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Transition Towns has questions for Council candidates

August 16th, 2010

Last week's meeting of Transition Towns Motueka (TTM) aims to host a public meeting soon (perhaps September 8th) to put questions about environmental and sustainability issues to Tasman District Council hopefuls in the coming local body elections. The group settled on this list of ideas, issues and challenges to put to candidates:

  1. More public fruit trees.
  2. Systematically research local enterprise opportunities that replace goods that we currently import. Possibility of inviting TDC Sustainable Business Advisor to talk to TTM. For example, the idea has arisen to recycle tyres for 'straw-bale' housing, tennis court bases, footpaths and other uses.
  3. Expand participatory democracy - more information on council's plans, convening groups to comment. We commend TDC for its consultation process on Motueka West proposals.
  4. Systematically develop TDC Transition plan. Other councils have developed climate change strategies, some of which are quite good. This district has much low-lying land. Mapua residents are already noticing impacts on their properties. There needs to be a clear coastal policy . The decision to stop subdivision in Mapua was a good one.
  5. Motueka Environment Centre.
  6. How to introduce the potential of TALENTS to TDC? This could be on the agenda in meeting with the TDC Sustainable Business advisor. Also TALENTS could invite the Community Board to meet with them. WINZ could stock leaflets.
  7. Remove resource consent provision for solar hot water heaters. (Champion for this is Jack Inglis.)
  8. TDC to support the Nelson-Tasman Housing Trust. Ask for affordable housing in West Motueka, to be developed by Nelson-Tasman Housing Trust. Promote the insulation scheme more. Set a target for numbers of houses with insulation.
  9. Fund research project on 'heating poverty'.
  10. Roof rain-water promotion - for rural subdivisions. (Some roofs aren't suitable because of spray. But in areas with no orchards it is relevant.)
  11. Making it easier to install composting toilets.
  12. Local sewage ponds are only a few metres above sea level. Needs different solution long term. Pattern is that Council supports the short term , polluting solution.
    (Analysis: When sustainable technologies are introduced (eg composting toilets, natural burial) the first potential users meet council refusal. The next step is that permission can be gained, but only with many conditions and at greater cost than the nonsustainable technology. We aim for a state where the sustainable version is the norm, and is easier and cheaper than the nonsustainable version. An applicant should need special permission to use the non-sustainable version.)
  13. Carpooling system - advertise more widely eg in Mudcakes and Roses. We'd like to see 'hitching posts' with bench, shelter, bike rack, and signs advising desired destinations. Extremely small budget for cycle and walkways compared with budget for roads. We need white lines dividing cycleways.
  14. Less or no parking on High St., more mobility parking off High St.
  15. Energy - possibilities for local energy eg dam at Brooklyn. There's a number that could be developed, making a significant difference to local power production. It won't be cheap. We need an audit of local energy possibilities.
  16. Status report on toxic chemicals. Awareness of issue.

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