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Enforcement is a key concern among those who made submissions recently on Auckland Council’s proposed Freedom Camping in Vehicles bylaw.
Another is that the proposed new rules do not restrict freedom camping enough – many submitters were fundamentally opposed to freedom camping.
The draft bylaw went out for public consultation last October-December.
Feedback on the bylaw was received from a total of 1617 individuals and organisations to the Have Your Say consultation, and from 1914 individuals to a research survey.
Around 240 respondents were from this local board area.
A majority is in favour of Council including general rules regarding freedom camping where it is not otherwise prohibited or restricted – with support for this particularly high in this area. The need for campervans to be self-contained was also supported by the majority.
Locals were fairly evenly split on whether freedom camping should be prohibited in Metro Park East in Millwater, and restricted to certain sites (with conditions) on the Hammerhead at Gulf Harbour.
When Council staff brought the public feedback to this month’s Hibiscus & Bays workshop, local board member Janet Fitzgerald reiterated the importance of proper enforcement and fines once the new rules are in place – particularly noting the issues at Gulf Harbour raised in the February 7 issue of Hibiscus Matters.
In response, a member of Council’s compliance team said that contracting enforcement to security companies, as is currently done with noise control complaints, would be a good option and that funding for that is available.
Under the proposed rules, freedom camping is permitted in residential streets, with restrictions on how long they can stay. Council’s compliance team noted that enforcement could also be applied there –although generally residential streets are not hot spots as most campers look for coastal sites.
“But if a street near a beach causes problems for residents on an ongoing basis, a restriction could be put in place,” the staff member said.
The Hibiscus & Bays Local Board considered the feedback at its business meeting last week. If members wish, they can also present local board views to the Bylaw Panel in April.
The Bylaw Panel will consider all the feedback, deliberate and make recommendations to the Governing Body on April 29 and May 6.
The Governing Body will make a final decision on whether or not to adopt the proposed changes in June.
If adopted, the bylaw would come into effect from September 1.
