Parking tickets can now be paid online with the Tauranga City Council today launching the new service.

Tickets can be paid through the council's website with the fined person only needing their credit card, registration number and parking infringement notice on hand to undertake the payment.

To pay a fine, visit www.tauranga.govt.nz and click on ‘Pay Online' and then select ‘Pay Parking Fines Online' and follow the instructions.

This information from Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin for the week beginning Monday, September 12, published below.

City Partners

AA+ Water Promotion

A new type of water dispenser has been installed at the start of the Mauao walking track as a way of minimising the use of disposable plastic water bottles. The Aquafil Water Dispenser makes it easy to fill water bottles and has a drinking fountain as well. The unit promotes Tauranga's AA+ standard water and contains waste minimisation messages. The project was funded from council's waste minimisation and waterline budgets, with sponsorship assistance from City Partners: City Care, Beca and Fuel Advertising, along with product supplier Chemchek. The environmental benefits of the dispenser will be audited over the coming year.

City Waters

• Big news this week was the sand dune blowout at Maranui Street at the treated effluent ocean outfall site. The team had been doing some pressure testing on the outfall pipe and, after turning the pumps up a notch, there was a collapse in the sand dunes. The failed pipe has been repaired enough to permit us time to prepare a longer term fix of the outfall structure. The large hole surrounding the work site will remain for a few weeks at least.

Wastewater overflows

Two minor wastewater overflows earlier this week:

• One medium level overflow affecting the Maleme Street open drain occurred last Friday afternoon as the result of a blockage. Wednesday's results gave this the all clear.

• Second overflow was on Resolution Road affecting Welcome Bay estuary, reported on Sunday morning. This was caused by a tree root blockage in the pipeline. It overflowed into council's stormwater system which drains into the estuary. Following water quality test results, one health warning sign remains at the estuary outfall and this area will be tested again on Monday.

Parks and Leisure

• The wildflower bed at Gordon Carmichael Reserve is being prepped for re-sowing for late spring/summer display.

• Spring weed control is happening on Mauao with control of thistles, gorse and pampas being targeted. Lambing is also taking place over the next few weeks. Please be respectful.

• By public request, two park bench seats are being installed in the playgrounds at Wells Avenue (Mount), and Reilly Avenue (Papamoa).

City Projects

• Arataki Community Centre is progressing well. Building is very close to completion and car parking and landscaping works are progressing well.

Transportation

• Domain Road/Tara Road intersection: Construction activity for the Tauranga Eastern Link continues. A permanent 50km/h speed restriction is in place. Motorists are advised to take care when driving through the area.

• Fraser Street/Esk Street: Southern Pipeline pipe laying and reinstatement is continuing on Fraser Street between Esk Street and Harrier Street. Traffic management will be in place. Please take care when driving through this area.

• Parton Road: Construction activity for the Tauranga Eastern Link continues. A temporary 30km/h speed restriction is in place Monday - Saturday from 6am to 6pm. A manual stop/go control will be used when large trucks need to cross Parton Road. Expect minor delays and please take care when driving in the area.

• State Highway 2 (Te Maunga to Domain Road): Construction activity for the Tauranga Eastern Link continues. A long term temporary 80km/h speed restriction will be in place from Te Maunga to Domain Road until further notice. Please take care and stay alert when driving through this area.

• Tara Road: Construction of the new roundabout at the Parton Road intersection continues. Watch for the new road layout and please take extra care when driving in the area.

Venues & Events

• The Venues and Events Team assisted with the 'First Big Gig' at the new TECT Arena on Thursday 8 September. The Ticketing, Technical and Events teams played an important part in supporting the Baypark team, logistically the event was a huge success, any minor issues that were identified will be sorted for the upcoming Meatloaf concert next month.

• Rugby World Cup is upon us, the first two training sessions for the Fijian and Samoan teams have been completed. The Volunteer programme being coordinated by Venues and Events is in full swing, volunteers are helping with the upcoming activities and helping visitors with information about the Cup.

• The REAL Tauranga Festival which is aligned with the Rugby World Cup has two weekends of entertainment planned for the 15-18 September and the 13-16 October. Visit www.realtauranga.co.nz for more information.

• During the seven weeks of the Rugby World Cup, some of Tauranga's tourist and attraction operators will have a presence on The Strand in the glass box beside the Edgewater Fan. At times parts of The Strand car park will be closed as a result of Rugby World Cup activities.

Libraries

Want to learn how to use Microsoft Office?

