Rates hike takes a back seat to rezoning move News of another rates hike in the offing might usually be just the issue to get Raglan residents riled, but instead most concern at last weekโs annual plan consultation meeting at the town hall was over a matter not even up for discussion. Waikato District Council representatives turned up in force to last Thursday nightโs meeting, a showing which suggested they expected some flak once chief executive Gavin Ion confirmed in his presentation that under the draft plan Raglanโs residential rates were set to rise by between 5 and 7 percent. But the couple of dozen residents and ratepayers seemed more interested in โ and asked most questions about โ the private bid to have the Rangitahi Peninsula rezoned from rural so up to 500 houses could be built there over four decades. And frustratingly for the questioners, they were mostly brushed off by council insistence โ from Mayor Allan Sanson down โ that no application for rezoning had yet been lodged and so nothing was known about the matter. About all residents may have been comforted by were a reassurance that the application with public consultation might easily take four years or more to process, an aside by the mayor that a private plan change was always โa gambleโ, and a reminder by Raglan ward councillor Clint Baddeley that he was very keen to hear residentsโ views on the issue. Meantime council staff had a relatively easy time of things over the planned rates hikes, to the point that an undertaking to give the meeting an example of how an average-value property in Raglan would be affected seemed to get forgotten about as questions instead ranged across everything from streetlight pollution to notification of illegal sewage discharges. As a result, while it is known that a modest property with a $193,000 CV is set for a 7 percent hike and a property with a CV of around $900,000 a 5 percent rise, few of those at the meeting would have left any the wiser exactly what nasties the
mail may have in store for them come the new rates year starting July 1. It did emerge though that with the proposed rise in the general rate pared back to 1.87 percent, the main reason for the proposed rates hikes for Raglan was that the council was still playing catchup with some of its targeted rates for essential services. The good news โ if it can be called that -- is that these hefty wastewater and water rate rises, which the council pointed out were signalled in the long-term plan, are set to tail off the year after next. Council representatives downplayed increasing debt levels, with Mayor Sanson insisting most of that was growthrelated and Mr Ion pointing out most new debt would be offset by developer contributions particularly in the Waikato districtโs new northern areas. Raglan Community Board chairman Roger Gallagher found several faults in the councilโs presentation, with a hall rate shown as $15 per ratepayer when it should have been $25 and an outdated community board priority list screened in the PowerPoint presentation. Mr Gallagher said a section of footpath on Simon Road should have been one of the three priorities. Things got especially terse when council staff insisted a trade waste fees push being coordinated by Hamilton City Council applied only to industrial businesses despite Mr Gallagher having pointed out they affected even the likes of local kindergartens and the old school arts centre. One big-ticket item mentioned at the meeting was the Whaanga Coast linkup to Raglanโs sewerage scheme, and council watchdog John Lawson asked if there was any truth in rumours the tenders for the work were way over budget. Mr Ion replied he could not yet give a clear answer on that. Mr Lawson also got no joy on another apparent spiralling in costs. โI was surprised none of the 14 [council people present] could answer my basic question about whether the 16 percent rise in payments to staff and suppliers on page 71 of their plan really is as big as it seems,โ he said afterwards. A.T
Letters To the Editor, It is with a great sadness that I have been watching the Raglan Land Companyโs plans for Rangitahi Peninsula unfold. The fact that a single landowner has the potential to impose such an impact on a whole community is disheartening to those of us who value the collectivism that usually makes this town so unique. Whaingaroa/Raglan is known both nationally and internationally as a place where a strong sense of environmentalism pervades the mainstream, and a pride in preserving our character and history (both Maori and Pakeha) is the norm. This private initiative of the Raglan Land Companyโs may make many claims that it has huge benefits for the community as a whole, but I would hope we are not so naรฏve, and realise that the real rewards will only be for a select few. In a setting where past and present dialogue between Tangata Whenua and Pakeha is usually acknowledged as a defining feature of our populace, I find it scandalous that there is no mention of iwi input on the Raglan Land Companyโs โconsultationโ portion of their advertising. I sincerely hope that the rhetoric describing this development as โinevitableโ continues to be challenged, and that the truth is revealed- the Rangitahi Peninsula project is unnecessary and unwanted. David Scott, Raglan Dear Editor Hope everybody in town saw the 3rd Degree current affairs show on proposed seabed mining last Wednesday. You can watch it on demand by going to www.tv3.co.nz. It started by showing a massive flotilla of
people on water craft coming toward the Raglan footbridge during the Kiwis Against Seabed Mining protest this summer. It showed how the Raglan people were gearing up in a very unified way for a fight against a overseas owned company that is proposing to take sand from the coast on a scale that has never been attempted so far in this world. The second half of the story seemed to be sort of pro mining. The story failed to mention some really important points for Raglan and the west coast; 1. Commercial and recreational fishing could be wiped out. The ocean floor takes years, perhaps decades to build a habitat that attracts life. Snapper are ocean bottom feeders! 2. Our beaches and erosion. They failed to mention just how much sand they are planning to take. If you take sand in that quantity from one area, the sea balances it up by taking sand from somewhere else, we could lose our beach. 3. Surfing. Good waves are formed as ocean swell moves into shallow water. Take away the sand and you can create plunging waves rather the peelers. 5 Maui dolphin. Yes will you have heard about them, only about 55 left. It seems we will, under our watch, see these little dolphins become extinct unless we do everything possible to protect them. I think in this town we love our beaches, our fishing, our surf. The town relies on visitors who come here for our beaches, our fishing and our surf. I really hope that all the people of Raglan will speak up against seabed mining. We have too much to lose. Tim Duff, Raglan (abridged)
Karioi Classic: 10 good reasons to enter 1. Itโs the perfect winter challenge, 43km cycling on mainly gravel roads with awesome views of our west coast. 2. You will stay fit all year round. No more rush-rush visits to the gym anymore before next summer kicks in. 3. Cycling is fun and healthy. Nothing beats the freedom of being on a bicycle and the feel of the cool breeze on your face. 4. No worries about traffic. As last year, this yearโs race will have road closures in place. 5. Personal achievement, finish the race and youโre a winner. We even have a nice award for the last to arrive. 6. As always, we will have some cool spot prizes and trophies. Even some serious cash prizes for those fastest amongst us. 7. By entering the race, you will contribute to the restoration project of Mt Karioi. From each entry, we will make a donation to A Rocha Aotearoa. 8. Part of your entry fee will support a local schoolโs sport team. 9. Itโs a nice excuse to spend a winter weekend
in Raglan. Always lots of things to do or just relax by the waterfront. 10. If you entered last year, try to go faster this year. Or if you thought it was a piece of cake, try the DOUBLE BUSTER this year. Go around twice. For all race info : surf to www.karioiclassic.org. nz or come and see Dirk at Bike2bay, 24b Stewart Street. Better start training!!!!!!! Lisa and Dirk
this BoBBy CalF season...
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This season AFFCO will donate 40 cents from every bobby calf you supply in 2013 to the rural primary school or brigade of your choice. This is a donation by AFFCO and does not come out of your schedule payments.
Contact your local AFFCO agent today
Scan the QR code to find out more about AFFCOโs 2013 Bobby Calf service.
Paul Cadogan Mob: 021 947 321 A/H: 0800 249 475
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RAGLAN Chronicle 11