Resolution to cemetery road planting issues

April 17th, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

The fate of the mature, well-regarded rhododendron trees that line parts of the road to the Motueka Cemetery was agreed at last night's committee meeting of Keep Motueka Beautiful (KMB).

The Puketutu subdivision being developed between the cemetery and Old Wharf Road is wiping out the road to the cemetery and it will be replaced by a new road, named Memorial Avenue, that begins about 200 metres seaward of the existing road.

The choice of plants to line the subdivision roads is being developed by Stephen Richards, the horticultural officer for Tasman District Council, in conjunction with the developer and consultation with KMB and Motueka RSA. Specimen trees, including flowering cherries, will line both sides of Memorial Avenue.

Fears that the 45 long-established rhododendron trees would be removed were raised in the Environment Court hearing before the work could commence. Stephen attended last night's KMB meeting to hear what local people want and to present a draft planting plan.

It was noted that there was a significant risk that transplanting large, old rhododendrons would result in up to one half of them dying, and most members agreed that it would be better to start again with strong, new and already sizeable shrubs to run along the short, paved threshold section of road linking the end of Memorial Avenue with the cemetery grounds entrance.

Those existing rhododendron trees which will lie between the subdivision boundary and the Inlet high-tide level could remain for now as this 20-metre strip will become the Esplanade Reserve, accommodating the existing Inlet Walkway which KMB built. Trees which must be removed to allow for private properties may be moved into the cemetery in the hope that as many as possible will survive the shift.

The committee resolved that the developer be asked to plant 20 new rhododendrons along the cemetery grounds threshold, which should also be a much cheaper option than transplantation.

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