Dog Bylaw Update & Information Session Tonight

John Gillon from

Consultation on the proposed Dog Bylaw and Dog Policy changes closes soon, on Friday 10 May.
There is an information evening on Thursday 2 May from 6pm-8pm at the Takapuna Library, where you have the opportunity to speak to the Hearing Panel councillors.

Off-Leash to On-Leash Default Rule Change:
The existing default rule for all parks is off-leash (under control at all times) with parks listed if dogs must be on-leash. The proposed rule flips this so that all parks are on-leash by default, with parks listed if they are off-leash. Council intends this to be a formatting change with no real-life changes.
HOWEVER, I've identified the following omissions from the list of parks in the Kaipatiki Local Board area, which means that they will accidentally change from off-leash to on-leash if the list is not corrected:
i) Birkenhead Domain
ii) Cecil Eady Reserve
iii) Hellyers Creek Reserve
iv) Hilder’s Park
v) Hiwihau Reserve
vi) Larking’s Landing Reserve
vii) Jacaranda Avenue Esplanade Reserve
viii) Kauri Point Domain
ix) Leigh Scenic Reserve
x) Little Shoal Bay Reserve
xi) Little Shoal Bay Foreshore Reserve
xii) Rosecamp Road Foreshore Reserve
xiii) Smith’s Bush Scenic Reserve – open area only; bush area is on-leash
xiv) Telephone Road Reserve – except bush area and track leading to Chelsea Estate Heritage Park
xv) Verran Road Gully Reserve
xvi) replacement of the description of Chelsea Estate Heritage Park with “except track bush area from Chelsea Bay Sugar Refinery car park to the open grass area of Telephone Road Reserve, and to the corner of Inkster Street and Rawene Road”.

Time & Season Rule Change (beach times):
Council is proposing to synchronise the time & season rules on beaches across Auckland. This will overrule the times that local boards have developed in consultation with their communities, and effectively ensure that dogs are only allowed on beaches before 10am and after 7pm, from Saturday of Labour Weekend until 31 March (Summer rules).
* For Devonport-Takapuna beaches (inc Takapuna Beach, Milford Beach, etc), this would mean that dogs will be banned from beaches for 30mins more each evening (allowed from 7pm instead of 6:30pm).
* For Hibiscus & Bays beaches (inc Orewa Beach, Browns Bay Beach, Stanmore Bay Beach, etc) this would mean that dogs are banned during the day for one extra month (as they are currently allowed on beaches during the day from 1 March) and banned for 2 hours more each evening (allowed from 7pm instead of 5pm).
* For Kaipatiki beaches, this would mean that dogs must be on-leash during the day for one extra month and on-leash for 30mins more each evening (allowed off-leash from 7pm instead of 6:30pm).
HOWEVER, after George Wood, Julia Parfitt and I presented a number of concerns to the Regulatory Committee on behalf of the North Shore local boards, an option has been included in the consultation to allow local boards to have local variations. This would allow local boards to continue to set their own time & season rules, but this will require submissions in support of it.

Have your say:
www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz...