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So, why do you need to have a say about Kāpiti's Beach Bylaw?
OPINION: If the bylaw isn't proposed with ideas from the community, you might as well say goodbye to it.
The bylaw requires that it gets proposed every decade (10 years) in order for it to stay, otherwise, it vanishes and beaches will not have the bylaw in place to protect them from any vulnerabilities.
The beach bylaw is one of several pieces of national, regional and local rules that govern the Kāpiti coastal environment. It works with and is subject to a range of powers under transport, marine and conservation Acts, regional council regulations and customary rights provisions. The Police and Fire and Emergency also play a role on New Zealand beaches.
Image: CC/ Sam Hudson
A meeting was held at Otihanga's Boating Club on Thursday evening to discuss the new rules proposed for longline fishing systems, horse riding on the beach, disability access and allowing the use of mobility devices, enabling iwi practices and much more was proposed as new ideas during the meet.
The hearing of all submissions is due to be heard on November 26, where members of the local community can speak directly to Councillors on their written submissions which is a great opportunity for all to have a say while they can and also the beach bylaw review is at Formal Consultation which runs for five weeks from October 12 to November 13.
The importance of this bylaw is that locals from the community get stuck in and make it right as the council must listen to what the community has to say and suggest for the proposed bylaw.
Image: CC/ Sam Hudson
ATTICA Otaki Candidate Michael Kay is wishing and willing to set up a local meeting in the area so ideas and submissions can be listened to. In a previous meeting, he explained the importance of the bylaw and how it should have been set up saying there was a policy ‘orgy' in farming after numerous amounts of national policy. He says that the meeting was like that.
Otaki is being neglected from the local Kāpiti Council in terms of setting up a meeting.
“Basically you have got a whole society trying to interact on the beach, you've got people coming from all sorts of different perspectives. These were the people that should of written this policy, so, what we are doing here is putting the cart back behind the horse again, so we are playing catch up. It's really important,” says Michael Kay.
If you wish to learn more about the beach bylaw review please read below for more information.
You can read about the Beach Bylaw review by clicking here.
Image: Department of Conservation
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