Ban on beach traffic

Posted by Posted by Pegasus Rental Cars and written by Mike Barrington Norhtern Advocate 26th November 2009 on 2 December 2009 | 0 Comments

A vehicle ban on Ruakaka beach - the first of its kind in Northland - was approved by the Whangarei District Council yesterday after a skirmish with people who wanted the traffic ban extended.

Two members of the Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust left the council chambers after angrily voicing objections while the council was considering a bylaw to set up a "safe zone" on an 815m-long strip of beach at Ruakaka.

Only police, emergency services, surf lifesaving and other authorised traffic will be allowed to drive in the zone after the bylaw takes effect on December 7. Fines of up to $20,000 are provided for breaches.

Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust members attended the meeting with a 2163-signature petition calling for further safe zones on beaches at Marsden Village, Uretiti and Waipu Cove.

Their earlier efforts to present the petition to the council had been rejected, with the council adamant it would not be included with the Ruakaka agenda item.

Council discussion on the proposed bylaw opened with Cr Phil Halse saying Ruakaka was the only place where required public consultation had been carried out on the safe zone issue but he had the trust's petition to "put on the desk".

Deputy Mayor Kahu Sutherland proposed an amendment restricting council debate on safe zones to Ruakaka only.

Coastal Care Trust member Margaret Hicks was on her feet immediately calling "point of order!" and her trust colleague David Lourie also protested.

Council secretary Michael Ronan told them they could not address the council at that time and Mr Lourie left the chamber. But Ms Hicks said: "This is an undemocratic process. Cr Sutherland should be ashamed of himself."

After repeated requests to sit down and be quiet or leave, she left "in protest".

Cr Sutherland said he could not condone the Ruakaka safe zone traffic ban because it was exclusively for the benefit of people living in that vicinity.

People had been driving on the beach for many years to fish or gather kaimoana. It was part of their heritage and lifestyle, he said. "Every beach in New Zealand should be accessible," Cr Sutherland said.

His motion was withdrawn after council CEO Mark Simpson advised it "predetermined the issue" and would be a "dangerous step".

Cr Sheryl Mai said the concerns of the petitioners could be heard at an appropriate time and the bylaw had a schedule for extending the safe zones in future.

Staff said bylaw enforcement would begin with informing the public so they would eventually accept the new rules, which could be reviewed if necessary.

Cr Sutherland said the bylaw contained an anomaly, allowing motorists with keys to use council safe zone access to the beach, but if others drove up the beach to the locked gate they would be breaking the rules.

Cr Halse said the key holders were "trustworthy beach users who have become our watchdogs".

Mr Semenoff said the days of old Land Rovers putt-putting along the beach had changed to "guys in flash four-wheel-drives doing silly things".

"I would not like to be in council and have a death happen on our beaches," he said.

The bylaw was approved with only Cr Sutherland voting against it. The council then received the petition.