Supplementary Reports Agenda of Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board Meeting

Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board Meeting Agenda

3 September 2026

7 Ngā Pūrongo / Reports

7.5 Russell Placemaking - Endorsement of Final Design for Cass Street

File Number: A5905923

Author: Jaye Michalick, Team Leader – Growth Planning & Placemaking

Authoriser: Kate Ivicheva, Group Manager - Planning & Policy

Take Pūrongo / Purpose of the Report

To seek a recommendation to Te Koukou Committee for Transport and Infrastructure (Te Koukou), and then Council, and Te Kūkupa Committee for Strategy, Policy and Regulation (Te Kūkupa), to approve for implementation a final design plan for changes to The Strand and Cass Street in Russell-Kororāreka.

The design has been developed by a community working group (the Russell Roading Working Group) and Council staff with support from a transport engineer. This report discusses the proposed design, including suggested changes to the design resulting from public engagement in June and July 2026.

WhakarĀpopoto matua / Executive Summary

This request enables:

· Council to give effect to resolution 2025/80 that required a permanent design to be created for Cass Street and The Strand in collaboration with a community working group, which then must be shared for community feedback.

· Implementing the design enables Council to give effect to resolution 2025/80, resulting in the change of use (to a Shared Zone) along The Strand, from the boat ramp at the northern end to Pitt St to the southern end, and along Cass Street from mid-block Cass St to its intersection with The Strand. The design also introduces an Authorised Vehicles only restriction along The Strand from Cass Street to Pitt Street.

· This report summarises the public feedback obtained via community engagement that took place between 18 June and 12 July 2026.

· A total of 339 comments from 110 individual responses were received through active engagement and via a survey. A further 36 comments from the Russell Noticeboard Facebook page were also analysed.

· After considering the feedback received on the proposed design, staff recommend the following minor changes:

o 1) move the bollards along the south-eastern portion of Cass Street, adjacent to the delivery and drop-off zone, to the carriageway side of the drainage channel;

o 2) include the following additional signage at the final discretion of the Transport Group):

§ a 10kph sign near the refuelling loading zone on The Strand

§ add a No Left Turn sign midway along Cass Street and adjacent to the Cass and York Street intersection (to direct traffic turning onto or travelling east along Cass Street)

§ sufficient signage to inform how long vehicles can remain parked in the various carparks along Cass Street

o 3) install a cycle parking rack.

· This report also seeks endorsement to change the construction material for the raised crossing at the entrance to Cass St, to a lower-cost and higher-durability material.

· Funding up to a value of $113,807.08 to implement the final design plan has been allocated via previous Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board resolution 2026/35.

· An update on changes required to Far North District Council Parking Bylaw and Road Use Bylaw, to facilitate permanent changes to Cass St and The Strand is provided.

tŪtohunga / Recommendation

That the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board:

a) Recommend that Te Koukou Committee for Transport and Infrastructure endorse to Council for approval the final design plan for Cass Street and The Strand, per Attachment 1, with the following changes (as detailed in Section 2 of this report):

i. Shift proposed pedestrian safety bollards, provide additional signage, and install a cycle parking rack.

ii. Endorses grey-tinted concrete as the proposed construction material for the raised crossing entrance to Cass St (from York St)

b) Recommend that Te Kūkupa Committee for Strategy, Policy and Regulation approve:

i. the Parking Bylaw Schedules and Maps be amended as indicated in the final design plan for changes to The Strand and Cass Street in Russell-Kororāreka, per Attachment 1, with the following changes (as detailed in Section 2 of this report), once the new parking spaces have been installed and marked out, and the appropriate signage has been erected.

ii. the Road Use Bylaw be amended as indicated in the final design plan for changes to The Strand and Cass Street in Russell-Kororāreka, per Attachment 1, with the following changes (as detailed in Section 2 of this report).

1) Tāhuhu Kōrero / Background

In 2022, the Board allocated $100,000 for placemaking in Kororāreka-Russell. In early 2024, staff began a placemaking project for Kororāreka-Russell involving extensive community engagement. This led to the Kororāreka-Russell Placemaking Plan, which identified 11 priority placemaking outcomes.

One of the priority outcomes was to reduce vehicles on The Strand. In December 2024, a temporary traffic trial was introduced on The Strand and Cass Street. The trial tested new ways to manage vehicle access along this busy and popular area, aiming to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, reduce traffic congestion, and create a more welcoming space for locals, visitors, and businesses.

In May 2025, a public consultation on the traffic trial attracted 383 submissions, with 65.7 per cent of respondents supporting the trial with pedestrian priority on some or all of The Strand.

