Our new Freedom Camping Ambassadors had a busy start to the season when flooding hit a popular freedom camping spot in Golden Bay.
On Tuesday 3 December a heavy deluge caused flooding across the Bay, including at Waitapu Bridge where campers were staying.
Ambassador Programmes manager Sally Wood said the river was moving very fast and starting to enter the car park when she arrived.
“We joined a number of locals who were already taking action to assist the tourists by informing them to move into the town centre due to the rapidly rising river and surrounding flood waters.
“It was great to see Golden Bay community members showing manaakitanga to visitors. One local had even gone to get his tractor to help stranded tourists with a flat van battery who were starting to panic.”
The tourist vehicles left Waitapu Bridge just in time as the main road, SH60, was closed shortly after the ambassadors left the site.
This summer, we have Freedom Camping Ambassadors working across the District to encourage responsible camping behaviour.
The trial will see a team of ambassadors out and about amongst campers in Golden Bay, Motueka and Richmond to help visitors to enjoy our District respectfully, and minimise negative impacts from camping on the local community and the environment.
Most people want to do the right thing but the rules are different all over New Zealand so there is some confusion about where people can stay and for how long. By putting education before enforcement, we aim to welcome visitors and support them to do the right thing.
The ambassadors will:
The trial programme will run until the end of February. It is funded by a grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment responsible camping fund.
Enforcement inspections will continue and fines can be issued to those who ignore the good advice of the Freedom Camping Ambassadors.
I promised during my election campaign that I’d buy an e-bike to take my car off the road, and I’m now well into my routine of biking the 6.2km from my house to the Council for meetings.
Road congestion is one of the region’s biggest problems, and the more people we can put on bikes the better for everyone.
The personal benefits of cycling have been fantastic. In fact, it’s a piece of cake – e-bikes are just unbelievably good. It takes me 15 minutes to get from my door to Council’s door. The fresh air is great, you see more, and you can avoid the traffic lights.
I’m now intending to bike more often to meet constituents, including tackling the Aniseed Valley hill this week.
This is a great place to live and all we want to do is try and make it better. The biggest issue is that so many people have worked out this is a great place to live, so growth is a challenge.
Government statistics show one-sixth of household car trips in New Zealand are under 2km long and almost half are less than 6km long. Short distance car trips are particularly polluting, as cold engines consume around 40 per cent more fuel, produce more emissions and increase engine wear and tear.
Travel to work is the largest travel category and the one most dependent on driving – and a whopping 90 percent of people travelling to work in cars are the only person in the car. We can do better than this. I’d encourage everyone to bike to work, and if you’re worried about turning up sweaty, invest in an e-bike. You’ll save money, wear and tear on your car, get some great exercise, and arrive at work and at home happier.
Kit Maling
Richmond Ward Councillor
A summary of recent Council meetings and the decisions made.
Strategy and Policy Committee – 28 November 2019
Adopted a new Gambling Venues Policy with a sinking lid on pokie machines in the District. More information on page 6.
Received an update on the Environmental Policy team’s work programme. The team are working on a major multi-year review of all Tasman’s planning rules and implementing new national directions for environmental and resource management. The committee confirmed the priorities for the review are: planning for growth, climate change and natural hazards, reviewing freshwater management and land disturbance policy.
Regulatory Committee – 28 November 2019
Received annual reports on biosecurity, biodiversity and air quality in the District. These summaries of the year’s progress in dealing with pests, improving biodiversity and air pollution are available on our website in the agenda for the Regulatory Committee meeting.
Received a report on the Regulatory team’s work for the six months to 31 October. There were 421 noise complaints over the period and 33 dog infringements for issues such as failing to register a dog, failing to keep a dog under control and excessive barking. The Regulatory team’s work also includes freedom camping enforcement and education and the Harbourmaster duties.
We're on call these holidays. For urgent or emergency issues you can contact us 24 hours a day on 03 543 8400, or via your local Council Service Centre number.
Office hours
Closed from 3.00 pm Tuesday 24 December 2019 – Monday 6 January 2020.
From Monday 6 January 2020 all offices are open 8.00 am – 4.30 pm, except Murchison, which is open Tuesday to Friday, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm and 1.10 pm – 4.00 pm.
