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Regulatory Subcommittee
1 October 2020
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Part
A Reports
Late Submission Report
Department: Parks and Recreation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 The
purpose of this report is to ask the Subcommittee to consider whether it will
accept a late submission on the proposed amendment to the Camping Control Bylaw
2015. One submission was received after the closing date of 31 August 2020.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Subcommittee:
a) Decides whether to accept the late submission.
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BACKGROUND
2 The
public consultation period was open from 3 August 2020 to 31 August 2020.
3 Nineteen
submissions were received during the consultation period.
4 One
submission (Beth Garey - 788633) was received on 3 September 2020, three days
after the consultation period closed. Miss Garey acknowledged her submission
was late and indicated she had overlooked the closing date for submissions.
DISCUSSION
5 Submission
788633 was made by Beth Garey. Miss Garey’s submission discusses:
a) Her
perspective as a DCC/DoC Community Ranger, employed to patrol freedom camping
sites during the previous tourism season.
b) The
way the Thomas Burns Street site served as a central hub that was useful for
providing campers with information.
c) The
positive effects of providing campers with rubbish and toilet facilities.
d) The
ease of access to the central business district the site provides, allowing
freedom campers with access to amenities, goods and services.
e) The
sentiment among campers the site has produced; that Dunedin values its
visitors.
6 Miss
Garey’s submission includes topics that are not raised by other submitters.
7 As
this is an administrative report only, a summary of considerations is not
required.
OPTIONS
8 Not
applicable.
Signatories
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Author:
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Stephen Hogg - Parks and Recreation Planner
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Authoriser:
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John Brenkley - Planning and Partnerships Manager
Scott MacLean - Acting Group Manager Parks and Recreation
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Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
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Regulatory Subcommittee
1 October 2020
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Proposed amendment to the Camping Control
Bylaw 2015 - Results of Consultation
Department: Parks and Recreation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 This
report presents a summary of the submissions received during consultation on
the proposed amendment to the Camping Control Bylaw 2015 (the Bylaw). The
proposed amendment would add the Thomas Burns Street carpark to the Bylaw under
Schedule C and permit unrestricted overnight camping at the site between 1
November and 30 April each season.
2 There
were 19 submissions made during consultation on the proposed amendment to the
Camping Control Bylaw 2015. The special consultative procedure was used for
consultation, as required by the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Of these
submissions, 11 support the proposed amendment and 7 do not; 1 submitter partly
supports the proposed amendment.
3 There
was one late submission and it is recommended that the Regulatory Subcommittee
decides whether to accept this.
4 Three
submitters wish to be heard, including the late submitter.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Subcommittee:
a) Considers the
results of the consultation on the proposed amendment to the Bylaw.
b) Makes recommendations
to the Council on the proposed amendment to the Bylaw.
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BACKGROUND
Review of Bylaw
5 Staff
presented findings of a review of the Bylaw to Council on 31 January 2020. The
review identified increasing numbers of campers visiting Dunedin, overloading
of unrestricted freedom camping sites, and associated infringements and
complaints as the most significant issues affecting management of freedom
camping across the city.
6 The
review highlighted the effect the two-year trial of the Thomas Burns Street
carpark as an unrestricted freedom camping site had on redistributing and
managing numbers of campers at The Dunedin City Council’s two other
unrestricted sites. A city-wide reduction in freedom camping infringements also
occurred during the trial period.
7 Staff
proposed that amending the Bylaw to include the Thomas Burns Street carpark as
a Schedule C unrestricted camping area would be the most appropriate means of
addressing the issues identified. A draft amended Bylaw, Statement of Proposal
and public submission form were presented and approved by Council on 30 June
2020.
Proposed amendment to the
Camping Control Bylaw 2015
8 The
proposed amendment adds the Thomas Burns Street carpark to Schedule C of the
Bylaw as an unrestricted area for freedom camping. This amendment would permit
overnight camping in non-self-contained vehicles at the site between 1 November
and 30 April each season, with conditions that campers parked in designated
areas, stay a maximum of two consecutive nights and depart the site by
8:30am. Certified self-contained vehicles are currently permitted to
overnight camp in any Council owned sealed or gravelled parking space under
Schedule B of the Bylaw.
DISCUSSION
Consultation
9 Consultation
on the proposed amendment to the Camping Control Bylaw 2015, using the special
consultative procedure, was carried out between 3 August 2020 and 31 August
2020.
10 Methods
of consultation included information posted to the Dunedin City Council (DCC)
website, a public notice in the Otago Daily Times and a media release.
Approximately 35 letters were delivered to residents and businesses within
proximity of the Thomas Burns Street carpark advising them of the proposed
amendment; the majority of these were within the block bordered by Mason
Street, Tewsley Street, Fryatt Street and Thomas Burns Street. Letters
were also sent to ten campground providers within and in proximity to Dunedin
and twelve budget accommodation providers in proximity to the central business
district.
11 The
submission form asked whether submitters supported the proposed amendment to
the Bylaw and provided the options ‘yes’, ‘no’ and
‘partly’. Submitters were also asked to comment on what they agreed
or disagreed with and why and provided space for any further comments.
Submissions
12 Nineteen
submissions were received during the consultation period and there was one late
submission.
