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Freedom campers to use car parks
Freedom campers heading to Nelson will have a couple of free spots to park
up in the city this summer.
After a review of the increasingly popular practice, Nelson city councillors
agreed at a meeting yesterday to designate two central car parks for
travellers who stay in campervans.
Campers with and without facilities like toilets and wastewater tanks will
be allowed to stay at the Sovereign St car park near Neale Park for a
maximum of two nights. Campers with facilities will also be welcome to stay
at the Millers Acre car park for one night.
Last summer the council was given permission by the Maitai Club to allow
part of its Kinzett Terrace car park to be used by freedom campers with
self-contained vehicles for a maximum of two nights.
In May the council turfed the idea due to the misuse of the site by campers
who overstayed, littered and defecated in the bushes.
In a report, council parks operations co-odinator Lindsay Barber said
non-self contained campers also used the site for long-term camping –
ignoring signs. "Some of these people tended to be travelling or homeless
New Zealanders and were at times difficult to move off site."
Mr Barber said the council dealt with significantly more calls from
concerned residents last summer to complain about issues associated with
freedom campers.
He said that providing short-term overnight parking for both self-contained
and non-self-contained campers in reserves would meet campers' needs and
provide the council with a mechanism to redirect campers away from camping
hot spots like the Tahunanui Reserve.
"A designated area provides the council with greater control of freedom
camping movements in Nelson and concentrates any issues such as littering to
a specific area."
Mr Barber said the Sovereign St car park was well away from residential
properties and the Millers Acre car park had toilets and was metered.
Providing the two car parks might be seen as a short-term or permanent
solution to the problems associated with freedom camping. This depended on
the success of the Tourism Industry Association's plan to make legislative
changes that will allow for an instant fine system.
Both the Tasman district and Nelson city councils last month support such a
law change.
Mr Barber said there were benefits and drawbacks to having freedom campers
in Nelson. The impacts non-self contained campers had on the environment and
community had to be considered, as well as the economic benefits the
tourists brought.
--
roger w
From Proverbs:
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a
servant who becomes king ...
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