Friday, August 6, 2010

TRRA on Facebook

We've just created a new FaceBook page for the Association here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Titirangi-Ratepayers-and-Residents-Association/137314856304348

Please join and share it with your friends - thanks!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Rotondo Development Appeal for Donations

Dear Titirangi Residents and Supporters,

We are writing to inform you about a development that threatens the character of Titirangi Village and which has been approved by Waitakere City Council.

This development, proposed by the Rotondo family, is to be built on public land on the corner of Titirangi and South Titirangi Roads, opposite Lopdell House. It will replace the current carpark and public toilets.

The development is extremely large and will form a solid wall from the end of the existing shops, along to the corner and down South Titirangi Rd to the current carpark entrance. It will be 3 storeys high, 11m from the Titirangi Rd frontage, rising to 15m high on South Titirangi Rd.

It will comprise retail on the ground floor, offices on the 2nd floor and apartments on the 3rd floor. It will be covered with horizontal brown corrugated metal cladding.


The Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association has appealed the decision of the Council to grant consent for this development to the Environment Court. We feel that it is too large and urban in its nature for the Village, that it will dominate the landscape, compete with Lopdell House and set a precedent for future buildings of this scale to be permitted.

We seek that the scale and size of the building is reduced, not that it is removed altogether. We accept that some development will occur on this site.

However, we need your help if we are to succeed. We urgently need financial donations to fight this case. If you are able to help us by making a donation, or by assisting with fundraising for this appeal then please contact us or send a cheque made out to “Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association” to PO Box 60-203, Titirangi. Please mark that the cheque is towards the “Rotondo Appeal”.

If you have any questions, or would like to join the Association, please contact:
Greg Presland on 817 3368 or 021 998411 or
Mels Barton on 816 8337 or 021 213 7779

You can see photo mockups of the development below.

Thanks very much for your support.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Public meeting re District Plan Changes


Waitakere City Council is currently receiving submissions on proposed District Plan changes for the Waitakere Ranges Heritage area, including Titirangi.  It is important to have as much local feedback as possible.

The reforms are potentially far reaching.  The area where commercial activity can occur is being increased.  More details are below.

If you are interested in making a submission you may wish to do the following:

·       Come to the Presbyterian Hall 242 Atkinson Road on Friday March 5, 2010 at 7 pm where members of the TRRA will discuss with you the proposed changes and how to make a submission.
·       Come to the Titirangi Community House on South Titirangi Rd on Sunday March 7 from 10.30am to 12.30pm where members of the TRRA will assist you with your submission and answer questions.
·       Visit the Waitakere City Council website at http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/abtcnl/pp/districtplan/districtplanchanges.asp#planchange37 where there is further information.
·      Contact Greg Presland (walaw@paradise.net.nz) or Mels Barton (mels@wombatsenvironmental.co.nz or 021 213 7779) of the Association who are happy to assist.

The submissions are due in no later than 5pm March 12, 2010.

This document is prepared by the Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association Incorporated.

District Plan Changes 35, 36, 37 issues of CONCERN:


For the Heritage Area as a whole (PC 36):

·       Enable retail activity across the Heritage Area on any residential sites.
·       Enable home occupations across the Heritage Area on residential sites.
·       Commercial activities can include intensive farming (ie battery chickens, pigs, cows), tourism, food & beverage, arts & crafts, industry related to agriculture, greenhouses & nurseries, retail related to all of these.
·       Enabling local convenience, retail stores & services (eg dairies).
·       Mitigation of any of the effects of the above can be achieved by paying a fee to Council.


For Titirangi Village (PC 37):

·       Enabling 2 storey (8m) buildings as a Permitted Activity.
·       Enabling 3 storey (11m) buildings as a Discretionary Activity.
·       Deleting the requirement for buildings to be of weather boards, rusticated stonework or smooth plastered finish, to connect with the bush setting or Lopdell House.
·       Deleting the requirement for buildings to retain the low rise character of the area.
·       Extending the commercial zone of the Village (Titirangi Non-Residential Activity Overlay) to include South Titirangi Rd as far as the new commercial offices below Toby’s.


For Oratia (PC 35):

·       Establishing Oratia Rural Village as a new zone with more intense subdivision, development & commercial activity.
·       Enabling reticulated wastewater within the Oratia Rural Village.
·       Enabling subdivision within the triangle bounded by Holdens Rd, Pine Ave & Forest Hill Rd.

Please think of what this might mean in practice for your neighbourhood and give examples that explain why you oppose it.


District Plan Changes 35, 36, 37 issues to SUPPORT:

(PC 35):


·       Introducing the purpose and objectives of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act into the District Plan
·       Setting long term “character and amenity” statements for specific communities within the Heritage Area that planning decisions can be measured against in future.
·       Defining a clear edge to the urban/rural boundary and reinforcing the Metropolitan Urban Limit (limit of urban development).