Motor caravans, cats and beaches

SUBMISSIONS on restricted cat numbers, beach protection and overnight parking areas for motor homes are being considered by the Manawatu District Council after seeking public consultation on its five-yearly revision of the Manawatu District Bylaw.


Senior Environmental Officer, Colin Perrin, said two submissions were received on the proposal that the number of domestic cats on urban properties be restricted to three – and both were in favour of the move.


The Feilding and Districts SPCA said it was happy to support the proposed bylaw, as was cat breeder, Ngaire Oldham, who felt the three cats should also be desexed.


Mr Perrin said the proposed bylaw would make it easier for council to enforce nuisance, hazard and health conditions if there were problems with a residential property over-populated by cats.


Manawatu Estuary Trust Secretary, Christina Paton, said no off-road traffic should be permitted on any coastal dune area and a maximum uniform speed limit of 30kph be applied on all beaches.


“Experience tells us that all areas set aside for off-road activities do not meet the needs of the participants,” she said. “All they do is encourage a wider use of coastal dunes with resultant damage to vegetation and dune structure that is not contained within any district boundary.”


The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association has also requested council to consider the use of appropriate public places for independent overnight parking for self-contained motor homes.


“Councils that commit to facilitating motor home tourism through the provision of designated overnight parking spaces can increase their district’s profile with our 18,000 NZMCA members,” said the association’s Resource Management Co-ordinator, Claire Webb.


She said the district could also capture a slice of the $5 billion international tourist market which had shown a marked preference for an independent style of travel as provided by motor homes.