Beach Bylaw consultation set to begin

The Kāpiti Coast District Council will seek the community’s feedback on an updated Beach Bylaw next month. 

Councillors have today given their approval for consultation to begin on 12 October, running until 13 November. Hearings will follow from 26 November. 

Environmental Standards manager Jacquie Muir says since community engagement began in January Council staff has heard from hundreds of Kāpiti people. 

This included at hui and events, via email and through a survey completed by over 1700 submitters. 

“We’ve listened to the community and have made some updates to the Beach Bylaw, and we will also be proposing some operational actions to help manage and implement the rules,” Ms Muir says. 

“As expected the scale of the feedback received so far has been significant, and we look forward to hearing more from the community during the consultation phase.” 

The process will be as follows: 

• Formal consultation on the updated bylaw is expected to run for five weeks from 12 October 2020 to 13 November 2020.
• Following formal consultation, hearings will take place from 26 November. This will be an opportunity for the public to speak to their submissions.
• Over summer council staff will incorporate the results of public consultation into what will be the Kāpiti Coast District Council Beach Bylaw 2021.
• A finalised Beach Bylaw is expected to be presented to Council for adoption in March 2021.

The Beach Bylaw creates the rules for Council-managed areas of beach for important things like health and safety, litter, access, vehicles, horses and motorised watercrafts. Bylaws are required to be reviewed every 10 years and the Beach Bylaw review process must be complete by 30 June 2021. 

The beach is also subject to other rules managed by agencies like Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Department of Conservation and the Police. 

Visit www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/beachbylaw for more information.