Feedback on bylaw changes sought
12 June 2018
Waipa District Council wants feedback on a suite of proposed bylaw changes aimed at clarifying rules around public places, cemeteries and waste.
A public places bylaw must be reviewed every 10 years. As part of the review, Council wants to combine three bylaws involving public places, signage and the sale of goods, traffic and stock droving into one. One bylaw will clarify the rules and make the bylaw easier to understand and administer.
Group manager service delivery Barry Bergin said the proposed changes aim to streamline some processes and iron out some kinks around signage, footpaths and mobile traders. Council wants better management of large signs near roads. Proposed changes will ensure shops can continue to display goods on footpaths, but must leave two metres of clear space for pedestrians and mobility scooters.
Council is also proposing to introduce some restrictions on where mobile traders can operate from.
We want to take a closer look at this to make sure we have trading happening in safe areas and not in really popular areas where they may take up valuable car parks. Some of the places we are looking at restricting is between Victoria Park and the Town Hall in Cambridge and in Council car parks.
Final decisions won't be made until we have heard back from what the community thinks about this said Mr Bergin.
Proposed cemetery changes involve limits on the number of plots that can be secured so that better use can be made of existing burial space in the district. Council also wants to bring its rules around headstones and monuments into line with other councils to ensure memorials don't hinder cemetery maintenance.
In terms of waste, Council is proposing rules to help manage one-off waste and inorganic collection events and also that commercial building consent holders be held responsible for minimising and disposing of waste on building sites. This is to be consistent with other Waikato and Bay of Plenty councils.
Details of the proposed changes to all three bylaws will be available online from 15 June as well as from Council offices. Council will be seeking public feedback until 5pm, Friday 20 July 2018.