13 Five
submitters indicated they belong to an organisation. These submissions
were made by members representing the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board, Holiday
Parks New Zealand, Leviathan Hotel, Ksubi Clothing and Waitaki Waters Holiday
Park.
Summary of submissions
14 Submissions
were summarised and analysed to identify topics. Twenty-two topics were
identified during this process.
15 Ten
topics were identified by those submitters that supported the proposed
amendment. The topics raised by the late submitter have been included in these
results.
a) Six
submitters commented that the proposed amendment would be beneficial, to:
i) campers
(3),
ii) residents
(2),
iii) the
local environment (1).
b) Five
submitters commented that the proposed amendment would benefit tourism:
i) by
portraying Dunedin as a city that welcomes visitors (2),
ii) by
attracting tourists (2),
iii) because
freedom campers are important to Dunedin’s economy (1).
c) Four
submitters requested Council provide more:
i)
sites for freedom camping (3),
ii)
facilities for campers at unrestricted sites (1).
d) Two
submitters commented that the Thomas Burns trial site had been successful in
reducing numbers at other overloaded unrestricted camping sites.
e) One
submitter commented that freedom camping promoted the sharing of spaces.
16 Twelve
topics were identified by those submitters that did not support the proposed
amendment.
a) Nine
submitters commented that Dunedin’s existing accommodation providers:
i) Will
be negatively affected by another free camping site (5),
ii) Can
meet demand during the November – April period (1),
iii) Should
be accommodating visitors, rather than freedom camping sites (3).
b) Six
submitters commented that the proposal to use the Thomas Burns carpark as an
unrestricted freedom camping site will:
i) Reduce
parking availability for residents (4),
ii) Negatively
affect the amenity and visitor experience of the site (1)
and
iii) Prime
real estate should not be offered free of charge (1).
c) Six
submitters commented that freedom campers in Dunedin:
i) Should
only be permitted to camp in certified self-contained vehicles (3),
ii) Should
have to pay a fee to use Council sites or facilities (2),
iii) Should
be prohibited from camping in urban areas (1).
d) Four
submitters commented that:
i) Freedom
campers are low-value contributors to Dunedin’s economy and Council
should not be attracting them (1),
ii) Ratepayers
should not bear the cost of freedom camping (3).
e) One
submitter commented that visitors will not be deterred from coming to Dunedin
if freedom camping sites were removed.
17 One
submitter partly supported the proposed amendment and commented the site should
only provide for certified self-contained campers.
OPTIONS
18 There
are no options to this report as the purpose is to present a summary of
submissions.
NEXT STEPS
19 Next
steps are for the Regulatory Subcommittee to consider consultation results and
make recommendations to the Council regarding the proposed amendments to the
Camping Control Bylaw 2015.
Signatories
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Author:
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Stephen Hogg - Parks and Recreation Planner
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Authoriser:
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John Brenkley - Planning and Partnerships Manager
Scott MacLean - Acting Group Manager Parks and Recreation
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Attachments
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Title
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Page
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⇩a
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Draft Amended Camping
Control Bylaw 2015
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17
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit with purpose
of Local Government
This decision enables democratic local
decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.
This decision promotes the social
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
This decision promotes the economic
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
This decision promotes the environmental
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
This decision promotes the cultural
well-being of communities in the present and for the future.
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Fit with strategic
framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Environment Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Spatial Plan
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☒
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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☒
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☐
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☐
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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☒
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☐
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☐
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This summary report for consideration has no impact on the
strategic framework, however the proposed amendment to the Camping Control
Bylaw has potential to contribute to strategies in terms of safe and healthy
people, compelling destination, vibrant city and liveable city.
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Māori Impact
Statement
This summary report for consideration has no specific
impacts for tangata whenua.
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Sustainability
This summary report for consideration has no specific
impacts for sustainability.
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LTP/Annual Plan /
Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy
This summary report for consideration has no impacts for
these documents.
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Financial
considerations
There are no financial implications to this summary
report.
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Significance
Significance is assessed as low to medium for the proposed
amendment to the Camping Control Bylaw 2015. The proposal is consistent with
existing DCC policy and strategy, has a low impact on Council’s
finances, capability and capacity. The proposal has been considered
moderately important to Dunedin regarding the long-term social, economic, environmental
and cultural impact, and moderately significant in terms of public interest.
The special consultative procedure was used to consult on proposals, as
required by the Local Government Act 2002.
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Engagement –
external
Methods of consultation for the special consultative
procedure included the Dunedin City Council (DCC) website, a media release
and a public notice in the Otago Daily Times. Businesses and residences near
the Thomas Burns Street carpark were engaged through a letter drop and
campgrounds and budget accommodation providers were also contacted directly.
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Engagement -
internal
There has been internal engagement with in-house legal
counsel, Corporate Policy, Customer and Regulatory Services, Governance and
Communications and Marketing departments during the Bylaw review and
consultation process.
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Risks: Legal /
Health and Safety etc.
There are no identified risks to this summary report for
consideration.
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Conflict of
Interest
There is no known conflict of interest.
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Community Boards
Freedom Camping affects all of the Community Boards, the
proposal to add Thomas Burns carpark to Schedule C is a response to the
overcrowding issues that were problematic in the existing Schedule C sites.
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