Public consultation on Animal Nuisance Bylaw approved

A new proposed bylaw created a buzz at the Waipā District Council Strategic Planning & Policy Committee meeting on Tuesday, but produced no sting in the tail.

The Committee gave the green light to public consultation on a draft Animal Nuisance Bylaw which will run from Friday 12 November to 5pm, Monday 13 December 2021.

“The purpose of this bylaw is to regulate the keeping of bees, pigs, poultry and other animals in urban areas, so that they do not create a nuisance or endanger the health or safety of the public,” said Waipā District Council’s Strategic Projects Driver, Graham Pollard.

“We’re anticipating having contact with known keepers of bees, pigs and poultry particularly in the urban areas, any specialist organisations and national bodies and online information. We will also have a contactless online submission form available.”

In supporting the motion Te Awamutu councillor Lou Brown said the bylaw aligned the Waipā District nicely with other councils such as the Hamilton City Council.

“I think this just removes from our agenda a law that we had about beehives.

“This is something that I believe was a long-pulled process but I would support it very much.”

Submissions for the draft Animal Nuisance Bylaw can be made online if necessary and would not be dependent upon COVID-19 alert levels, Pollard said.

The bylaw also provides specific provisions for keeping bees, pigs and poultry including:

• regarding the distance hives can be from property boundaries where there is, or is not, a solid 2 metre high fence;
• a minimum property area where beekeeping may be permitted;
• limits on the number of hives that can be kept on a property depending on the size of that property;
• a prohibition on keeping pigs in the residential zone, and restrictions in the large lot residential zone;
• no roosters at all in urban areas;
• restrictions on the number of poultry in urban areas;
• the location of poultry houses in urban areas in relation to dwellings, buildings and adjoining property boundaries

On 3 August 2021, the Committee resolved that a new bylaw should be made to also include the animal nuisance provisions remaining in the District Plan following the earlier outcome of the District Plan Change 18 process regarding the keeping of bees in urban areas.

“The Committee determined at its meeting on 3 August 2021 that a new Animal Nuisance Bylaw should be made and that it should cover the issues of keeping specific animals such as pigs, bees and poultry. These have been included in the draft bylaw,” Pollard said.

“Most of the issues in the draft bylaw have the same intent as the existing District Plan provisions they are intended to replace, although the drafting has been changed to improve clarity of purpose and enforcement.”

This draft bylaw does not apply to dogs as these animals are covered by the Waipā District Dog Control Bylaw.

On Friday 12 November, more information about the draft bylaw and submission forms will be available on the Council website for feedback at waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay.

Paper copies of the draft Animal Nuisance Bylaw and the Statement of Proposal will be available at Council offices and libraries when these are open to the public.