Auckland Council is calling for local communities to share their input and thoughts on Auckland’s eastern coastal areas for their shoreline adaptation plans.
Shoreline Adaptation Plans (SAPs) look at how council-owned land and assets on the coast can be adapted to respond to coastal hazards (flooding, erosion and rainfall flooding) and climate change (Times, Nov 13).
This plan is covering the area between Pine Harbour in Beachlands and Whakatīwai Regional Park.
The Council is reaching out to locals on the Pohutukawa Coast community to have their say to aid in identifying key areas of importance to help manage and develop these areas. The ‘have your say’ has been going since October 22.
“The coastline is much-loved by residents and visitors alike,” Auckland Council’s general manager resilient lands and coasts Paul Kilnac said.
“But it also presents a range of issues and hazards that we need to better understand and plan for. Issues like complex coastal processes and the impacts of coastal hazards, climate change and the need to adapt are just some of the challenges we want to discuss further with mana whenua and our coastal communities.”
Once completed, SAPs will provide site-specific adaptation strategies that will outline the preferred management response for each coastal area over the next 100 years.
The Pohutukawa Coast Community Association (PCCA), a community group that represents the interests and aspirations of the residents of Beachlands, Maraetai and surrounding areas, is aiding the council as a community partner to help promote the project and support engagement.
The council and PCCA have planned both digital and in-person engagement to “help understand how the community uses and values the shoreline”.
The online tool is an interactive mapping website called social pinpoint. The public can drop pins, make comments, add photos and answer survey questions. Numerous comments have already been left on the map – including several from the kitesurfing community, establishing the importance of Pine Harbour to their craft. Others have mentioned criticisms and positives all across the coastline.
PCCA hosted two online webinars on November 17 and December 1. In-person events are also planned where locals could discuss the shoreline adaption plans with Auckland Council’s experts.
The dates are:
Sunkist Bay Event (Jan 22, 8am-12pm).
Maraetai Beach Event (Jan 29, 10am-2pm).
Waitawa Regional Park Event (Feb 5, 10am-2pm).
- To have your say, visit the AKHaveYourSay website: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/beachlands-and-east, visit the in-person events (pending Covid-19 alert levels), or go to Social Pinpoint at https://aucklandcouncil.mysocialpinpoint.com/sap-beachlandsandeast/map.
Public engagement will be open until February 11.