Join us for a starter class then learn at your own pace and be supported by a tutor. Modules include Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Classes run every Wednesday from 10-11am from 14 September. For full class schedule see http://library.tauranga.govt.nz/

Another successful Great Read

Tauranga City Libraries hosted another successful Great Read event this week with over 220 people taking part. Great Read is an initiative run by each of the library branches (in conjunction with Altrust and Literacy and Language BOP) to celebrate and support International Literacy Day.

The Great Read invited people to come into the libraries and read for at least ten minutes. Each participant then went into the draw to win a book voucher.

Tauranga winner: Sue Berry

Mount winner: Janine Bollee

Greerton winner: Shona Couper

Papamoa winner: Michele Ridge

Democracy

Council - (Ten Year Plan) - Monday, 12 September 2011 and Thursday, 15 September 2011 (if required) at 9am (both days)

• Growth Funding Review - To seek direction from Elected Members on whether Council should continue with separate Subdivision Impact Fee and Building Impact Fee charges or whether the Building Impact Fee should be merged into the Subdivision Impact Fee. The report also addresses the planning periods used for development contribution calculations.

• Growth Funding Review - To seek direction on a partial solution to the issue of incorporating the concept of intergenerational equity into the calculation of Council's development contribution charges.

• Issues and Options for Stormwater Improvements in Portside/Triton Avenue, and Te Maire, Mount Maunganui - Report (DC 170) presented to Council 30 May 2011, required further investigation and modelling to be undertaken to determine which stormwater upgrade projects, if any, would be included in the Ten Year Plan 2012-2022.

• Sportsfield (Active Reserves) Level of Service Review - To provide direction on a level of service approach for sportsfields for inclusion in the draft Ten Year Plan 2012-2022.

• Implementation of Our Community Places Strategy in the Ten Year Plan 2012-22 - Part II - To report back on a rationalised level of service for implementation of the Our Community Places Strategy 2008, as per Council's recent direction on this matter.

• Water and Wastewater Revenue and Demand Management - To seek direction on possible options for revenue and demand management for water and wastewater services.

• Library Levels of Service - This report provides recommendations for Library Levels of Service following discussion at a Workshop on 16 August 2011.

• The Future of Tauranga Tomorrow - The Document - To provide direction on the future of Tauranga Tomorrow (the document), in response to changes to Council's role in community outcomes from the Local Government Act 2002.

• City Centre Strategy - Update and Implementation for Ten Year Plan 2012-22 - To discuss progress on delivery of the City Centre Strategy and provide direction on an updated version of the strategy and implementation of projects for the Ten Year Plan 2012-2022.

• Issues and Options - City Development - Present issues and options paper to Council on the costs associated with Owning or Leasing a vehicle fleet.

Strategy and Policy Committee - Tuesday 13 September 2011 - 1pm

• Petition: Welcome Bay Waterfront Association Environmental Report - This report includes information in response to a petition and environmental report received from the Welcome Bay Waterfront Association.

• Draft Local Elections Policy Issues and Options and Adoption of Final Policy - Presenting the issues and options identified through submissions received and recommending that the final policy be adopted.

• Local Authorities (Members' Interests) Act 1968 - Government Discussion Document - To identify whether the Committee wishes to make a submission to the Department of Internal Affairs' discussion document titled Managing Conflicting Interests in Local Government: The Local Authorities (Members' Interest) Act 1968 and Associated Issues, and if so, what matters should be raised in that submission.

• Schedule of Policies and Bylaws - September 2011 Prioritisation - Presenting the schedule of upcoming work to be considered by the Committee and seeking direction on prioritisation and timing.

Hearings Panel Subcommittee - Thursday 15 September 2011 - 1.00pm

Against Requirement to Permanently Remove Barking Dog – 1.00 pm

Application for Release of Dog from Pound Pending Prosecution (Public Excluded) – 3.00 pm

• Objection Against Requirement to Permanently Remove Barking Dog - To provide information and recommendations on an objection by Wendie Gibbs against a requirement to permanently remove her dogs, namely Max, a Bordie Collie, and Zoe, a Smooth Collie, for persistent and loud barking pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Dog Control Act 1996.

Councillors Workshop

Date: Tuesday, 13 September

Time: 9am

Venue: Council Chambers

Meeting: Open

Purpose: Review of Cost Allocations for Specific Development Contribution Funded Projects

Date: Wednesday, 14 September

Time: 1pm

Venue: Council Chambers

Meeting: Open

Purpose: Metropolitan Urban Limits