Zizi Sparks: Moaning about Pāpāmoa reserve planting ridiculous when 10 could be housing

Planting on the water bank at Palm Beach Reserve. Photo / NZME

OPINION

I live behind a reserve and love it. It gives the house a sense of privacy and, despite the fact I live in an urban area, I can walk out the back door, feel surrounded by nature and walk the dog off lead.

I love the reserve, but I don't feel entitled to have a say about what the council plants there. If it wanted to pop housing on the reserve, that's a different story.

Rotorua and Tauranga councils' respective open space policies are similar.

In Rotorua, the policy says 90 per cent of urban residents should be able to walk 10-15 minutes (or 500m) to a neighbourhood park.

In Tauranga, 95 per cent of urban residences should be within 400m to 500m of open space, depending on the type of residential area.

These documents show councils value open spaces. In Tauranga, the commission's actions also reflect this despite residents' dissent.

This week Tauranga City Council commissioners decided to restart pond-edge planting in the Palm Beach West area of Te Ara o Wairākei corridor.

It was all about ecological enhancement, restoring cultural recognition and activity in the area, and providing shade and food for local wildlife.

This sounds positive.

However, some residents oppose the plans. At a public meeting in March some said areas of the reserve that had been planted "look like crap", "look like a jungle", and were "a dog's breakfast ... an absolute mess". One was concerned about "weeds, rubbish, and used condoms".

The council says it consulted extensively with interested parties. But I think just because someone has bought a house in an area doesn't mean they have a say over what happens within a reserve unless a change is drastic - removing it in favour of housing, for example.

In Rotorua, this is exactly what the council is potentially looking to do, which in my view doesn't reflect the value the council has placed on reserves in its Open Space Policy - something reflected in the upgrade of the lakefront.

The Rotorua Daily Post revealed plans to turn 10 Rotorua reserves into housing and pursue a local bill to allow the reserves' sale.

It was a proposal the public learned of only after the Rotorua Daily Post obtained documents. The council says no decisions have been made and residents will have a chance to have a say on any proposals.

Once a reserve is turned into housing, it is difficult to change it back so if someone opposes housing near their home they should, by all means, fight it.

In my opinion, complaining about planting comes across as very entitled. If those residents in Pāpāpmoa were facing the same proposal as those in Rotorua might be, they would have something to complain about.

But moaning about some plants? Give me a break.