Dog ownership is one of several council bylaws that will be put out for public consultation. Photo / LDR
Whakatāne District Council held a briefing on Wednesday to guide staff in finalising drafts of bylaws under revision and a new draft Stock Movements Bylaw ahead of public consultation in April.
Bylaws for dog control and alcohol control were among those being redrafted.
The draft Dog Control Bylaw sparked strong discussion.
Staff are proposing to introduce a limit of two dogs per urban property. This aims to reduce the risk of dog attacks and intimidation, noise and nuisance, welfare issues and strays.
Councillors Gavin Dennis, Jesse Morgan-Ranui and Tu O’Brien were concerned about how this bylaw would affect people who lived in town and kept dogs for hunting.
“A big proportion of our people have a lot of hunting dogs ... anywhere from three to 10 dogs. A lot of pack owners properly house and look after their dogs – we do have, however, the odd few who around who spoil it for the rest.”
The councillors were told people wanting to have more than two dogs, such as hunters, breeders or foster carers, could apply for permits to do so.
Although the subject is not yet included in the draft bylaw, staff are also seeking community input on whether dogs should be permitted in the CBD at all times on a leash. Currently they are prohibited between 9am and 5pm, seven days a week.
Another change they will seeking input on is prohibiting dogs from Ōhope Beach between West End and the Whakatāne Surf Lifesaving Club between 9am and 5pm during the peak summer season of December 20 to February 28.
Deputy Mayor Julie Jukes said, as a shop owner, she felt the CBD restrictions worked perfectly well as they were.
She did not want dogs in the CBD, “because of the damage they do to your property that is out on the street”.
“However, I’m happy for that to go out for consultation because that’s my personal view, it might not be everybody else’s.”
Councillor Andrew Iles commented that there were dogs in the CBD every day of the week.
“Some businesses actually cater to dogs. They have water bowls. It obviously hasn’t been enforced.”
Jukes also questioned where the idea had come from for the restrictions at Ōhope Beach.
“Have we had complaints about dogs in that busy period? I’ve continually walked dogs there during that busy period and most of the people on the beach are dog walkers. There’s so few dog walking areas and that’s the most popular spot.”
Community regulation manager Nancy Elliot said there had been incidents during this summer, though they were not necessarily reported to the council.
“And as you know, we’re having a bit of a national crisis in terms of dog behaviours,” she said.
“We thought it would be a good idea to consult on whether those dogs should be allowed on the beach, specifically, without being on lead ... It is a very busy beach and there are also children.
“Not everyone loves dogs bounding up to them.”
Changes were also being considered for the Alcohol Control Bylaw.
Alcohol control areas include streets in central business district areas, beaches, reserves, parks, boat ramps and jetties.
Currently alcohol is prohibited in these areas from noon on Thursdays to 3am on Monday, on a permanent basis. Over the Christmas and New Year period it is also prohibited between noon on Christmas Eve to noon on Boxing Day, and from noon on New Year’s Eve to 3am on New Year’s Day.
Police had also requested that the public carpark in front of Ōhope Beach Tavern be included in the alcohol control area to deter drinking after closing hours.
Councillor Gavin Dennis asked whether a full-time ban would give police the discretion to prevent people causing disruption by drinking in public in the morning.
He has heard complaints from the public that there have been issues around some homeless people drinking outside public toilets at that time.
It was decided to put the question out to the community, with options for either a full-time ban, the proposed change or sticking with the current bylaw.
The proposed new Stock Movement Bylaw would introduce stock movement permits and cover the prohibition of stock on roads during the hours of darkness, stock underpasses, inspections and recovery costs for damage to roads.
Several of the district’s farmers have grazing areas on both sides of rural roads and must move stock across roads regularly.
The need for the bylaw has arisen from issues with stock on the road in Waimana.
“We worked with them around ways they could minimise the mud, licences to occupy and improving their stock crossings,” said transport manager Ann-Elise Reynolds.
Iles raised the issue that stock being prohibited from roads during the hours of darkness would impact dairy farmers moving stock across roads for milking.
“That would be one of about 12 farmers in Waimana alone and if you go out to Galatea, Murupara and beyond, it’s an even a bigger issue.”
Staff responded that this would become part of their permit application and council staff could talk to them about how they could do this safely for themselves and other road users.
The bylaw would manage how the activities could be carried out while minimising damage to the road.
Prosecution under the bylaw could result in a $1000 fine.
Mayor Nandor Tanczos said the best time for “thrashing out the details” of the bylaws would come after hearing some of the feedback from the community.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.