An update for anyone who doesnt know - the Fire House has been gutted to put a pop up Countdown in there. I made inquiries, expecting there would be a resource consent involved, and change of use building permit - and learnt that a resource consent was not required, as this new activity falls within the permitted activities category because the new tenant is also leasing 30 spaces of the (formerly public) Williams St long term parking area for its use. The Fire Station site along with all the other community facilities in that area - (the carpark, toilet, memorial hall, the school, the ex-services club, the ambulance station) are all zoned commercial in the District Plan. In fact there is no zoning for community facilities in the plan at all. There is a small area of historic and passive recreation reserve (covering the Village Green and Williams House and gardens). The community centre steering group had put it to Council, in the meeting, that it consider extending the reserve classification to cover the other community facilities in this central area - (and remove the commercial zoning) to protect these spaces into the future for social-recreational purposes for the community. This would strengthen the privately owned and managed commercial properties and businesses in the CBD (for many reasons I wont explain here). Anyone wanting to view the District Plan, can probably do so at the library or at a Council Service Centre - you will see there is rather a lot of commercially zoned land in Paihia - way more than residential. If you happen to live in a house in the commercially zoned area - just think, a pop up supermarket can be set up next door - without needing a resource consent - so long as they lease parking spaces in the (not so public) carparking area. Anyway - the community centre initiative is still being worked on - the fact that this premise has been gutted will mean reinstating toilets, kitchen and separate activity spaces will cost more than just utilising what had been there. And we will continue to look for alternative sites - and build the case for a centre. Even locating in the central area is still achievable - so dont be discouraged! .
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 00:16:54 +0000
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