Sawse - Stir it Up!

Urban design is the process by which a rural area is developed and designed so that it can be constructed in the most efficient manner possible. This is one of the newest and fastest developing sectors in design. Since most of the rural areas around the world are involved in urbanization, it is almost mandatory to design these areas with the future in mind. A perfect example of urban design can be found in the country of New Zealand, and it allows the people of Auckland to decide exactly the type of home they want.

As rural areas such as Rodney, Franklin and Manukau are being separated from the main area of Auckland, the Royal Commission of Inquiry has sent an open letter to the residents of these areas, including Auckland, asking them for opinions on what sort of local government they want. This is the first time this sort of a discussion has been opened to the general population. This could be classified as the perfect example of urban design, in which the local residents become an integral part of the decision making body.

In order to assist the residents, the Commission has made a catalog of all the important issues that it would be addressing. One question that the people of Auckland face right now is what shape their governing body must take on in order for it to become a world class city running efficiently. Other important questions that are asked in the catalog include what the people think should be happening in the local and regional levels of government, what amount of decisions should be decided on the regional level, and which methods to use to ensure that the government remains accountable for its people.

One of the ideas that is being given serious consideration is something known as an urban-rural carve-up. This means having separation between the greater and smaller part of Auckland. According to this scheme, greater Auckland would have a lord-Mayer who has been elected separately from the rest of the government. The plan also includes the appointment of expert associates to councils in order to create a model super-city.

Present situation

Currently the areas off and around Auckland are predominantly a mixture of urban and rural councils. The Council is still uncertain about whether the Auckland area would be better off if the urban plans were applied only on the currently developing and future areas. The Council is trying to figure out if it would be beneficial to leave the rural areas separated from the city. The majority opinion among residents is that the areas of Rodney, Manukau and Franklin would be better off if they were to be part of a different regional council.

Current plan

The current plan is to create a separate regional council for those areas. The Franklin district, whose council is divided between the Auckland and Environment Waikato regional councils, is pleased with this proposal because having a section of the same district under two different regional councils would be a challenging thing to handle for the governing bodies. The confusion present in a community due to separate councils is visible in small country towns like Waiuku, through which the boundary line runs. The people living in that area have to be aware of different sets of rules present on either side of the boundary. Therefore it is only sensible for the Franklin community to want a different council, which would then be able to deal with all the rural issues present.

However, this is not the case for the Rodney District Council. They already have their rural and urban areas carved up. If the urban design plan was to be implemented in such a way that the rural areas were to get a separate regional council, it would mean that the very heavily populated areas of the Hibiscus Coast and the growing areas of Kumeu-Huapai would have to stay in Auckland. It would also mean that the largely rural areas of Waiwera would have to join the district council of Kaipara. As a result, the people of the Rodney community are not interested in the carve-up of the boundary that has been proposed. These people are, on the other hand, interested in the release of the infrastructure in an appropriate way. It is also important to them that this be completed in the most cost-effective manner.

The commission is now considering whether or not the construction of a super-city with urban design would be the best solution for enhanced efficiency and infrastructure in these areas. They are also considering different options for meeting the various other objectives of the developing area such as accountability.

If it is decided that a separate regional council is to be made, the next question is who the regional leader of the council is going to be. As of now the Auckland regional council chooses its chairman by a vote of the elected councilors of that area. However, if the separate regional councils were to be created in the Auckland area, the decision of choosing its head is going to be rather tricky, as there would be several towns under the same council.

The commission is waiting for the response from the people of Auckland before they finalize anything. They expect to receive submissions from many people as well as organizations that are based in the Auckland area. This diverse response will allow the commission to make a decision that appeals to the majority of the citizens.