Freedom campers are ignoring closed signs at Warrington Domain.
Photographs and accompanying letter received from a Warrington resident (name withheld) on Monday, 8 May 2017 at 10:52 a.m.
● All comments to the photographs are by whatifdunedin.
APPALLING
Dunedin City Council trashes Warrington ratepayers’ and residents’ recreational amenity asset:
Warrington Domain 2 May 2017, ground condition before the domain closed.
Damage to the village green is all down to the deliberate decision by Dunedin City Council to allow uncontrolled freedom camping at the Domain over the 2016/17 summer period (read no enforcement of Camping Control Bylaw 23); this for reduction and avoidance of freedom camping happening in metropolitan Dunedin. Out of sight, out of mind. The Warrington community receives no proper help from the scrubbers on the politicised local community board, to protect the asset.
It’s a bloody scandal – someone (plural) should lose their job.
In these photos freedom campers continue to park outside the closed domain totally ignoring the DCC signage but with apparently no repercussions:
Due to email file size limits a video recording was not forwarded to What if? Dunedin. Hopefully this will come available shortly via YouTube.
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Warrington resident receives no reply to their polite yet pointed email sent to Waikouaiti Coast Community Board (WCCB) and DCC. How surprising!
From: [Warrington resident]
Sent: Saturday, 6 May 2017 8:50 p.m.
To: Waikouaiti Coast Community Board; Dunedin City Council Customer Services; Ashley Reid [DCC]; Jendi Paterson [DCC]
Subject: Freedom campers ignore closed signsHi DCC and WCCB,
I became aware there are freedom camper vehicles outside the domain this evening from their music and the noise of car doors.
FYI 13 non-self-contained freedom camper vehicles are parked outside the Warrington domain tonight and a 14th is parked in the surf club carpark.
When asked they denied seeing the signs that clearly state the domain is closed to camping.
Our points are:
– the freedom campers are clearly ignoring your signs
– there doesn’t seem to be anyone controlling the area at night
– it is unreasonable for local residents that the freedom campers choose to park wherever they likeRegards
[Warrington resident]
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Dunedin City Council
█ 23. Camping Control Bylaw 2015 (PDF, 2.5 MB)
The purpose of this bylaw is to protect, promote, and maintain public health and safety by regulating freedom camping within the district; and restrict freedom camping in public places within the district. Link
Date approved: 01 November 2015
DCC 23. Camping Control Bylaw 2015
Related Posts and Comments:
● 9.4.17 DCC obfuscates : Open slather for freedom campers at Warrington
● 16.3.17 WE have the information, unreasonable delay providing it #LGOIMA
● 15.2.17 Warrington : DCC dictates loss of community’s grassed recreation reserve to freeloaders
8.2.17 Hands Off Enjoyment of OUR Beaches #DCC
● 6.2.17 Uncontrolled freedom camping at Warrington Domain this weekend —DCC ‘hell model’ [no enforcement]
● 1.2.17 “Fake news” from DCC boffins & Community Board re freedom camping at Warrington Domain #TheBlight
10.2.16 Dunedin freedom camping #DCC #enforcement
16.12.14 DCC: Freedom Camping issues
7.12.09 Coastal protection zones
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
What if? Dunedin... 
RNZ News: New Zealand / Environment
7 May 2017 at 4:09 p.m.
Council issues dozens of fines to Christchurch freedom campers
Six freedom campers a week are being stung with fines by Christchurch council officials since the city completely banned the practice. The city council voted to ban freedom camping by any vehicle without an onboard toilet from 1 December last year, because of the large numbers of campers parking in popular spots. The growing number of freedom campers had caused conflict the previous summer with local people wanting to use nearby beaches, but encountering sewage and rubbish left by campers. The change affected five city areas and Banks Peninsula. In the five months since the bylaw came into effect, 121 fines had been issued, the council said.
Read more
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New App !!!!
RNZ Radio: Business / Marlborough
Source: From Checkpoint, 16 March 2017 at 5:54 p.m.
New home for freedom campers near Blenheim
A Marlborough man has come up with an innovative way to keep freedom campers and their waste off the streets. Chris Wagner has created KiwiCamp, a freedom camping site, which includes an ablution block with showers, toilets and washing facilities. From tomorrow, KiwiCamp will offer a free space near Blenheim for campers to pull up, scan an app on their phone and stay the night. Campers will have free access to toilets and drinking water while showers will cost $2 and doing a load of washing $4. Mr Wagner came up with the idea after his Riverlands Roadhouse truck stop regularly became home for between 30 and 40 freedom campers every night. […] The entrepreneur said that was why he came up with the app – to allow freedom campers to pay for facilities using an app or a card which could be loaded with credit. The scheme was not intended as a money-making venture but as a way to fix some of the problems associated with freedom camping, he said. He hoped councils around the country would take up this type of facility.
Read more
Audio | Download: Ogg MP3 (5′ 41″)
Received.
From: [DCC Governance Support]
Sent: Friday, 19 May 2017 10:29 a.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: Freedom camping survey
Dear Ms Kerr,
You asked to be informed when the results of the freedom camping survey would be available. I am writing to inform you that the results are attached as an appendix to a report that will be considered by Council at its meeting on May 30. The agenda/reports for this meeting will be available on our website by next Friday at the latest.
Regards
Governance Support Officer
Dunedin City Council