Feedback open for new Whangārei alcohol control bylaw

A proposed new bylaw will allow temporary alcohol control areas for events to be created in Whangārei.

The public places where the consumption, bringing in and possession of alcohol in Whangārei is prohibited are under the spotlight as Whangārei District Council's Alcohol Control Bylaw opens for public consultation.

The proposed bylaw is set to replace the current Liquor Management Bylaw 2011, which due to legislative changes will expire on December 18.

It is proposed to keep the 13 specified community alcohol control areas which are in the old bylaw, but split the Whananaki area into two areas and make some minor adjustments to the boundaries of some of the other areas.

In those areas, the consumption, bringing in and possession of alcohol, including inside a vehicle would be banned at all times.

Those areas are: Whangārei CBD, Kamo, Marsden Village, Matapouri, Oakura, Onerahi, Otaika, Otangarei, Otuihau (Whangārei Falls), Pataua, Tikipunga, Waipū, and Whananaki.

The ban also applies to the area from the mean low water springs to 300 metres inland along the coast, where it is public land.

The council sought feedback from the police on the different areas where alcohol is banned. Police said all existing areas should be retained to ensure alcohol related crime and disorder is prevented from reoccurring.

However, police said they don't overly use the 300m coastal ban as the majority of problem areas are covered by the specific area bans, but having the ban in place over summer in Bream Bay is useful. Police suggested modifying the boundaries or modifying the timeframes.

Council staff recommended retaining the ban boundary and that it applies 24/7 but changing the time it applies to December 1 to March 1.

When councillors came to adopt the proposed bylaw for public consultation, councillor Vince Cocurullo made an amendment that the 300 metre coastal ban was kept in place all year round.

"Let's give the public a chance to have their say on it," he said.

Alongside a provision for temporary bans, the new bylaw will give council the ability to make or revoke individual control areas by resolution, after public consultation, rather than having to make an amendment to the bylaw itself.

People will still be able to apply for exemptions for weddings or other events.

Any requests for new ban areas which come up during consultation will be considered through a programme next year.

Submissions close on October 5. Maps of the areas, and an online submission form, or a hard copy form which can be downloaded is available on the WDC website.