The Tauranga City Council is working on controlling the weeds from mid Sunbrae Grove moving east to 267 Papamoa Beach Road.

The main weed in question is the agapanthus and the council reports the issue with these invasive plants is that they take over all other flora in a relatively short space of time.

Agapanthus.

The reserve has some unique pockets of healthy native dune populations and the council is concerned that these are in danger of being lost if the agapanthus isn't controlled.

Coast Care EBOP is working with the council to support contractors to control the weeds and to prepare encroachment plantings.

This information from this week's Tauranga City Council weekly bulletin for the week beginning Monday, February 6, published below.

Parks

• Work is expected to start on the Oruahine track, Mauao, this week.
• The new McLaren Falls Visitor Centre will be officially opened on Thursday morning along with the unveiling of a history panel that tells the story of the park's journey from power scheme in the early 1900s to a treasured public amenity.

Transportation

• Annual Resealing Programme:Resealing continues on various streets around the city in the annual reseal programme.
• Cambridge Road: Work to upgrade Cambridge Road between Miles Lane and River Oak Drive is due to start this week. Please expect delays and use an alternative route if possible.
• Cheyne Road: Work to install a new pedestrian refuge island across Cheyne Road is underway. Please take care when driving through the area.
• Courtney Road: Work to upgrade Courtney Road is almost complete. The final resurfacing will be done in three weeks' time, weather permitting.
• Domain Road: Work to install a new pedestrian refuge island at Topaz Drive Reserve has started. Please take care when driving through the work area.
• Fraser Street: Work to upgrade pedestrian crossings, install new roundabouts and reseal a section of Fraser Street in the area around the Merivale shops is due to start this week. A temporary 30km speed restriction will be in place. Please expect some delays. The work is expected to take about four weeks to complete.
• Golden Sands Extension: Work to connect Golden Sands Drive with the new subdivision by the school at the end of the road is underway. The work involves building new kerbs and footpaths. Pedestrian access is not affected and disruption to traffic will be minimal.
• Opal Drive: Work to install speed cushions and extend the existing pedestrian refuge island is almost finished. Please take care when driving through the area.
• Streetlight Upgrade: Work to upgrade the streetlights in Takapu Street and Linley Terrace is underway. Please watch for signs and drive carefully in these streets.
• Ultrafast Broadband: Work to install Ultrafast Broadband is being done in Greerton, Judea, Sulphur Point, and the industrial & residential areas around Golf Road to Tay Street at the Mount. Most of the work is being done off the road. The Ultrafast Broadband project is a central government initiative. More information about the project is available at www.ultrafastbroadband.co.nz or call 0800 342 735.

City Waters

• Gully trap inspections will get underway from 13 February 2011 for the Tauranga city centre, Sulphur Point and some of the Bureta area. Property owners will be sent a letter about the inspections this week. The inspections are a continuation of the council's inflow reduction programme which was launched in 2008. Gully traps are designed to receive the wastewater from laundries, kitchens and bathrooms but they can easily be mistaken for outdoor stormwater drains. The inflow reduction programme is a council initiative to minimise the amount of rain water that gets into the city's sewerage system through non-compliant gully traps. Since its inception the programme has inspected areas in Welcome Bay, parts of Papamoa, Bethlehem, Pillans Point, Greerton and the Avenues.
• Two reported sewer blockages were attended to this week. These incidents were on local properties and did not cause any overflow to a stormwater drain.
• Cleaning of silt and vegetation build up has been completed at some stormwater ponds in Bethlehem, Grasmere way and Stableford Drive.
• Work continues on the lower outlet of the Kopurererua Stream to help improve the flow, along with various other works to existing outlet pipes.

Democracy

Strategy and Policy Committee Meeting - Tuesday 7 February 2012

Draft Vegetation and Tree Management Policy 2012

To consider adoption of the Vegetation and Tree Management Policy 2012 and whether to undertake a period of public consultation.

Joint TCC/TCAL Draft Aquatics Strategy 2012-2022 for Public Consultation

To consider the adoption of the joint TCC/TCAL Draft Aquatics Strategy 2012-2022 for public consultation.

Reporting of Tender Results

Elected Members have asked for a report back on the reporting of tender results. This report discusses reporting of tender results and recommends a way forward.

Tauranga Transport Strategy 2012-2042 Update

Council committed to an update of the 2006 Integrated Transport Strategy for Tauranga (the 2006 ITS) to ensure that the city's strategic direction fully reflects changes nationally and regionally since 2006. It is intended that the draft Strategy is distributed for public submission as part of the 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan consultation.

Review of Solid Waste Bylaw

Considering the review of the Solid Waste Bylaw 2007, as required by the Local Government Act 2002 and Waste Minimisation Act 2008, and seeking direction on any proposed changes to be addressed through the Bylaw.

Councillor Workshop

Date: Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Time: 9am

Venue: Council Chambers

Meeting: Open

Purpose: Hairy Maclary & Friends Sculpture Project