kaipara Harbour fringes, ie south of State Highway 12 including Maungaturoto, Paparoa and the Tinopai peninsula. Looking past this 10 year planning horizon, this trend will also extend to include the eastern side of the Pouto peninsula.

Within this context, the Kaipara Harbour is a unique treasure or taonga and the challenge will be to carefully manage it for everyone to enjoy into the future. Providing opportunities for recreation, fishing, marine based industry, tourism, development and transport in the area, which at times are competing for space, will need to be balanced to ensure that the Kaipara Harbour is protected.

Public access to the harbour also takes on increased importance. Council will seek improved access to the harbour under the District Plan and, where possible, through improved facilities (e.g. boat ramps, and access ways).

Council also acknowledges the value placed on the rural character of the harbour's hinterland by the community and is encouraging development that sustains this character and the fragile environment of the harbour.

Roading will need to be addressed as traffic volume increases to these communities. Community interest in enhancing town centres and community facilities is increasing. Maungaturoto has experienced recent light industrial growth which is expected to continue.

Council has already undertaken some work in relation to wastewater and will be seeking tenders for wastewater solutions for Whakapirau, Pahi and Tinopai in 2004/05. This will ensure environmental and public health standards are met for these communities. Pending the outcome of these investigations, funding will be required in the medium term for the installation of modern wastewater treatment systems.

West Coast

As in other areas, coastal growth trends are impacting on west coast settlements, in particular Baylys Beach and to a lesser extent Glinks Gully, Omamari and Maunganui Bluff. As development spreads along the coast an increasing emphasis will have to be placed on protecting historical and natural values and retaining the coastal character.

Joint initiatives are being considered to create eco-tourism destinations in Trounson Park, Waipoua Forest, Kai Iwi Lakes and Pouto with other communities likely to follow. By increasing the number of visitor nights in the District there is an opportunity to maximise economic benefit to the area. However, a key challenge will be addressing the issues that come with increased tourism, in particular the protection of the environment and the provision of suitable facilities.

In this LTCCP, stormwater quality will be monitored at Baylys Beach as part of asset management planning and investigations. In the future Council will also need to respond to the increasing public expectations around roading, reserve management, provision of public facilities and stormwater.

Rural Heartland

In rural communities changes related to climate, product demand trends, industry and access to markets will ensure opportunities for diversification will continue to be explored. Assessing the impact on the environment of changing land use will increase in importance. Trends such as the recent rapid growth in lifestyle properties will continue, bringing new pressures to bear and countering the decline in rural population from the merging of agricultural units. Over time these trends will need to be monitored to determine the impact on population size and industry production levels and hence demand on infrastructure.

Dargaville

Dargaville will continue as the service centre town for the western part of the district and it is anticipated that there will be growth in commercial activity and tourism in the general area over time. Industrial growth is most likely to be driven by small/medium size businesses. Continued development of the attractions and events in the area will increase visitor stay and spend.

Contrary to statisticians' projections, Council predicts that there will be some population growth in the general area. Lifestyle development on the township boundaries, people returning to their hometown or moving from the city to take advantage of the relative affordability of property and benefits of a more relaxed lifestyle, and providing an attractive place to retire, all support a sense of future growth.

Dargaville must continue to develop as an attractive place to live and shop and provide a wide range of services to meet the demands of visitors and residents. Access to health services will continue to be valued especially by an increasing number of retirees.

There will be increasing importance placed on how the town centre is developed and promoted. There is also an added emphasis on the need to develop key reserves including enhancing Dargaville's link to the river. This will include rationalising the existing reserve space in Dargaville and focussing reserves to better meet community needs. Ongoing infrastructural renewal to meet increasing standards and public expectations will continue.

Planning for the Future
District Wide

• Population projections

The current estimated resident population is 18,050⁴. Based on historical growth patterns, statisticians predict that the overall population of the Kaipara District will remain relatively static, with a projected population of 18,600 in 2016. This is proving to be extremely conservative and Council predicts that the population will grow at a much higher rate. Council intends to undertake comprehensive growth modelling in the coming year. As part of growth modelling, Council needs to also take into account the development rate of subdivisions and new houses, particularly for areas that have a high number of holiday homes like Mangawhai.