Library hours
Tuesday 24 December 2019 – Murchison Library closes at 4.00 pm, Richmond, Motueka and Takaka libraries close
at 5.00 pm
Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December 2019 – all libraries closed
Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 January 2020 – all libraries closed
Recycling collections
Kerbside recycling collection will be a day later from Christmas Day. If your normal collection day is Wednesday 25 December then your collection will be Thursday 26 December. That carries on each day through to Saturday.
The same changes will apply for New Year’s Day week. Monday and Tuesday collections will be as normal in both weeks. Check out the calendar below.
Resource Recovery Centres
All centres (Collingwood, Motueka, Murchison, Richmond, Takaka) – closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Building inspections
Building Assurance will close for the holidays from 3.00 pm on Tuesday 24 December 2019 until 8.00 am Monday 6 January 2020.
The 20 day processing clock will stop on Friday 20 December 2019 and resume Friday 10 January 2020. Inspections will finish on Monday 23 December 2019 and resume on Monday 6 January 2020.
Changes to kerbside collections for Christmas and New Year.
Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year so most rubbish and recycling collections will be one day later.
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Collection day |
Amended collection day |
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Wednesday 25 December 2019 |
Thursday 26 December 2019 |
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Thursday 26 December 2019 |
Friday 27 December 2019 |
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Friday 27 December 2019 |
Saturday 28 December 2019 |
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Wednesday 1 January 2020 |
Thursday 2 January 2020 |
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Thursday 2 January 2020 |
Friday 3 January 2020 |
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Friday 3 January 2020 |
Saturday 4 January 2020 |
Please place your recycling bins and bags on the roadside in a location where our drivers can see them clearly. If you leave the area prior to collection day or have an excess, you can drop your official rubbish bags and recycling at any Resource Recovery Centre free of charge.
Make sure you do not overfill your recycling bin or glass crate, or it will not be collected. If you need a second crate for glass, you can buy one from a Council office or Resource Recovery Centre for $20. Because this is a busy time of the year our contractor will have extra vehicles on the road and will be starting early.
Please remember to have your rubbish and recycling out by 7.00 am and please take care when passing our collection vehicles.
Do you know where your water comes from? Out of the tap, right? Yes, that’s the easy answer, but how does it get there?
Throughout Tasman District homes access water in a variety of different ways, whether via the Council’s reticulated (piped) supply, from a private bore (well) or river take, from a rural water supply scheme such as Dovedale, Redwood or Eighty-Eight Valley, or through a resource consented water take (for example, for irrigation for horticulture).
Regardless of where you draw your household or business water from, if dry weather hits and restrictions are required you will need to reduce your water use to help protect our rivers and groundwater.
That’s because regardless of how you access water, the rivers, aquifers and groundwater sources that make up our natural water system are interlinked and all are at risk during a drought.
If you are connected to the reticulated supply or a rural water supply scheme you can now easily check what restrictions, if any, apply at your place. Just go to the website, tasman.govt.nz and search on “water restrictions”.
There’s a page with a table listing all the different reticulated water supplies – click on the one you’re on to see the restrictions that apply to you.
If you’re not sure which scheme you are on, there’s a map below the table that will help you find the right one.
On the same page, you can see the actual water usage figures for that scheme.
If you have a resource consent a percentage reduction will apply to your take and we will advise you directly what those are.
Those drawing water from a private bore or river take must also conserve water in the event of a drought – please avoid any unnecessary water use when conditions are dry.
An eagerly-awaited new cycle and walking pathway from Takaka to Pōhara Beach is now about a third of the way through construction and already proving extremely popular with locals and visitors alike.
The gravel pathway is 7.5km long and connects the two areas along the road reserve of Abel Tasman Drive. Work began in early November at Totally Roasted Café in Pōhara Beach and the cycleway is open up to where contractors are working, to the delight of the community.
Project manager Graham Rimmer says the first third of the $1m project was the most difficult as there was drainage to construct. However, the team is now well on its way to completing the whole project by early 2020.
Graham says Fulton Hogan is doing an exceptional job. “The community feedback has been amazing. It’s a great safety initiative.”
Every summer about 1,000 holidaymakers come to the Pōhara/Tata area. With both Tasman’s Great Taste Trail and cycling in general becoming more popular, the cycleway is a high priority for the community; about 1500 signatures were gathered locally in support of the project.
A Golden Bay working group helped us develop a detailed plan for the cycle/walkway connection. Their shared priorities were to provide children a safe way to get to school; give the public a safe way to get from Takaka to Pōhara; and offer tourists a safe way of exploring the area.
