The look and feel of Lawrence is set to change, with the Clutha District Council allocating a budget of $610,000 to the Lawrence Streetscape project during a council meeting on Thursday.
The project aims to create an overall look and feel to the Lawrence township that reflects its historic roots, through stylising the streetscape and installing period lighting and street furniture.
The Lawrence/Tuapeka Board intends to install new street lighting columns, lighting brackets and luminaires that will require underground electrical wiring.
The Lawrence Streetscape Capital Works Budget will be funded through a 20% district-wide contribution and existing financial reserves, with a loan providing the balance, funded from the Lawrence/Tuapeka ward.
The bulk of the project's funds will go towards installing the underground electricity supply along Ross Pl that will power new street lights.
Designs have been completed for the development of Gabriel's Gully Rd car park, a pedestrian bridge on Gabriel's Gully Rd, a parapet bridge on Ross Pl and bulbous kerbs on Ross Pl.
The Lawrence/Tuapeka Community Board, at its March 3 meeting, agreed on the type of seating, street-lighting columns, brackets and luminaires that will be installed, but have yet to agree on the type of rubbish bins and planters.
Rates rise: The council's 2010-11 draft annual plan will be released for public consultation on April 12. An overall rates rise of 3.66% is forecast, which is less than the 7.66% predicted in the Long Term Council Community Plan.
Chief executive Charles Hakkaart said this was because of reduced expenditure on roading. Other changes include increasing the council's contribution for the proposed Clutha Recreation Centre from $1.2m to $2.5m, changing the ratepayer contribution to the Recreation Centre funding and granting $1m to the West Otago Health Trust.
Houses that fall within the West Otago Health service area will be charged a uniform rate to cover loan and interest costs.
Roadside baleage: The council decided to ban the storage of produce on the road corridor, with a one-year introduction period. This differs from the proposal to impose a ban on the storage of baleage on the road reserve, as some councillors pointed out other items are sometimes stored on the road.
The council's policy states fences must be a minimum of 10m apart. Councillor McCorkindale raised the point some farmers' fence lines sit well off the road, which raised the question of defining where the road reserve was. The words "road reserve" were amended to "road corridor".
Fluoridated water: Milton, Kaitangata and Tapanui will have their water supplies fluoridated, following confirmation of $73,850 Ministry of Health funding.
Ministry funding allows for the installation of the fluoridation equipment, but the operation and maintenance will be covered by ratepayers.
The fluctuating costs of fluoride make it difficult to predict the additional annual costs, but estimate costs (per unit water rate) will be between: Milton: $10-$14; Kaitangata: $22-$29; Tapanui: $17-$20.
