Freedom camping submissions close soon
Under the draft freedom-camping bylaw, tents such as this one at Waitapu Bridge will continue to be illegal. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Residents have until 12 April to make submissions on council’s draft freedom-camping bylaw.
The draft bylaw was presented in a report to TDC’s environment and planning committee on March 10 by council’s environmental health co-ordinator, Graeme Caradus. Its stated aim is to protect public health and avert nuisance and fire risk by regulating freedom camping in the Tasman District. The bylaw defines where freedom camping can and cannot happen and the capabilities of the vehicles that are permitted. It provides for fines to be issued to persons found to be camping in breach.
Submissions will be heard and considered by the environment and planning committee at its 21 April meeting. That committee’s decision will be ratified by full council on 19 May and the draft bylaw comes into effect on 31 May this year.
The draft bylaw was considered necessary because the only enforcement previously available to council staff or delegated officers was under the Trespass Act 1980. Before, a non-complying vehicle could only be asked to move on; now, an enforcement officer can issue an instant fine of between $100 and $500.
Council’s existing freedom-camping policy is fully encapsulated in the draft bylaw. The bylaw has the important addition of a specified standard of self-containment that a vehicle must meet before it is allowed to be used for freedom camping: the New Zealand Standard NZS 5465: 2000 Self-Containment of Motor Caravans and Caravans.
Under the draft bylaw, freedom campers in complying vehicles may stay for up to two nights in specified areas and then they must move more than one kilometre from where they last freedom camped for two nights at any time in the previous month or four-week period.
It will be illegal to freedom camp in a wide range of named areas, and others that are carefully described, such as within 500 metres of “no camping” signs, at road ends, on any formed roadway or on any council-controlled land on which freedom camping may cause an obstruction or hazard to traffic.
The draft bylaw and the documents that support it can be viewed at TDC’s Takaka service centre and at the library. Submissions close on 12 April. Send to the administration advisor, Tasman District Council, Private Bag 4, 189 Queen Street, Richmond 7031. Or email to info@tasman.govt.nz or faxed to 03 543 9524.
Neil Wilson