We recently asked what you thought of our draft Responsible Camping Strategy – thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read it and share your thoughts.
We received 183 submissions on the strategy. We found that about 60 per cent supported, 30 per cent opposed and 10 per cent were unsure how they felt about the vision, goals and objectives in the draft strategy.
The site assessment criteria, which was proposed to help decide on locations that are appropriate for freedom camping, received a number of positive comments and some suggestions for improvements.
Common themes from submissions included:
Several submitters expressed concern about freedom camping competing with commercial accommodation providers and that self-containment stickers are often displayed on non-self-contained vehicles. Some considered that freedom camping should only be allowed in self-contained vehicles.
We want to continue to be welcoming hosts to people wishing to enjoy the uniquely Tasman experience, and we expect our visitors to respect the special places and communities as they pass through.
The draft Responsible Camping Strategy is intended to help us manage responsible camping through regulations and by providing facilities and visitor information. It may lead to future rule changes in the Tasman Freedom Camping Bylaw.
Hearings have been held and our panel will make its recommendations to the Strategy and Policy Committee in February 2020.
Yellow bristle grass (YBG) is an unwanted grass that has established in many places throughout Tasman.
Present in New Zealand for many years, until recently it was not much of an issue for farmers, but then suddenly became very problematic. Although palatable to stock during spring, cattle will not graze YBG once it starts forming a seed head, between January and May. The loss of grass production on dairy farms in the North Island due to the presence of YBG has been estimated at around 20%.
Unfortunately, genetic analysis of YBG indicates that it may have hybridised with another species of bristle grass and become an aggressive hybrid. There are no suitable insect vectors that could be considered for introduction to control YBG, although some research into pathogens is underway.
The bristly seed head of YBG attaches readily to the hair of animals and can be moved between farms in feed such as hay. Roadside mowing is another seed movement pathway for YBG. This is very difficult to manage effectively, as it is not practicable to waterblast mower components between all the various YBG sites the roadside mowers operate over. YBG growing on the road verge can quickly spread to adjacent farmland, so being aware of the risk and identifying and controlling the grass when it is first noticed is important to prevent its establishment in pastureland.
YBG is now so widespread along road verges in Tasman that it is only controlled in areas where it is likely to spread to dairy farms, such as Golden Bay and the Murchison area. Spraying with glyphosate herbicide at the correct times of the year (late December / early January) is an effective control option.
Work continues on Māpua water upgrades
Work on the first section of this water supply and wastewater upgrade project has been completed, with properties at the wharf end of the village now connected to the new water main. Work has moved away from Aranui Road for the summer. During the school holidays, work will start on Stafford Drive near Māpua School.
Progress has been slower than anticipated due to a combination of factors, so from April 2020, two crews will operate in different areas to ensure the project stays on target for completion by the end of 2020. One crew will work on Stafford Drive and the other will work on Aranui Road.
Check out full details of the upcoming work programme on our website. Thanks to everyone for their patience while construction is underway.
Hope to Wakefield speed review
The NZ Transport Agency is reviewing speed limits on State Highway 6 between Hope and Wakefield and they want to hear what you think about speed on this road.
Do the current speed limits feel safe, or not? What parts of the road do you think are more dangerous than others?
Come and share your views at one of our drop-in sessions on Wednesday 18 December 2019.
Brightwater Four Square, 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
Wakefield School Hall, Edward Street, 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm
You can leave feedback online until 7 February 2020 at nzta.govt.nz/hope2wakefield
Annual Summer Book Sale
Māpua Community Library’s (corner of Aranui & Toru Streets) annual sale is on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 January, 9am to 1pm, rain or shine.
A great variety of high quality, excess, and duplicate donated books will be available at bargain prices, many priced at $1.00 or less.
Head along to enjoy the charms of Māpua village and stock up for your summer reading pleasure.
Building inspection updates
If you are carrying out any work that involves a building consent and inspections, we’ve made some changes that you’ll need to be aware of.
We are now carrying out under slab drainage inspections of waste pipes as some issues had been discovered in this area.
Are you prepared for your inspection? When we need to re-inspect because of problems like incorrect documentation, it’s not a great use of everyone’s time so please be sure to have everything ready for your inspection.
All buildings must be weathertight before a pre-line inspection can be done. There could be some exceptions for small areas, but you need to agree that with an inspector first.
