The Whakatane District Council's Policy Committee has approved the release of the Draft Parks and Reserves Bylaw 2018 for community feedback, as part of a review of its Consolidated Bylaw, which expires this year.

Consultation on the draft bylaw will run from October 19 until November 20 and all submissions received will be heard and considered by the Committee in December, before the bylaw is finalised and reported back to the Council.

Policy Committee Chairperson Judy Turner says the bylaw does not include any provisions relating to freedom camping or overnight parking by self-contained vehicles.

'Those matters are covered by the District's Public Places Bylaw, which is not part of this consultation process,” she explains. 'Any submissions on freedom camping will therefore not be considered as part of the Parks and Reserves Bylaw review.”

The review proposes that 14 sections in the current bylaw (Part 17: [Parks and Reserves] of the Consolidated Bylaw 2008) be removed, either because they are duplicated in other bylaws, or are already dealt with under existing Government legislation.

'That makes the sections involved unnecessary, and for the sake of clarity and simplicity, we are proposing that they be deleted,” says Judy.

Other changes include:

• Clarifying throughout the bylaw that restrictions apply to parks and reserves;
• Adding clauses to the waste section prohibiting the disposal of household waste in rubbish receptacles in parks and reserves;
• Prohibiting the discharge of waste or stormwater onto parks and reserves from neighbouring properties; and
• Removing the prohibition on the use of playground equipment by people over the age of 12.

'The Council encourages all interested people and organisations to view the draft bylaw and make submissions online, or in writing, by Tuesday 20 November,” says Judy.

The draft bylaw, statement of proposal and submission form can be accessed on the Council website.

Hard copies of these documents are also available at Council offices and District Libraries, or can be requested by ringing 07 306 0500.