Update: CCTV sheds light on mystery milk bottles appearing at Alexandra petrol station
They've looked at the CCTV footage:
"The main culprit, I believe, is a delivery driver. So he rocks up early in the morning, and later in the evening ... and gets his diesel and leaves his two bottles on top of the pump."
I flew domestic from Wellington this morning and was still required to take out laptops - though this was Jetstar.
Wellington Regional Land Transport Plan 2021: 2024 Mid-Term Review
Ko te Mahere ā-Rohe Waka Whenua o Pōneke 2021: 2024 Arotakenga kaupeka waenga We want to hear from you! The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) is our blueprint for the Wellington Region's transport network. It aims to enable a connected region, with safe, accessible,
> We want to hear from you! > > The Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) is our blueprint for the Wellington Region's transport network. It aims to enable a connected region, with safe, accessible, and livable places. > > The plan sets out targets and identifies regional priorities. It also sets out the transport activities we intend to invest in. > > - Read the draft Regional Land Transport Plan Review document > - Make a submission (Submissions are open until 5pm, Monday 24th of June, 2024)
Overall seems like a pretty good result. Disappointing that the heritage buildings will still be protected, but sounds like that was rejected on technicalities rather than due to any desire to retain those buildings.
Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changes
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington.
> Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses and apartments that were previously illegal to build. > > Decisions where Bishop sided with the council > - Adelaide Road will be part of the centre city zone > - The walkable catchment will be 15 minutes > - Smaller character precincts > - The Johnsonville train is a train [“mass rapid transit”] > - Ten-minute walking catchments around all train stations > - No setback requirements for townhouses > - Hay Street, Hania Street and Moir Streets will be zoned for high density > > Decisions where Bishop sided with the independent hearings panel: > - Kilbirnie will be zoned for high density > - Every heritage removal is rejected
Other links:
The key proposals of the Long-term Plan
From water, waste, and suburban parking fees, to community facility closures. It's time to have your say on Wellington’s 10-year plan and budget.
> It's time to have your say on Wellington’s 10-year plan and budget. > > Formal consultation on our 2024-34 Long-term Plan is open until midnight 12 May 2024. Providing feedback is an important way to have your say on the future of our city. > > Find out about the key proposals below and make a submission at wcc.nz/ltp.
Key proposals / questions:
- How much should we spend on fixing the pipes?
- Do we introduce Council wheelie bins for rubbish and organics to reduce landfill waste?
- Do we sell our airport shares to help manage insurance and investment risk?
- The introduction of parking fees in suburban centre shopping precincts to better manage demand and be consistent with the rest of the city
- Closing the Khandallah Pool
- Closing the Arapaki Service Centre
- Selling the Wadestown Community Centre
Make an online submission: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/submission-form/surveys/ltp-submission
Wellington City Council has ended negotiations with Reading Cinemas on a proposed deal aimed at reopening the cinema complex on Courtenay Place.
> Wellington City Council has ended negotiations with Reading Cinemas on a proposed deal aimed at reopening the cinema complex on Courtenay Place. > > Senior Council staff reached a position where they did not believe they would be able to reach the best possible outcomes for Wellingtonians and the decision was made this week to not pursue the proposal further.
Metlink passengers are being urged to plan their travel around bus and train drivers' union meetings.
> Wellingtonians are encouraged to plan ahead if they are travelling on Monday between 9.30am and 3pm, when bus and rail staff will be attending their respective union meetings. > > "We encourage our passengers, particularly those who live in and around the Hutt Valley, to travel earlier in the morning or later in the day to avoid any disruptions to their usual services." > > The Tramways Union meeting would not affect school services, or bus services run by other operators.
Looks like they may be doing just that: Police treat painting over of Auckland's K' Road rainbow crossing as hate crime
From the NZIA About the awards programme (which took me a bit to find):
The awards judges assess each project in terms of the following:
The relationship of the building to its site, context and presence
The degree of consistency and completeness in expressing the relationship between concept, form and structure
Light, colour, texture and spatial qualities
Structure, construction, materials and issues of durability and detail
Environmental performance
User satisfaction, value to the client and acceptability of solutions to the brief
Contribution to the advancement of architecture as a discipline and the enhancement of the human spirit
It seems like there's a panel of jurors that visit the sites as well as meeting with the architects and clients
Thirty-six projects projects have been shortlisted in the 2024 Wellington Architecture Awards.
Images are at the bottom of the article - direct link
Some other sources:
- District Plan decisions will allow Wellington to grow and thrive - Wellington City Council
- Wellington City Council officially passes an ambitious new District Plan - the Spinoff live updates
I know, been kinda conditioned to expect the worst but yeah this seems like great progress. Still has to go through Chris Bishop but from what I understand he's not likely to oppose this stuff.