As of 2 December you can book a final inspection without first putting the documentation into the system. It can be checked by the inspector on site in paper form and taken back to the office to be scanned. If any documents are missing or incorrect and there is no re-inspection required, you will simply upload these as normal into required docs when you receive them. If re-inspection is required, you can provide any outstanding documents to the inspector then.
You’ll no longer get a text confirming your inspection times. Instead you’ll get a call from the inspector either late in the day before or first thing in the morning.
Do you need a Building Location Certificate (BLC)? If your building is a new structure the answer is probably yes and that may need to happen before you pour any concrete. If you’re not sure or want to know more about this process, give us a call on 543 8400.
‘Fail’ is often a necessary word to use not only for incorrect building work, it is also used to record missing documentation. If a document is required such as engineers site notes or surveyors certificate we cannot ‘pass’ the inspection. The word ‘fail’ remains until the document has been provided. Any minor variation that is also ‘approved’ but accompanying documents are required to complete will remain a ‘fail’ until it’s received. Remember the word ‘fail’ is used in document management system to flag that more information is required.
MBIE has updated some information related to the Building Code provisions about protection from fire. Make sure you stay updated on their website, www.building.govt.nz.
Summer chlorination for Kaiteriteri water
The Kaiteriteri/Riwaka water supply will be chlorinated again this summer.
The consequences of a water-borne illness outbreak in Kaiteriteri over summer would be serious and difficult to contain, especially with large numbers of people camping in close proximity.
The chlorination programme will begin in December and continue through to March 2020, covering the peak visitor period.
Based on feedback from the trial last summer, changes will be made to better manage the issues residents reported.
For more information about why we chlorinate water supplies, search on chlorination on our site.
No new pokie machines
Numbers of pokie machines across Tasman will gradually reduce under our new ‘sinking lid’ policy.
The new Gambling Venues Policy 2019 means that when a pokie machine in the District is removed, for whatever reason, it can’t be replaced. We also will not be granting consents for any new pokie machines in the District. There are about 166 machines in the District currently.
Previously, our policy was a cap on the number of pokie machines.
This decision has taken more than a year of consultation and hearings, with councillors balancing the profits that gaming operators are obliged to distribute to community groups against the harm that gambling causes.
Gambling addiction services consider pokie machines to be the most addictive form of gambling, with addicts potentially suffering depression, suicide, emotional-psychological distress, job losses, crime, and relationship breakdowns.
Win with our firewood survey
As part of our efforts to improve our air quality, particularly over the winter period, we’d like to know more about where Tasman residents get their firewood.
To help us do this, please complete a short online survey at tasman.govt.nz/link/good-wood. Everyone who completes the survey will go into the draw to win one of three $50 Pressie cards.
Flush your taps, check your roof
Some plumbing fittings have the potential to allow minute traces of metals to accumulate in water standing in the fittings for several hours.
Although the health risk is small, the Ministry of Health recommends that you flush a mugful of water from your drinking-water tap each morning before use to remove any metals that may have dissolved from the plumbing fittings.
We recommend this simple precaution for all households, including those on public and private water supplies.
Everybody should try to save water whenever they can so you could collect the small amount you flush from the taps and use it for something else like watering plants (but not the veggie garden).
If you have a rainwater supply, flushing taps won’t help. You need to check your roof and guttering for materials that may contain metals that could contaminate the water: lead flashing, lead-headed nails, and lead paint, for example. These should be replaced if you find them.
Queen Street bus stop closure
The bus stops on Queen Street will be closed on Monday 30 December for Richmond Market Day.
A temporary bus stop will be set up on Talbot Street (opposite PAK'nSAVE). You can also catch the bus on Salisbury Road, between Talbot and Florence streets. Thanks for your patience with these temporary changes.
Road closures
Approved road closure
Applicant: Richmond Unlimited
Event: Richmond Market Day
Location: Queen Street – From the Night'n'Day dairy to McIndoe Place
Date and time: Monday 30 December 2019
Upcoming maritime events
The Harbourmaster has (or may soon) grant authorisations for the following events. These events may affect public use of the maritime area for a certain period of time.