In June 2025, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board endorsed the final Kororāreka - Russell Placemaking Plan 2025 (resolution 2025/59).

In July 2025, the council decided to permanently reduce vehicles on The Strand via resolution 2025/80. This decision has resulted in the final design plan in Attachment 1.

In October 2025, the Russell Roading Working Group (an independent community group) was formed with support from council staff and Community Board Member Hindle. This group has worked together with relevant staff, including a transport engineer, to come up with the final design for changes to Cass Street and The Strand that will achieve the outcomes decided by Council resolution 2025/80. Refer https://www.fndc.govt.nz/Whats-New/current-projects/pedestrianisation-of-the-strand,-kororareka-russell for a record of membership and meeting records.

In June 2026, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board endorsed a draft version of the design for changes to Cass Street and The Strand to be engaged on for community feedback to inform the final version of the design.

Between 18 June and 12 July 2026, engagement on the final design for Cass Street and The Strand was undertaken. The public were invited to view the final design plan and to provide their suggestions for minor changes. A summary of feedback received during this engagement is discussed in section 2, and a report on findings from this public consultation is provided in Attachment 2.

Pending approval of the final design plan by Te Koukou, then Council, the physical changes to Cass Street and The Strand (to reflect the final design plan) can be scheduled and carried out by FNDC’s Transport Department. The Russell Roading Working Group members have requested that the Transport Group liaise with them while they undertake the physical works. The purpose of this would be to keep the Russell Roading Working Group informed of progress and to seek views from the Russell Roading Group, should that be necessary during this stage of works.

Funding to implement changes to Cass Street and The Strand was previously allocated via Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board resolution 2026/35. It should be noted that the allocated funding is estimated to cover costs associated with the physical changes to the road environment but is not sufficient to cover costs associated with the carving of the bollards on Cass Street. Funding for the carving will need to be generated either through community fundraising initiatives or future requests for Board funding. The funding allocated comprises a total value of $113,807.08 from the following fund allocations:

· $14,150.08 remaining balance from the original 2022 Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board Russell placemaking fund of $100,000 (currently being held by Far North Holdings Ltd, this fund will be invoiced back into FNDC for allocation to Transport Group for the purpose of implementing the design plan)

· $42,157 remaining from the 2024/2025 Eastern Town Beautification Fund (carried into this financial year), and

· $57,500 of the 2025/2026 Eastern Town Beautification Fund (carried into this financial year).

2) matapaki me NgĀ KŌwhiringa / Discussion and Options

Suggested Changes to the Design for Cass Street and The Strand as a result of Community Feedback

Community feedback responses ranged widely, with several strongly worded individual responses often about elements that did not generate strong responses from many others. Some suggestions are out of scope, such as opening The Strand to all traffic on a seasonal basis. Others compromise safety, such as removing bollards or placing carparks too close to intersections. Several suggestions were operational, such as developing enforcement plans and adding the changes to Google Maps.

The following is a summary breakdown of the level of support, partial support or general opposition to the recommended design plan. Refer to Attachment 2 for details of the feedback obtained.

· 43.4% of comments received support for the proposal overall, with 33 individual responses supporting the proposal in its entirety (9.8%). Supportive comments received were broadly about improving safety and access, appreciating the inclusion of artistic elements, as well as retaining heritage and ensuring practicality.

· 34.8% support the proposal and suggest minor changes, usually focused on a particular aspect such as signage, the second disability car park or the loading and drop-off zone.

· 20.1% oppose elements of the proposal, with some offering very strong criticism of it and 17 comments (5.0%) opposing the proposal in its entirety. (These comments are from 8 individuals).

· 1.7% offered thoughts that were out of scope, such as resealing roads or focusing on beach erosion.

78.2% of feedback received is in either full or partial support of the proposed changes. Staff, in consultation with the transport engineer, considered the suggested changes received during the feedback and have identified three proposed changes to the design that are expected to help achieve the purpose of the design plan and remain within the budget allocated (discussed below).

Shift Proposed Pedestrian Safety Bollards

Retain but move all bollards along the south-western portion of Cass Street, adjacent to the delivery and drop-off zone, to the carriageway side of the drainage channel. The current design shows the bollards being located on the footpath side of the drainage channel. This change would improve pedestrian safety on the footpath in this area and would discourage angle parking across the loading and drop-off zone.

