Beach Bylaw review consultation period finalised

The public consultation period for the review of the Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Beach Bylaw will kick off in October this year.

Consultation was originally proposed to take place in May, but as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown could not proceed as planned.

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

Kāpiti Coast District Council Environmental Standards Manager Jacquie Muir says a survey conducted in February and March drew over 1700 responses, and a series of meetings and workshops has provided additional feedback which will be used to update the Bylaw.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has provided us with feedback so far and for your patience as we work through this process,” Ms Muir says.

“Following the lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown we’ve been working to reschedule further community meetings and set a new timeframe for revising the Bylaw to bring to the community for consultation.”

 The updated timeline will see:

• 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 in late 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.

Ms Muir says Kāpiti beaches are a taonga and play an important part in everyone’s lives and in the district’s identity, and it is important we take the time to get the best outcome.

“We’ve had a fantastic response that will help provide the district with a robust set of guidelines for how we use and protect our beaches.”

For more information on the Beach Bylaw review and to see the results of the survey visit www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/beachbylaw.

Survey results are presented without analysis and do not include personal feedback.