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Bee Industry News, Time Sensitive
Urban Beekeeping Threatened in Auckland
Another threat to Urban Beekeeping in Auckland has been discovered, it will affect you!
Hi Everyone,
kiwimana got a call from an Auckland Beekeeper who found there was a submission to Auckland Council requesting Beekeeping/Apiaries/Bees be added as a “permitted activity” which would be added to the Unitary Plan (currently being consulted-on) in their Activity Table which appears to fall under the Resource Management Act (RMA).
This move would see the opening of restrictions, possibly with consent applications required, to have Beehives/Apiaries for Beekeepers in Urban areas! …it will even prevent some urban beekeepers from having hives altogether with a 200meter boundary restriction…and Outside urban limits? …permission required to keep any Bees which, in turn, may lead to the introduction of charges for consents and who knows whats next!
Currently the submission has been listed on a Summary Report with a decision to be made to add this change – We ask each of you to put in a “further” submission as we have to prevent this happening.
Please fellow Auckland Beekeepers, Gardeners and Orchardists please read and share the details of this submission as it will affect ALL in the Auckland Council area.
We believe we should be allowed to have Beehives anywhere in Auckland on our private land so as to continue to help Save the Bees!
Conclusion
If this submission is uncontested it will be approved, then it would effectively end urban Beekeeping in the Auckland region. So we urge you to read Mr. Sintons submission and submit a further submission. If you don’t agree with his intention.
Auckland Council need to know that you are OPPOSED to this proposed change and that you request that the original submission be DISALLOWED and removed completely. Choose to speak to your submission individually – hopefully with large numbers opposing they will choose, like in the last attempt in 2012,the council decided that there were too many people to listen to and so they passed the removal of consent fees for private land-owners…yay!
To make your submission now
Fill in the form on this page:-
Sorry Submissions Have closed now
Well Done, you can make a difference!
Below will provide you with access to the Submission # 6716 Points 1, 2, 3. PLUS All the information you’ll need to make a decision on making a “further” submission as an individual beekeeper.
Submission Details
Submission # 6716
Points: 1 and 2
Submitter Address: [email protected]
Copy of Submission 6716
Our views are that, ‘for the greater good’ that this submission should be disallowed due to the fact that Bees World-Wide, are under threat and to restrict any Beekeeping in any form will be detrimental to our efforts to the ‘help Save the Bees’ movement here in New Zealand.
After reading the submission we understand that the reasoning used by the submitter is to ‘restrict’ Bees in urban areas is due to, Bee Excrement.
We believe this reason does not justify such major change to the Activity Table and that local bylaws covers all ‘personal’ issues/ concerns regarded as a nuisance by any resident in Auckland City.
First Hurdle already passed
Point 1: New ‘General’ change in Activity Table which is listed in the AC “Summary Of Requested Decisions” Report.
Point 2: Proposed Permitted Use in Rural and Mixed Rural – adding to a NEW category – Activity Level 13.1 Bees and Apiaries.
This would mean all Beekeepers would need to apply for consent and with such an addition it may mean future cost beeing imposed on all Beekeepers in any area of Auckland.
*** This means hives will not be allowed within 200 meters or within a ‘Countryside Living’ and ‘Urban Zones’ in the new plan ***
kiwimana believe Beekeeping should be encouraged for any area or zoning, rural or urban, without restriction on private-land accepting that current bylaws already cover any concerns with the “nuisance” factor which is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Our research shows that it appears this may-well be a submission driven from a neighbor-dispute which is currently active in the public arena also mentioned in NZ Gardener.
if you need Further information…
The Links below give all links to the Submission information and info to make a further submission on AC’s SDR and The upcoming panel hearings.
Form – How-to Guide
The Auckland Council Unitary Plan web-page – about
Summary of Decision Requested Report
Information regarding ‘Further Submissions’ pamphlet
Activity Table 13.1
Further Research found in Public Arena
The Auckland Unitary Independent Hearings Panel – who will hear further submissions and review.
All ‘Further Submissions’ must be presented by 5.00pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014.
Sample Submission
See below:
Here is a copy of the “further submission” Margaret filled-out on the AC website using the on-line form.
Submitter details
Full name: Margaret Groot
Contact name if different from above: n/a
Organisation or company: n/a
Address for service of person making further submission:
Address: 165 Wairere Road
Suburb: Waitakere Township
Phone: (09) 8109965
Fax:
Email address:
Local board: none
- Interest in the submission
I am(selected options)
A person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest; or
Grounds for saying that I come within the selected category are:
Honey Bees are under threat world-wide. Beekeepers already register apiaries through AsureQuality for MPI. The Original submission bases bee-excrement as justification for this change. Auckland Council in 2012 decided no fee nor consent required for private land. AC passed written consent required for beehives only on Public Land. At that time AC agreed that Bees were under threat, greater good encourages beekeeping. We ask, Can local government control bee excrement with this change?