Statisticians predict that the over 65 age group will continue to increase as a percentage, reaching 20.7% in 2016, with the under 15 age group falling to 18.3%. There is a continuation of these trends in the 2021 projections.

• Asset Management Plans (AMPs)

A key focus for 2004/05 is the further development of asset management plans and investigations for Council owned infrastructure. This is necessary to ensure the ongoing provision of services at a level the community can afford. It is anticipated that AMPs will drive the 2007 LTCCP. Water and sanitary investigations, as required by the Local Government Act, will be completed by 30 June 2005.

• District Plan

The review of Council's District Plan will provide a key mechanism to promote the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the Kaipara District. In coastal and harbour fringe communities, the implementation of the District Plan will manage the impacts of growth, as well as ensuring the retention of coastal character and the provision and use of reserves and coastal access. District Plan provisions will be revised to reflect new environmental standards and best practice, and to take account of changed community expectation since the Plan was developed in the early 1990s. Similarly, the District Plan review will also consider whether new or amended provisions are required for the protection of significant landscapes, heritage and native bush from incompatible development.

• Reserves Strategy

The Kaipara District Reserves Strategy is scheduled for completion in mid 2004. It will provide a vision for the management of reserves and open spaces within the Kaipara District. Part of the Strategy will identify the gap between desired and existing reserves and open spaces within the District, and set out an action plan to achieve the desired reserves and open spaces. It will set policies for the general management of the different types of reserves and open space within Kaipara, and identify selected reserves where specific reserve management plans are required to be prepared.

⁴ Source: Subnational Population Estimates as at 30 June 2003; Statistics NZ

• Recycling

Council has allowed up to $60,000 in 2004-05 for increased recycling activity and promotion within the community.

• Comprehensive consultation

Council has a strong commitment to ensuring the community have an opportunity to have a say on all its activities. Council includes as many issues and initiatives as possible with its major annual consultation.

• Community planning

Council will support community planning as a way to achieve long-term partnerships aimed at improving planning and development at the local level. It is intended that community planning will provide a vision for the future of local communities and provide clear guidance on the range of services and facilities likely to be required by the local community. It will also suggest tools Council and community could use to achieve the vision. An example of this is underway through the Mangawhai Future Project where a structure plan is being developed. Potential exists for community led planning initiatives in areas, such as Maungaturoto and Pouto.

• Working jointly to achieve community outcomes

Whilst Kaipara District Council is well placed to undertake some of the activities needed to achieve the outcomes identified by the community, other agencies and organisations also contribute significantly towards achieving community well-being. A key principle as we move forward is the need to collaborate and cooperate with other relevant bodies to achieve the community's outcomes and make efficient use of resources.

• Local government working with Maori

In relation to working with Maori, Council is meeting its statutory requirements under the Local Government Act 2002. Council has a Memorandum of Understanding with Te Uri o Hau which formalises the way it works with Te Uri o Hau. This is an important document committing Kaipara District Council and Te Uri o Hau, Ngati Whatua to work together in genuine partnership for the common good of the people and within the true spirit of the Treaty of Waitangi. A copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between Te Uri o Hau and Kaipara District Council may be obtained from the Council Customer Service Centre or from the website www.kaipara.govt.nz

The Kaipara District Council is continuing to develop relationships with other iwi and hapu within the District. Council is working closely with Te Roroa in a way that meets their needs, although this does not involve a formal memorandum of understanding.

An example of this relates to the governance of the Taharoa Domain. One of the key aims of the Taharoa Domain Reserve Management Plan is, ‘to establish an equal organisational partnership between tangata whenua and Council to govern the Domain.' This is achieved through a committee which comprises representatives from Te Roroa, Te Kuihi and Council that manages the Taharoa Domain on behalf of Council.

• Council serving the community

In response to the growth in eastern communities, Council will consider increasing the availability of staff and services in the eastern area.



How the General Rate is Spent (Indicative Only)

The above analysis excludes targeted rate activities
i.e. water, wastewater, stormwater and land drainage.


Projected General Rate Spend