WCC reduces character areas, increases walking catchments for more houses
> Examples of decisions today by for Minister Bishop’s consideration include: > > · Increasing walking catchments to allow housing intensification – from Tawa in the north to Newtown in the south. > > · Intensification of the Kilbirnie suburban centre to be first subject to community consultation. > > · Classifying the Johnsonville railway line as ‘rapid transit’ – enabling housing developments of up to six storeys close to rail stations along the line’s route. > > · Extending the central city zone south on Adelaide Rd toward Newtown and making bigger (15-minute) walking catchments, providing for more housing units. > > · Reducing the city’s ‘character areas’ from 206 hectares to 85 hectares. > > · Removing the heritage listings for the following buildings: Gordon Wilson Flats, the Miramar Gas Tank, Emeny House, Kahn House, Olympus Apartments, Wharenui Apartments, Robert Stout Building, Primitive Methodist Church, Johnsonville Masonic Hall, Star of the Sea Chapel.
- Major gas leak closes street in Petone (contractor hit a gas main) (yesterday)
- https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511041/dozens-of-people-evacuated-over-suspected-chemical-leak-in-central-wellington (2 days ago)
All completely unrelated but interesting, to me at least, nonetheless.
There's been a few notable gas leaks recently - the other day a street in Petone was closed, and I seem to recall there was an evacuation of some sort somewhere a day or so prior to that.
Wellington City Councillors will next week agree on the draft Long-term Plan Consultation Document which includes a proposed rates increase for 2024/2025.
> Wellington City Councillors will next week agree the draft 2024-34 Long-term Plan Consultation Document for auditing prior to community consultation in April. This includes a proposed rates increase for the 2024/2025 year of 16.4% (after growth in the ratepayer base). This excludes the levy for the Moa Point Sludge Minimisation Facility, which will add a further 1.6%.
Yeah I'm not quite sure why it's being done this way - which makes me suspicious. On the surface it seems to me like this is in effect an interest-free loan of $32M with the condition that Reading fix up the site and make it into something viable once more.
I guess the gotcha is that it would be an upfront cost for the WCC which is already having to make big cuts. You could also argue about the optics of having to pay Reading to actually do something with the site, and not just leave it derelict as they have done for the last several years.
But if this pans out, and helps reverse the decline of Courtney Place, then sounds like an okay plan.
Key details of the confidential commercially sensitive negotiation where Wellington City Council supports the upgrade and reopening of Reading Cinema can now be brought into the public domain.
The key features of the deal are:
- WCC will buy the land from Reading for NZ$32m. This is based on the valuation we received that it is worth $31.9m. M
- Reading will lease the land back from WCC on a 21-year perpetually renewable lease.
- The annual rent paid by Reading will cover WCC’s borrowing and other costs so that it is fiscally neutral to ratepayers.
- Reading has the first right to buy back the land anytime within the first 15 years of the lease.
- WCC can sell the land to someone else any time after the first 10 years of the lease.
- The deal provides that WCC will only complete the agreement and pay the balance of funds to Reading once we have been satisfied that the new building design meets the civic outcomes we want and has resource consent.
Something to check out this weekend if you've got little ones (though Sunday's forecast looks a bit wet)
Playgrounds reopening at Frank Kitts Park and Botanical Garden
> two upgraded play areas open next week – the exciting new playspace at Frank Kitts Park, and the refreshed site at Botanic Garden ki Paekākā. > > There will also be a karakia and official opening of the Botanic Garden ki Paekākā play area on Friday 1 March, followed by a weekend of whānau-friendly fun and activities. > > The return of these two play spaces will be celebrated all weekend with entertainment and activities, plus a day of play in the city on Te Rā o Ngā Tamariki – Childrens’ Day on Sunday 3 March. Whānau are encouraged to try out one of the new play areas in the morning, then take a free cable car ride for tamariki to experience the other one after lunch. > The day of play in the city on Sunday 3 March is a chance to try out the new playspaces and also take part in a range of fun Childrens’ Day activities on the waterfront. The new playspace and waka at Frank Kitts Park will be joined by a bike obstacle course, soccer and basketball games, kayaking, plus food, music and special performances for kids. > > The new playspace at Botanic Garden ki Paekākā will have giant bubbles and chalk art, plus free cable car rides all day for tamariki aged 5-15. > > Once you’ve worked up an appetite, take advantage of 2-for-1 kids pizza at the Cable Car Eatery or a free kids menu item with the purchase of a main menu item at Picnic Cafe.
I couldn't find a list of what ground leases the council currently has, but it looks like they typically are things like sports clubrooms, community halls, hobby groups etc:
Examples: Proposed new leases and licence on recreation reserve and Wellington Town Belt Land, outlines proposals to establish leases to Capital BMX Club Incorporated, Wellington Beekeepers Association Incorporated, and Port Nicholson & Poneke Cycling Club Incorporated
These are all leased extremely cheaply ($1 per year for 100m² for the Beekeepers club as an example) presumably because they are community focused and non-commercial.
I'd be worried that this option would amount to selling off community spaces to commercial developers (though it could be that the council has other leases that are already commercially developed that it's simply seeking to sell off to the existing tenants)
I could be wrong but my understanding is that a ground lease is a situation where you own some land and rent it out to someone else to develop, typically for a long-term duration (like decades). In this case it could be that the council is currently leasing land that it owns, but will be looking to instead sell that land permanently
Wellington City Council confirms Long-term Plan options for community feedback.
