Council looks favourably at Mangawhero car park idea

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 564, 29 November 1994, Page 1

Council looks favourably at Mangawhero car park idea

A proposal to build a car park on the banks of the Mangawhero River, opposite the Powderkeg Inn at the Ohakune Junction, is to be considered by the Ruapehu District Council. If the effects of the proposed car park are deemed undesirable, the council has decided it will accept payment in lieu of sufficient car parks for the Powder Chateau, from complex developer Paul Scarf. At their meeting last Friday the council passed a resolution that reads: Council accepts the payment of $1 1,720 (excluding GST) in accordance with Rule 64.3(ii) of the transitional Ruapehu District Plan (Borough of Ohakune District Scheme) as payment in lieu of the provision of 23 off-street car parks for the developmetit of the Powder Chateau; The commitment of Mr Scarf to form 20 public car parks as per his proposal to Council standards at no cost to Council be noted but before Council consent is granted the effects of the proposed car parks be examined and reported back to the Council; In the event of Council approval to the work committed to by Mr Scarf in Resolution 2 above, this work may substitute for the requirement

of Resolution 1 in terms of Rule 6.4.3(ii) of the transitional Ruapehu District Plan (Borough of Ohakune District Scheme). * Under the district scheme rules Mr Scarf should provide 86 car parks for the various facilities he is providing at the complex at the comer of Mangawhero Terrace and Thames Street. However, according to the report presented to the council, he is only able to provide 64, but has put forward two possible car park plans for the area opposite the Powderkeg complex, on road reserve from the Old Station Road bridge back to Tyne Street. One would provide 20 spaces while the second would provide 37. Councillor Bob Peck opened discussion on the issue, saying local people were "quite irritated" by the process so far. However, he said he was prepared to move the resolution. Mayor Garrick Workman said there were two concerns: the area was "a shambles" with regard to car parking; and where to put more car parks for the Ohakune Junction. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2

Mangawhero car park plan

FROMPAGE1 Councillor Ellen Gould said there was some misunderstanding as to the status of the site of the proposed car parks. "Everyone is sad to see a really nice area of land tumed into car parks but where else do you put it? I don' t like the idea, but sadly there' s got to be car parks." She said there was a safety issue for the area to consider. Town planner Jeff Page told councillors the land in question was road reserve, not parks and reserves designated land.

"That's not the understanding of local people," said Cr Gould. Asked what options there were, Mr Page said there was Mr Scarf s proposal, there was Railway land vacant, and there was the option of buying Tyne Street properties and demolishing buildings to make space for parks. He said the railways land was tied up with a Waitangi Tribunal claim. Council chief executive Cliff Houston said the council was having to deal with the matter in a "back to front" manner. "We should have dealt

with this before the development was started." "Why were these issues not solved prior to Mr Scarf starting work?" asked Cr Peck. Mr Page said Mr Scarf had forced the situation — he was "away" before the council had a chance to act. "We're not enthusiastic about it but we've got to deal with it," said Mr Houston. Councillors were told the public would have some input into the matter through the environmental study. In the report to the council, the cost of the car parks as proposed was estimated

at$142,700excludingGST. This cost would be bome by Mr Scarf under the proposal. "It is better to accept Mr Scarf s proposal than his money — it's the best deal for the council," said deputy mayor Graeme Cosford. Other points raised in the report and meeting: Councillors were told the car parks would be for general public use and not just for Powder Chateau customers. "The Department of Conservation has advised that there is a blue duck (whio) population in the vicinity

that would be sensitive to the proposed car park." "Informal comments on the proposal by members of the community indicate that there will be some resistance to establishing a car park at the proposed site. The resistance is likely to be for visual and amenity reasons and the proximity of the site to the Mangawhero River." "Given the way the Thames Street commercial area has developed, for many of the businesses compliance with the car parking requirements of the District Plan is impracticable or impossible."