The rules are changing around dogs, alcohol, beaches, cemeteries, and ports and wharves, in Whakatane with new bylaws being adopted from as early as next month.

Five new Bylaws have been adopted by the Whakatane District Council, for implementation on July 1.

Public consultation on the five bylaws – Dog Control Bylaw 2018; Alcohol Control Bylaw 2018; Beaches Bylaw 2018; Cemeteries and Crematoria Bylaw 2018; and the Ports and Wharves Bylaw 2018 – was undertaken earlier this year.

Submissions on the draft bylaws were heard by the Council's Policy Committee last week, with a number of changes being made to address the issues raised.

Amendments to the draft bylaws adopted by the Committee are as follows:

Draft Dog Control Bylaw 2018

• Dogs are permitted on Burma and Maraetotara Roads, provided they are on a leash at all times.
• Dogs must be on a leash and under control in the following areas; the Ohope Harbourside Trail, from the jetty at Goodwins Landing through to Otao South Reserve and from Anne St to Port Ohope Wharf (including Port Ohope Wharf).
• Ohope Surf Club to West end is retained as a dog exercise area.
• Dogs are prohibited in a triangular area of the Aniwhenua Reserve, bounded by Black Road and the road to the jetty; and must be on a leash in the remainder of the reserve.
• Dogs are prohibited from the Apanui Saltmarsh and the islands in the estuary off the Opihi Spit.
• The existing ban on dogs in CBD areas will continue.

Alcohol Control Bylaw 2018

A change was made to the bylaw to confirm that the alcohol ban applying in defined parts of the District ends at 3am Monday, reflecting the fact that current on-licences are allowed to serve alcohol until 2am.

Beaches Bylaw 2018

The following clause was added to Section 7 of the bylaw.

Clause (7)1 shall not apply to quadbikes provided:

• they use designated/formed access-ways, and are ridden only between the medium high water springs and the medium springs;
• they are not ridden on any part of the beach at a speed in excess of 10km/hr and do not endanger public safety;
• they are not ridden on the dunes that form part of Council-administered public land at any time; and
• they are not ridden on Ōhope Beach between Maraetōtara Road and West End or on the Ōhope or Opihi Spits, as shown in the maps in Schedule 1 of the bylaw.

The following clause was added to Section 8 of the bylaw.

Any person riding or leading a horse must:

• use designated/formed access ways and stay between the medium high water springs and the medium low water springs;
• stay off the dunes that form part of Council's administered public land at all times;
• not enter any areas of the beach where endangered birds are nesting, as shown in the District Plan's Vehicle Restriction Areas for Bird Nesting Areas.
• not enter the areas on Ōhope Beach between Maraetōtara Road and West End, or on the Ōhope or Opihi Spits, as shown in the First Schedule of the Bylaw.

Cemeteries and Crematoria Bylaw 2018

Clarification was provided as follows:

• Plot owners do not have to install a monument within 15 years
• 'subsequent purchaser” has been deleted from Section 10
• Clause 13(1)(a) does not apply to headstones that are removed for the purposes of re-inscription.

Draft Ports and Wharves Bylaw 2018

Staff acknowledged the Ōhope wharf has a high non-boating use. Council officers will write to all mooring holders in Ōhiwa Harbour, requesting that they avoid coming alongside the wharf for loading/unloading, refuelling etc. at times when there is high usage by swimmers. Signage is being erected at the Ōhiwa Wharf advising swimmers to stay 50 metres away from all moving vessels.

Clause 19(2) was added, confirming that the requirement for 30 days' notice of an activity, as stated in Clause 19(1), does not apply to funeral processions crossing the river. However, organisers of a funeral event must advise the Council at the earliest possible opportunity that they are planning a funeral procession, so that arrangements can be made to temporarily section-off the area of any port structure involved from general public use.