Consultation on the 2024-34 Long-term Plan opens on 12 April and closes on 12 May. It is a key opportunity for Wellingtonians to have their say on the city’s 10-year plan and budget.
Major consultation items will be:
- Three-waters investment options, with a recommended option to provide $1.8 billion to Wellington Water for investment in three waters.
- Waste collection services – including options to introduce wheelie bins and organics collection, funded by a new targeted rate for waste (a flat fee for all households that can receive the service).
- Options for establishing a Perpetual Investment Fund by selling City Council ground leases and the Council’s shares in Wellington Airport, to address natural disaster and insurance risks.
The draft Long-term Plan will include changes to the capital programme, to allow as much investment as possible in three waters within Council financial parameters. This includes:
- Delaying starting construction of Kilbirnie Skate Park from 2024/25 to 2025/26.
- Closing Khandallah Pool and landscaping the site to restore the stream channel, improve flooding mitigation and create a new entranceway into Khandallah Park. -Not progressing the Hutt Road portion of the Thorndon Quay/Hutt Road transport improvements (part of the former Let’s Get Wellington Moving programme). The Aotea Quay roundabout and Thorndon Quay portions would continue.
- Rephasing work on the Golden Mile to deliver the Courtenay Place improvements first, and delay the Lambton Quay, Manners and Willis Street work.
That's the beauty of Pancake Day - you can have pancakes at any time!
NZ Bug of the Year 2024 Nominees
> The Entomological Society of New Zealand is proud to launch the second ever Bug of the Year 2024 competition with 20 incredible nominees vying for the top spot. Learn more about the nominees before you vote! > > Who will steal the crown from the ngaro huruhuru native bee? > > Voting is open through 12 Feb 2024
Eight charming bugs who deserve your love - Article from the Spinoff that prompted this post
My understanding is that this report will be used to set the rules / limits on housing density in Wellington going forward. There was a "Spatial Plan" produced by the council a year or so back which kinda set the goals, but this new District Plan would be the official, and seemingly very watered down, document that dictates that can be built where. This previous article form the Spinoff describes it better: A simple guide to Wellington’s District Plan and why you should care about it.
But yeah it seems really weird and even inappropriate that this group is making decisions about the need for housing, what is / isn't mass transit, etc.
A whistle-stop tour through a list full of bizarre and regressive decisions that allow a lot less housing in Wellington.
Other media:
Monarch caterpillar
https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/tools-and-resources/identification/what-is-this-bug/monarch-caterpillar/
It's that time of year again, when the kids (and myself) get overly invested in the lifecycle of these grubs. Last year we managed maybe a 10% success rate (from egg to butterfly) hopefully we'll do better this time round.
I would guess around 3mm for that one. I've never seen them either but happened to look down and saw it crawling on me while gardening
I'm in Wellington, but they're apparently everywhere - just we tend not to notice them since they're pretty small and like live under leaves and stuff
🦂 Pseudoscorpion / false scorpion
http://soilbugs.massey.ac.nz/pseudoscorpions.php
Pictured here crawling along my shorts. Apparently they'll attach themselves to flys and other flying insects to grab a ride off to other places.
Blue bottle jellyfish (Lyall Bay)
Had heard people talking about "bluebottles" spoiling beach trips further up the coast, and there were loads of these at Lyall bay yesterday (we weren't there to swim so nothing spoiled).
Where I'm from bluebottles are a large fly but reading on Wikipedia these are actually the same species as the famous Portuguese Man O'War (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_man_o'_war).
New Zealand Giant Stick Insect
New Zealand Giant Stick Insect - Argosarchus horridus
Was visited by this not so wee one yesterday. Never seen a stick insect this big outside of the zoo - was probably close to 18cm long (judging size against weatherboards).
My daughter named it Dave.
One passenger told Stuff they were stuck on a "hot and stuffy" train for over two hours as temperatures soar to 24C in the capital.
Pretty chaotic at the station as everyone is trying to get on limited buses
A quest to swim at every Wellington city beach on one day in order to determine once and for all which is best.
TL;DR:
- Lyall Bay
- Island Bay
- Worser Bay
- Princess Bay
- Seatoun Beach
- Scorching Bay
- Oriental Beach
- Breaker Bay
- Freyberg Beach
- Balaena Bay
- Hataitai Beach
- Little Scorching Bay
- Karaka Bays
- Mākara Beach
- Palmer Bay
- Shark Bay
- Shelley Bay
- Ōwhiro Bay
- Kau Bay
- Mahanga Bay
- Bay of Breaker Bay
- Moa Point
- Waitaha Cove
- Red Rocks/Pariwhero
- Tarakena Bay
New modelling shows there is now a 33 percent chance of the region seeing an acute water shortage this summer - and that would mean level 4 water restrictions.
> The chance of Wellington experiencing an acute water shortage this summer has increased, while emergency water tanks sell out around the region. > > New modelling from Wellington Water shows there is now a 33 percent chance of the region seeing an acute water shortage rather than a 24 percent chance that had been previously recorded. > > Under that type of shortage, level 4 water restrictions would be brought into place which would ban all outdoor water use and reduce indoor water use by up to 50 percent.