Property owners in Shotover Country face fines for fencing rule breach

Shotover Country near Queenstown. Photo by Blair Pattinson, of Mountain Scene

Three property owners in Shotover Country are facing $750 fines after ignoring repeated council requests to comply with the subdivision's fencing rules.

The three are the last holdouts from a group of 55 property owners who wrote to Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult last month calling for more consistent enforcement of the subdivision's consent requirements for fencing, and other features, such as retaining walls and roof colours.

Council principal monitoring and enforcement officer Anthony Hall said the infringement notices, payable within 28 days, would be sent out this week.

The trio would also be given 21 days to comply with the fencing rules or face further council action.

The subdivision's resource consent requires fencing to be less than 50% solid and made from certain materials, as well as imposing height restrictions.

The council initially identified 55 homes with non-complying fencing, and sent enforcement letters on June 2.

Despite signing up to a letter to Mr Boult from ''60 Affected Shotover Country Residents'', 43 took steps to correct their fencing.

Mr Hall said that of the 12 remaining households, nine had complied with a subsequent 28-day abatement notice that expired last Friday.

Council chief executive Mike Theelen told the Otago Daily Times last month that property owners who made no attempt to co-operate with the council could face fines of up to a maximum of $750 a day or even prosecution.

However, such action was a ''last resort''.

- Otago Daily Times