8 February 2023
Media: Rotorua Weekender
Topic: Summer Cycling Series
Enquiry
I saw that there is a Summer
Cycling Series coming up and it would be great to do a preview in the
Weekender.
If I can get a few comments from the Safe and Sustainable Journeys team to the
below that would be great.
- Why was it decided to bring this series to the community?
- Go By Bike Day and Frocks on Bikes are a couple popular recurring events - why do you think these are great initiatives for people to get involved in? What sort of feedback have you had in the past?
- Why do you think the Bike it Forward initiative is a great/important opportunity?
- Any others reasons you would encourage people to get involved or things you want to add?
Response
From the Safe and Sustainable Journeys team;
Why was it decided to bring this series to the community?
We encourage our community to travel around safely and freely. The Safe and Sustainable Journeys team supports accessibility and planning as well as provide road safety programmes and community events to get people aware of mode shift benefits when using public transport, walking and cycling.
We’re using momentum from the national Aotearoa Bike Challenge to run some community events, helping encourage people to get riding. These events are weather dependant.
- Go By Bike Day and Frocks on Bikes are a couple of popular recurring events - why do you think these are great initiatives for people to get involved in? What sort of feedback have you had in the past?
Connecting with your community is one of the great things about travelling by paihikara/bike. Frocks on Bikes is an international movement to encourage more women to make bike riding a part of their everyday lives. However, we warmly welcome people of all genders and ages to dress up and take part in this fun ride around some of our amazing geothermal pathways. Frocks has been part of the Rotorua landscape for over 10 years and we continue to have great feedback from participants about how much they have enjoyed dressing up for a ride; how they have (re)discovered the joy of getting on a bike; and becoming more familiar with Rotorua’s shared path network.
- Why do you think the Bike it Forward initiative is a great/important opportunity?
The Bike it Forward initiative is an important kaupapa that helps connect our community. We are building a team of volunteers with bike mechanic skills to help us repair donated bikes that then go to community members who are unable to access bikes.
We encourage anyone who can lend a hand repairing bikes, or that has a bike to donate, to get in contact with us so we can continue supporting this initiative.
- Any others reasons you would encourage people to get involved or things you want to add?
Riding a bike has so many benefits. It’s great for your health, reduces stress, helps you get fit, saves money on petrol and provides many sustainability benefits. We are lucky to have many shared paths in our district to get you around safely by bike and we encourage everyone to give it a go.
For any questions about these events or cycling in Rotorua, contact cycling@rotorualc.nz
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Ngongotaha skid pad
Enquiry
I was speaking with a resident nearby to the closed Ngongotahā skid pad https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-car-enthusiast-says-reopening-ngongotaha-motorsport-will-clean-up-the-streets/V2KLGZG2HZGK3GTQKGQHBYPSJM/
He has lots of concerns including the noise, environmental impact, intimidating behaviours, lack of consultation, impact on house value. He said if there was a chance to submit as part of a consultation process he would.
Can I ask if there has been any application for resource consent since it closed in 2018?
If there is an application underway what stage is it at? What are the specifics of it and would be involved in the consenting process?
Would consultation be a part of this process? Who with? (neighbours, wider community etc)
What is the general process for consultation in resource consent applications?
Subsequent from reporter on 7/2/23:
Can I also ask if the five complaints (2016-2017) were from the same person or different people? Can wait on this until tomorrow 11am to give a little more time.
Subsequent from reporter on 8/2/23:
I spoke with Leon Khan and he said the following, if I can also please have this verified?
"I just have to get an acoustic report from an acoustic engineer done, and if the noise of the cars are under the legal decibel ratings for the area zone that my land is in, then complaints of noise will be void and won't effect me operating my facility. The issue with smell/smoke odor, Rotorua council etc have said there are no rules/regulations on smell/smoke odor so they don't have a major concern with that issue."
Response
From Rotorua Lakes DCE District Development Jean-Paul Gaston:
No application for resource consent has been received.
Whether consultation is required and with whom would be determined once an application has been received although applicants may choose to consult interested and/or affected parties prior to lodging an application.
Laura, this link may be useful for your understanding/knowledge re consultation: What is consultation? | Ministry for the Environment
Re complaints received in 2016/17: These were from 1 person
Once we get an application we will be in a position to consider all relevant matters and work through the process with Mr Khan and/or his representatives. It would be inappropriate to pre-empt that and we do not run consenting processes via the media.