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From today until 5 December, Auckland Council is seeking public feedback on a proposed new Te Ture ā-Rohe Noho Puni Wātea ā-Waka 2022 / Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw 2022 to help manage freedom camping in Auckland.
The proposed new Bylaw designates 45 areas where freedom camping will be prohibited and 22 areas where it will be restricted.
There are two key differences between this new proposal and the previous freedom camping bylaw proposal, which was released for public consultation in 2018/19:
Reserve land has been excluded from the scope of the proposed new freedom camping bylaw. This means camping at Auckland’s reserves will continue to be managed under the Reserves Act 1977, which prohibits all camping on reserves unless specific approval is given.
General rules would apply to all other council-controlled land, including roadsides, that is not already designated as a prohibited or restricted area in the bylaw.
Chair of the Freedom Camping Bylaw Panel, Councillor Linda Cooper, says Auckland is a popular destination for freedom camping.
“Although most people make the effort to camp responsibly, freedom camping still has impacts that cause community concern. In Auckland, these impacts are exacerbated by the region’s growth and intensification, which puts extra pressure on shared spaces like parks, beaches and community facilities.
“Like many other local authorities, Auckland Council wants to ensure freedom campers camp responsibly and have a great experience while visiting our region. This means staying in suitable places, keeping themselves and others safe, looking after the environment and respecting their host communities and other campers.”
The council is consulting on the designated prohibited areas and restricted areas, and on four general rules to help prevent and manage the regionwide impacts of freedom camping outside these areas. The proposed general rules would require all freedom campers staying in Auckland to:
• use a certified self-contained vehicle;
• stay a maximum of two nights in the same road/off-road parking area;
• vacate their parking space by 9am on the day of departure;
• not return to stay in the same road/off-road parking area within a two-week period.
If adopted, the new Bylaw will be effective from 1 September 2022. The existing Bylaw will apply throughout Auckland until then and can be viewed on the council’s website.
For more information visit OurAuckland.
