Agenda of Extraordinary Council meeting

Extraordinary Council meeting Agenda

8 March 2023

6.1 New Road Name

1. Purpose

For the Council to give consideration to three proposals for new road names.

2. Significance

The matters for decision in this report are not considered to be of significance under the Significance and Engagement Policy.

3. Background

On 29 November 2022 Council officers received suggestions from a developer to name roads to be vested in Council as part of their development. A subsequent meeting on 6^th of March with the developer has amended one of the proposed names.

Corsair Development Limited undertook a 71 lot residential subdivision located at Kent Street. Due to the number of lots being created it was proposed to vest the road to Council. As such, the road is required to be formally named. Approval of new road/street names is delegated to Policy and Projects Committee or full Council. This delegation enables efficient decision-making within legislative timeframes. The exception to this is if the recommended road/street name is likely to be controversial. A copy of the subdivision is shown below.

4. Discussion

Under the Local Government Act 1974 (s.319A), Carterton District Council is responsible for naming roads and streets in the district. Council reviewed its road naming policy on 9September 2020 and determined the following:

Preference is given to road/street names that, in relation to the site concerned, meet one of the defined criteria. The criteria, in order of preference, are:

· recognition of Māori cultural significance;

· recognition of cultural significance other than Māori; reflection of the landscape or topographical features;

· recognition of historical events that have a significant impact on the community; or

· honouring local residents who have made significant contributions to the Carterton district (alive or deceased).

Road/street names are also required to be unique and not duplicated in the Carterton district (in spelling or sound).

Where new roads need to be named as a result of a new subdivision or development, the developer shall be given the opportunity of suggesting up to three options, in order of preference.

5. Options

The three proposed names provided to Council officers are as follows:

5.1 Road 1

The first proposed road name is Peaks Avenue. As noted above, Council adopted a criterion that was based on an order of preference. The name for Road 1 fits with Council’s second criteria being ‘recognition of cultural significance other than Māori; reflection of the landscape or topographical features’. In an email to Council officers the developer noted the following:

“First road going into the development off Kent Street I would like to name “Peaks Avenue”, reason being it clearly identifies the development name of “Peaks Estate”, while also defining the view of the Tararua peaks you see from all the development. Also, Peaks Avenue will become the new official address of our export business NZDimensionz and so will be easily identified and spelt by our many international customers. “

5.2 Road 2

The second proposed road name is the larger road within the development, being the first street to the left off proposed Peaks Avenue, and will go right around to stage 3 and connect back up to Peaks Avenue. The developer would like to name this Kākāriki Crescent. The rationale for this name from the developer is set out below:

“Kākāriki are our rarest parakeet with around 360 birds estimated left in the wild. They are our unofficial national bird and are being bred in captivity and placed back into the wild to increase the numbers. There are apparently Kākāriki in the Tararuas. My father was the inaugural member of the establishment committee and chairman of the National Wildlife Trust Board for 18 years and had a very keen interest in all NZ native birds. Kākāriki can also mean “green”, which is the colour of the Tararuas most of the time”.

The proposed name for this second road in the development and the rationale behind it fits within Council’s road naming policy by using the Māori name for both our native parrot and its associated colour. Te Ara- The Encyclopedia of New Zealand noted the following about the kākāriki:

The kākāriki’s name means a small (riki) parrot (kākā). Māori noted that it ate a large meal in the morning before doing anything. People who ate a lot before working were compared to kākāriki^{^[1]}.

5.3 Road 3

For the third road in this development, being the smaller of the three roads, in discussion with council the developer would like to have as a tribute to the former Mayor of Carterton and MP Georgina Beyer MNZM.

Georgina Beyer MNZM JP (November 1957 – 6 March 2023)

In 1995 Georgina Beyer was elected mayor of Carterton (see archive material in attachment 1), making her the world's first openly transgender mayor, the first female mayor of Carterton and the first Māori mayor in the Wairarapa district. In 2005 she became the world's first openly transgender Member of Parliament when she won the Wairarapa electoral seat by over 3000 votes.

