Community input on naming roads
Published on 23 May 2018
23 May 2018
Whanganui District Council is considering a new process for naming roads, with more input from the community.
At the Council’s Strategy and Finance Committee meeting on May 1, Councillors discussed the Proposed Road Naming and Numbering Policy and considered four options for naming roads.
Cr Helen Craig says one of the suggested options would enable members of the public to submit new road names on an ongoing basis.
Under the proposed policy, the four options for road naming are:
Option one
The developer of the subdivision is invited to submit up to three names in order of preference. This must include reasons for the suggestions, as well as details of any consultation undertaken.
Option two
The developer of the subdivision is invited to submit up to three names in order of preference. The planners will work with the communications team who will notify the public of an opportunity to have their say on which name they prefer of the three.
Option three
An officer from the Whanganui District Council planning team will inform the communications team that an opportunity for the public, including developers, to provide feedback on a road name is available.
Option four
The developer of the subdivision is invited to submit up to three names in order of preference. These names will be chosen from an inventory list that the planners have. The names on the inventory list will be provided by the public, who will be asked once or twice a year to submit names that developers could potentially use.
The Council will still make the final decision on which name is chosen for a new road, whichever option is selected.
In the previous policy, developers of subdivisions could submit up to three suggestions for new road names to the Council’s planning team, followed by a report presented to the Council for a final decision.
Cr Craig says a change in policy could provide an exciting opportunity for Whanganui roads to reflect our district’s history.
“This would give the public and the Council the chance to name new roads referring to our sporting or scientific history, or our rich arts culture. We can also acknowledge the special topographical features associated with a new subdivision.
“This could be a significant move away from traditional road names, which are often named after English towns, to names which are more meaningful to Whanganui.
“There will be names of significance to iwi which we would like to see submitted through this process and we welcome the opportunity for people to give us their ideas and the reasons why the names are important to our community.
“I really encourage the community to provide feedback on their preferred option for the process and to tell us why.”
The consultation period closes at 5.00pm on Friday 15 June 2018. Please note the consultation period has been extended.
Read the Proposed Road Naming and Numbering Policy and make an online submission.