Additional Signage

At the time of detailed design, the Project Manager responsible for implementing the design plan will include the following additional signage at the final discretion of the Transport Group:

§ a 10kph sign near the refuelling loading zone on The Strand

§ add a No Left Turn sign midway along Cass Street and adjacent to Cass and York Street intersection (to direct traffic turning onto or travelling east along Cass Street)

§ sufficient signage to inform how long vehicles can remain parked in the various carparks along Cass Street

Including a Cycle Parking Rack

Cycle parking was not part of the original brief but was suggested as part of the public engagement feedback. A cycle parking rack could be added safely on The Strand, between trees, with a final location and method of fixing to be determined by the Project Manager responsible for implementing the design plan. With more cycle tracks being developed, these would be useful and could be added at a later date if the current available funding will not cover the purchasing and installation costs.

The following suggested changes were also considered, however staff in consultation with the transport engineer, recommend rejecting the following suggested changes.

Considering if car park widths can be increased by reducing the existing garden beds as per image below:

The reduction of the beds will require a full pavement construction/extension, which will be both disruptive and relatively expensive. The parking spaces drawn provide substantial additional width compared to a standard space (2.4m). Additional width has been provided for the carpark located nearest the high planter at the western end of the parking bay.

Provide angle parking where the proposed delivery and drop-off zones are along the south-western side of Cass Street.

This is not feasible or safe as angle parking will encroach into the vehicle carriageway.

Making the shared zone seasonal

This has already been considered by council and rejected.

Removing the proposed bollard outside Wood2Water (south-eastern end of Cass Street)

This suggestion was rejected as the proposed bollard helps to reduce traffic speed coming into Cass Street and prevents vehicles colliding with parked cars.

Removing the disability park on The Strand

This was rejected because no alternative option is available and an ageing community needs another accessible car park.

Moving the bus stop closer to the footpath by removing the garden box behind it, and shortening the garden bed on the corner of Cass Street and The Strand

This is not needed for passenger or road user safety and allows existing Russell 2000 planter boxes to remain.

Extending the refuelling zone to 14m

This was not required as the refuelling trucks are a maximum of 8.5m and thus can fit into a 9m loading zone. This was confirmed in conversation with Allied Petroleum.

Changes to the poutama

Proposed changes to the poutama were rejected because brick stains are temporary and do not damage the brick surface. The stain will require regular upkeep to sustain the colour, so should the staining prove unpopular or too expensive to maintain, the original colour of the bricks will slowly show through. This decision may antagonise the small group opposing the poutama due to the perceived historic value of the Square developed by the Russell 2000 group, and of the bricks themselves which may have been hand-made locally.

Options

The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board has the option of:

endorsing the design plan as shown in Attachment 1, without any of the changes recommended above, or

endorsing the design plan with all or some of the changes that are either recommended for inclusion or rejection as set out above.

Suggested Changes to the Design for Cass Street and The Strand - FNDC Transport Department recommendation

As reported to the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board on 4 June 2026, FNDC’s Transport Department staff reviewed the draft design plan. They are generally supportive of the plan; however, they recommend an alternative option for the raised crossing at the entrance to Cass St (from York St). The Russell Roading Working Group recommends construction via London Pavers (as shown on the design plan in Attachment 1), while staff recommend using tinted concrete, which is more durable, more stable, and lower-cost to install and maintain. During engagement, three members of the public submitted on this topic, and all three supported retaining the brick design. Altering the design would reduce implementation costs by $9,600. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff have also reviewed the plan and support it, as long as the tint used for the concrete crossing is grey. This part of the town has significant cultural and heritage values and is regulated to protect those values.

Update on changes required to Far North District Council Parking Bylaw and Road Use Bylaw, to facilitate permanent changes to Cass St and The Strand

Parking Bylaw

The Parking Bylaw Schedules and Maps will need to be amended according to the changes in parking layout, time limits, and purpose, as indicated in the final design plan for Cass Street and The Strand in Russell-Kororāreka.

These changes to the Parking Bylaw schedules and maps include:

· Changes to public parking

· Changes to mobility parking

· Changes to delivery and drop-off zones

· Changes to the refuelling zone

A request for the amendments to the Parking Bylaw schedules and maps will go to Council once the new parking has been installed and marked out, and the appropriate signage has been erected.

The GIS measurements of each park will be collated and updated in the Parking Bylaw Schedules, and maps updated according to the changes in parking, once work has been completed to ensure accuracy.

The car parks will be monitored and managed by Council parking compliance following the Parking Bylaw Schedule and Map amendments.

Road Use Bylaw

The Road Use Bylaw will require amendment to incorporate the changes according to the final design plan for Cass Street and The Strand in Russell-Kororāreka.

These changes are:

· The Strand is to be a shared access road with pedestrians

· The Strand will have limited vehicle access

· The Strand will have one-way-only access

· The schedules and maps for the Road Use Bylaw will need to be amended

· The amendments to the Bylaw and its schedules and maps will require a Public Consultation over a four-week period.