In her maiden speech, Ms Beyer said:

Mr. Speaker, I can't help but mention the number of firsts that are in this Parliament. Our first Rastafarian [Nándor Tánczos]… our first Polynesian woman [Luamanuvao Winnie Laban]… and yes, I have to say it, I guess, I am the first transsexual in New Zealand to be standing in this House of Parliament. This is a first not only in New Zealand, ladies and gentlemen, but also in the world. This is an historic moment. We need to acknowledge that this country of ours leads the way in so many aspects. We have led the way for women getting the vote. We have led the way in the past, and I hope we will do so again in the future in social policy and certainly in human rights.

As an MP, Ms Beyer supported progressive policies such as LGBT rights and Māori rights. In her speech to Parliament on the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, which decriminalised prostitution in New Zealand, she identified herself as a former sex worker. She influenced three MPs to vote for the Bill, which passed with 60 votes for, 59 against with one abstention. She then supported the Civil Union Act 2004, which legalised civil unions for same-sex and opposite-sex couples at a time when gay marriage was still not an option in New Zealand. She confronted followers of Destiny Church on the steps of the Parliament building during their protest against the bill.

Ms Beyer supported use of the Māori language by government and public institutions, and was instrumental to the passage of the Māori Language Act 2003.^{^[2]}

The name Beyer is included in Council’s schedule of preferred names and the term Way, while noted in our policy should be reserved for private road this is not a legal requirement and Council can choose to use the suffix “Way” for a public road where it is a short enclosed road such as what has been proposed. At a meeting on Monday with the developer, the list of suffixes was discussed and it was considered that “Beyer Way” was the most appropriate.

The developer also recalled with fondness his and his wife’s interactions with Ms Beyer over the years and is delighted to be able to honour this colourful character who has given so much to Carterton, the Wairarapa and New Zealand by naming a road within his development after her.

6. NEXT STEPS

Should the Council resolve to adopt the names as proposed by the developer then officers will notify the District Land Registrar and Chief Surveyor, in accordance with Section 319A Local Government Act 1974.

7. CONSIDERATIONS

7.1 Climate change

N/A

7.2 Tāngata whenua

Council Policy sets out the requirement for consultation with Mana Whenua if a road/street is located in or near an area of significance to tāngata whenua. If a developer proposes names for a road/street located in or near an area of significance to tāngata whenua, they are required to consult with local iwi prior to submitting name options to CDC.

The area being developed has not been identified as an area of significance to tāngata whenua. If a Māori name is proposed for any road/street in the district, local iwi will be consulted to ensure the name is correct and appropriate. In accordance with Council’s policy Hurunui-o-Rangi have confirmed via Mayor Ron that they have no issues with any of the proposed names. It is also noted that Hurunui-o-Rangi are in the process of providing Council with a list of Māori names to be included in our naming schedule.

7.3 Financial impact

The full costs of the signs and their erection are to be paid for by the developer.

7.4 Community Engagement requirements

The policy notes that if a developer proposes names for a road/street, evidence of consultation with affected property owners is required. No property owners are considered affected as it was known at the time of purchase that the roads would be required to be formally named.

If a road/street is proposed to be named after a person, the family of that person will be consulted (where possible). This is not possible in the case of Road 3, but close friends who have been with Ms Beyer have been informed of the proposal and are delighted that Council and the developer are recognising the amazing contribution Ms Beyer made to not only Carterton, but New Zealand, by naming a road after her.

7.5 Risks

N/A

8. Recommendation

That the Council:

1. Receives the report.

2. Adopts the proposed public road names for the subdivision by Corsair Development Limited off Kent Street to be known as Peaks Avenue, Kākāriki Crescent and Beyer Way.

3. Instructs officers to notify the District Land Registrar and Chief Surveyor, in accordance with Section 319A Local Government Act 1974.

File Number: 328972

Author: Solitaire Robertson, Planning and Regulatory Services Manager

Attachments: 1. From the Council archives ⇩

2. Road Naming Policy ⇩


AGENDA Extraordinary Council meeting
Date:	Wednesday, 8 March 2023
Time:	1:00 pm
Location:	Carterton Events Centre 50 Holloway St Carterton
Mayor R Mark Deputy Mayor D Williams Cr B Deller Cr R Cherry-Campbell Cr S Cretney	Cr L Newman Cr S Gallon Cr S Laurence Cr G Ayling M Fox - Hurunui-o-Rangi Marae