Event activity: Giant Slalom and Christmas Picnic
Date and location: 15 December 2019, Waimea River
Event activity: New Year's Eve public fireworks display
Date and location: 31 December 2019 to 1 January 2020, Torrent Bay
Event activity: Tata Islands swimming races
Date and location: 11 January 2020, between Ngawhiti Island and Tata Beach
Event activity: Cardboard boat race
Date and location: 25 January 2020, Tata Beach/Ligar Inlet
Event activity: Jet Boat Family Fun Day and Rally West Bay
Date and location: 25 January 2020, West Bay Lake Rotoiti
Read more information about the Harbourmaster’s directions for events.
Info Event – Waimea Community Dam
If you would like to know more about the dam or if you have questions about the design, build or another area of interest, this is your opportunity to hear from the experts.
Waimea Water is hosting an Info Event to provide an update on the dam and to answer your questions.
When: Tuesday 17 December, 6.30 pm – 8.00 pm
Where: Richmond Town Hall, 9 Cambridge Street
What do you love about your local parks?
We’re reviewing the way we manage Moutere/Waimea Ward parks and reserves, and we need your help to make sure these public spaces suit locals and visitors now and in the future. Over the next few months, we’ll be asking you to tell us which reserves you use regularly, what you love about them, and any changes you would like to see to the way they are used or managed. The most important thing we want to know is: What’s your vision for their future?
Help us plan for the future of Saxton Field
First stage consultation closes 16 December 2019. We’re reviewing the way we manage Saxton Field – and we need your help to ensure a bright future for our region’s largest sports, recreation and events venue. We're asking what you enjoy about Saxton Field, how happy you are with the opportunities provided for sport, recreation and play, as well as the natural environment and landscape. Most importantly we want to know: What’s your vision for the future of Saxton Field? Have your say for more information and to fill in the survey.
Alcohol licence applications
Current applications for alcohol licences, including information on how to object, are advertised on our website.
Christmas events
Summer fun is underway, with a full programme of events for young and old to enjoy in the Tasman region. Here are some of the upcoming Christmas events:
Golden Bay Santa Parade – Saturday 14 December, 10.00 am. Commercial Street, Takaka. FREE.
Carols in the Park – Friday 6 December, 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm. Brightwater Domain. FREE.
Carols by Candlelight – Sunday 22 December. Entertainment from 6.30 pm, carols 8.00 pm. Washbourn Gardens, Richmond. FREE.
Carols on the Green – Tuesday 24 December, 7.00 pm. Village Green, Commercial Street, Takaka. FREE.
Richmond centre gets community funding support
A new community hub has opened in Queen Street, Richmond, offering a space to hang out as well as activities and workshops.
The Being Presence Centre opened at 237 Queen Street in October.
Led by Jenny Lyn Walker, this is a space for everyone with lots of activities happening every day. They range from yoga sessions, music jam sessions, language courses, creative arts workshops and spiritual connection groups.
The arts workshops are supported by Council-administered Creative Communities funding.
The Being Presence Centre is open Mondays to Saturdays and everyone is welcome.
The centre aims to be a space where people of all ages come together, inviting creativity, education, wellbeing and support in all areas of our lives. They want to create a space where young people can spend time after school and be creative, active and playful with various innovative programmes coming up.
Find out more: Check out the Being Presence Generator Facebook page.
Skatepark Tour returns for 2020
The region’s annual skate, BMX and scooter tour is set to wow spectators and participants alike this summer.
The popular Tasman Skatepark Tour hosts seven competitions across Nelson and Tasman this January. The event has been running since 2007. This year it will begin on Sunday 5 January at Takaka Skate Park and culminate in Nelson on Saturday 18 January. In between, events will be held in Māpua, Tapawera, Motueka, Richmond, and Brightwater.
There are prizes and spot prizes up for grabs, including Cheapskates and Village Cycles vouchers. Judges will assess trick difficulty, trick variety, use of space and sportsmanship in making their decisions for the major prizes, which will be offered at the Nelson event.
“It will be a great event for spectators, particularly the senior and open categories,” community partnerships officer Yulia Panfylova says.
Entries are taken on the day of each competition and helmets are compulsory for all competitors. There are three age groups: Junior (12 and under), Senior (13 – 17 years) and Open (18+) years. This year there is also a Girls’ category to encourage more women into the sport.
See the Tasman Youth Council website www.tyc.co.nz for dates, times and more details. Updates including photos will also be posted on the Tasman Skatepark Tour Facebook and Instagram pages. The Skatepark Tour is organised by Tasman District Council in partnership with Sport Tasman and sponsorship from Cheapskates, Village Cycles, Pic’s Peanut Butter and Pete’s Natural.
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