A request for the new amendments to the Road Use Bylaw, and its schedules and maps to go out for consultation will need to be approved by Council. This process will be led by the Policy and Bylaws Team, it will be initiated once The Transport Department have completed the changes to Cass Street and The Strand have been physically completed.

TAKE TŪTOHUNGA / REASON FOR THE RECOMMENDATION

Adopting the recommended final design plan, including the recommended changes discussed above, will ensure that when parts of Cass Street and The Strand become a Shared Zone, pedestrian safety can be achieved, while also incorporating design features and elements that have been identified as important by the community of Russell-Kororāreka.

Endorsing a final design plan up to Te Koukou and Council for implementation will enable Council resolution 2025/80 to be achieved via the introduction of a Shared Zone along The Strand, from the boat ramp at the northern end to Pitt St to the southern end, and along Cass Street from mid-block Cass St to its intersection with The Strand. The design also introduces an Authorised Vehicles only restriction along The Strand from Cass Street to Pitt Street.

3) PĀnga PŪtea me ngĀ wĀhanga tahua / Financial Implications and Budgetary Provision

As discussed above, funding to implement the majority of the recommended design, including suggested changes, has been secured via previous Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board resolution 2026/35.

Āpitihanga / Attachments

1. Design Plan - A5932085 ⇩

2. Engagement Summary Report - A5932082 ⇩

Hōtaka Take Ōkawa / Compliance Schedule:

Full consideration has been given to the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 S77 in relation to decision-making, in particular:

1. A Local authority must, in the course of the decision-making process,

a) Seek to identify all reasonably practicable options for the achievement of the objective of a decision; and

b) Assess the options in terms of their advantages and disadvantages; and

c) If any of the options identified under paragraph (a) involves a significant decision in relation to land or a body of water, take into account the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral land, water sites, waahi tapu, valued flora and fauna and other taonga.

2. This section is subject to Section 79 - Compliance with procedures in relation to decisions.

He Take Ōkawa / Compliance Requirement	Aromatawai Kaimahi / Staff Assessment
State the level of significance (high or low) of the issue or proposal as determined by the Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy	The design plan is not assessed as having a high level of significance in accordance with Councils’ Significance and Engagement Policy, however, significant iterative public engagement since 2024 has informed the development of this placemaking outcome.
State the relevant Council policies (external or internal), legislation, and/or community outcomes (as stated in the LTP) that relate to this decision.	Accessibility Policy (2022) Art and Memorials in Public Places Policy (2017) Community Gardens Policy (2013) Community Grant Policy (2024) District Plan 2009 Footpath Policy (2016) Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 Iwi/Hapu Environmental Management Plans Policy (2016) Local Government Act 2002 Long Term Plan (2024-2027) Parks and Reserves Policy (2022) Procurement Policy Resource Management Act 1991 This outcome sees the implementation of an outcome within the Russell Placemaking Plan, endorsed by Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board in June 2025.
State whether this issue or proposal has a District-wide relevance and, if not, the ways in which the appropriate Community Board’s views have been sought.	The Kororāreka-Russell Historic Township is of district wide significance and the Community Board have been involved throughout the process via the appointment of a Russell Roading Working Group supported by a Community Board Member.
State the possible implications for Māori and how Māori have been provided with an opportunity to contribute to decision making if this decision is significant and relates to land and/or any body of water. State the possible implications and how this report aligns with Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi.	Hapū representation has been consistent throughout this placemaking project, including hapū representation as a member of the Russell Roading Working Group.
Identify persons likely to be affected by or have an interest in the matter, and how you have given consideration to their views or preferences (for example – youth, the aged and those with disabilities).	This paper recommends a final design which has been the subject of recent public engagement, to ensure that persons likely to be affected by or have an interest in this matter, have been enabled to put forward their views on this matter.
State the financial implications and where budgetary provisions have been made to support this decision.	Funding has been previously allocated, as discussed in this paper Namely: The funding allocated comprises a total value of $113,807.08 from the following fund allocations: • $14,150.08 remaining balance from the original 2022 Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board Russell placemaking fund (currently being held by Far North Holdings Ltd, this fund will be invoiced back into FNDC for allocation to Transport Group for the purpose of implementing the design plan) • $42,157 remaining from the 2024/2025 Eastern Town Beautification Fund (carried into this financial year), and • $57,500 of the 2025/2026 Eastern Town Beautification Fund (carried into this financial year).
Chief Financial Officer review.	The CFO has reviewed this report.