Napier City Council proposes changes to dog prohibited and off lead areas

Napier resident Lynne Cooper with her dogs at Pirimai Park from left to right- Storm, Dushka and Jet. Photo / Ian Cooper

Napier City council is proposing a swathe of new prohibited areas and exercise areas for dogs in addition to the existing ones to help clarify the rules for owners.

Consultation on proposed changes to the NCC Dog Control Policy and Bylaw opened on May 25.

The most significant of these proposals is a set of amendments to the list of dog access areas.

Previously there were four "dog access definitions" under the bylaw- Prohibited Areas, Controlled Areas, Off lead Areas and Exercise Areas.

Council staff state in the Statement of Proposal (SOP) for the draft Dog Control Policy and Bylaw 2022 that the old system has led to confusion about where dogs can be exercised in public areas "off-lead" and has resulted in a public understanding that dogs can be exercised generally in Napier "off lead".

Under the proposal, Controlled Areas will become On Leash Areas and Controlled Areas and Off lead Areas will no longer be categories.

The dog access amendments within the SOP include:

•Adding sports playing areas at Tareha Park, Park Island North, Tremain field, Bluewater
Stadium, Hawkes Bay Hockey as defined Prohibited Areas.

• Extending the prohibited area around the Ahuriri Estuary to protect the endangered bird life and its habitat. This includes the Humber Street Reserve in Pandora Pond.

• Changing the Lagoon Farm area (controlled by Napier City Council) and the estuary stopbanks from Prohibited Areas to On-leash Areas.

• Including Watchman Road Reserve and Port Beach West public spaces as Prohibited
Areas.

• The Taradale/Kennedy Rd greenbelt area better defined and classified as an Exercise Area to improve connectivity between Exercise Areas.

• Widening the Exercise Area in Alexander Park to extend from Taradale Rd to Te Awa
Park.

• Introducing a seasonal restriction to the existing Esplanade foreshore Exercise Area to
better protect nesting birds.

• Increasing the Exercise Area within the Taipo Stream Reserve.

• Introducing part of Dolbel Reserve as a new Exercise Area.

Napier City council is proposing a swathe of new prohibited areas and exercise areas for dogs as part of proposed changes to its Dog Control Policy and Bylaw. Photo / Unsplash- James Barker

The changes have been identified as the preferred option by council staff as opposed to keeping the status quo.

Lynne Cooper, Napier resident and owner of three dogs, said many responsible owners who use public spaces like her local Pirimai Park for off-lead dog exercise would be affected by the proposed changes.

"That's going to all be lost if the council brings in these new regulations. A lot of these people when they get home from work don't have time to put their dog in the car and go all the way to Park Island.

"If the council brings in this ruling, how many dogs are going to become problematic barkers because they're not going to get the chance to burn off energy?

"Good dog owners are getting penalised for the ones that don't actually follow the rules and aren't respectful."

Another dog owner and Napier resident who wished to remain unnamed said she was submitting against adding new prohibited areas or increasing the size of existing ones like Ahuriri Estuary.

"All they are doing is taking away even more places for us to walk our dog."

She said she would like to see more large designated spaces for dogs.

"I pay my dog registration and I don't know what for. What am I getting from it?"

The full list of proposals can be found at https://www.sayitnapier.nz/ncc/dog-control-policy-and-bylaw?fbclid=IwAR1hSAUixliQIN3MqUjemwnb8wzDLWNYNRIrp_vQUzN9JFAAnfarWl8OCpo .

The public has until June 24 to make their submissions and hearings for the bylaw review will take place over July 12 and 13.