- Request to be heard in support of further submission:
- I do wish to be heard in support of my further submission
If others make a similar submission, I will consider presenting a joint case with them at a hearing:
- No
A) I support/oppose the original submission of:
OPPOSE
Original submitter name and address:
Name: Price Properties
Address: [email protected]
Suburb:
The particular parts of the original submission I support/oppose are:
OPPOSE
Submission number: 6716
Submission point: 1
Provision No. of the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan:
Definitions
The reasons for my support/oppostion are:
I oppose any change to the Activity Level Table 13.1 – as local bylaws cover any beekeeping matters. Please refer “Point 2:Interest in the Submission” above for more reasons.
I seek that the whole/part of the original submission be allowed/disallowed:
Disallowed
Specify precise details:
The submitter states, “the reason for their views” include “…the excrement is a nuisance that is not acceptable in an urban area.” The whole of Submisson # 6716 should be rejected so as to continue encouraging beekeeping in any area/zone using bylaws to continue managing issues.
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It’s the kiwimana buzz…
Submitted an oppose with that note:
The reasoning about the bees excrement covering buildings, cars, windows is kind of folly. I suppose that their next submission will be killing all the urban birds as they drop an excrement all around the Auckland cars, buildings and windows.
I would like to know why Price Properties (previously KUMEU KIWIFRUIT NURSERIES LIMITED and previously PRICE’S ORCHARDS LIMITED) are they trying to reduce bee numbers is that not against best interests as a fruit grower?
Is it to do with kiwifruit growers desire to place stricter controls on beekeeping to stop the spread of a particular virus – “Kiwifruit Vine Health has developed a proposed national pest management plan to protect disease-free regions like the nor-west from PSA-V.
It involves a collective approach with growers and associated industries such as beekeepers, pollen providers, nurseries and regional councils.”:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/nor-west-news/8332818/Vines-remain-PSA-free
or is it ok for them to utilise bees for their Rural zone located business and eradicate them from where they live in an Countryside Living or Urban zone?
and why have they submitted through a ‘Town Planner’ as if that will give them more sway rather than just straight from themselves
Dodgy carry on if you ask me
Have submitted an oppose with Margaret’s note, plus adding my own interest as an organic gardener who buys honey direct from beekeepers, knows some of the threats to bees and wishes to protect all bees, and local beekeepers.
I happen to have encountered this planning consultant Peter Sinton, many years ago, under several other company names. Dodgy is definitely the word. That’ s putting it politely.
I thought the “bee excrement” reason sounded absolutely ridiculous. I agree with Richard’s comment about urban birds. Imagine the outcry if they suggested limiting or banning urban dogs and cats, because of their excrement!
Thanks so much Margaret for the copy of your submission, which made it very easy to figure out the Council jargon and how to fill in all those boxes. Anne.
Permitted activity mean that one is allowed to do something without council consent. Opposing the submission actually opens the door to neighbours complaining and disputes over whether or not Bee keeping is allowed. I strongly suggest people read the definitions or terms used in the district plans before submitting. Just so one actually understands what they are opposing or supporting.
An example of a permitted activity is having a pet cat. If your neighbour says I don’t like your cat you can respond with “I don’t care” and that’s the end of it. Surely we want Bees and Bee keeping to be a permitted activity too!
I dont understand this blog. We currently have a permitted activity to keep bees both Urban and Rural. Does this proposed change not attempt to take away the right to have bees in Urban areas. If you refer to the application as submitted to Auckland Council by Northland Town Planners Limited on behalf of Price Properties (Jennifer Price) you will see. We seek the decision from council. Point No 2. The beekeeping in “Mixed Rural” production, only as a permitted use. Point No 3 That in “Countryside Living ” & Urban Zone the hives be located 200 metres from thos zones to avoid nuisance. To me I interpret that to mean BEES ONLY 200 metres from Urban zone and Countryside Living zone to avoid nuisance. It does not say 200 metres outside that zone so I can only interpret that to mean it would be a permitted activity to keep bees 200 metres inside that zone. The word FROM does not designate a direction!. There is more to this than meets the eye or why would you emply a Town Planner to to apply for this on your behalf! I have some ideas!
Roger Rabbit
Don’t they know how important the bees are? Why make it so hard for people to keep and look after the creatures that are most needed by man?
If the proposal gets accepted and becomes the rule. It will be more difficult to have bee hives in Urban areas. That means from Drury to North Shore and Dannemora to Waitakeres bees will become harder to find. This means that all the home gardeners in the Urban area will have a lessor number of bees to pollinate lemon, orange and mandarin tress. Tomatoes and all other fruit and vegetables that people grow in the home gardens. Bees only travel 3 to 5 kms so wont reach all areas in the Central City. A short sighted self centred proposal will have a significant affect on the greater majority!