Date: 11 December, 2013

More time for public input on regional moorings rethink

The public has been given an extra two months to comment on a local authority rethink on the way mooring and marina space should be allocated around Northland over the next 50 years.

Growing pressure on limited mooring and marina space around Northland’s coast – especially in the Bay of Islands – prompted the Northland Regional Council to release a Draft Mooring and Marinas Strategy for public feedback last month.

Public comment was invited until Monday 16 December on the draft strategy, which aims to address both current and future management issues around how and where boats can be moored in Northland as a whole.  However, that deadline has now been extended until February 28 next year.

Ben Lee, the regional council’s Policy Specialist – Coastal, says when the draft was originally released, the council had also arranged for both the direct mailout of information to all mooring holders in Northland and a leaflet drop to Bay of Islands residents.

“The draft strategy includes a tailor-made section specifically designed to address the Bay of Islands, the place where demand/pressures are greatest and consequently the area the proposed strategy would affect most.”

The strategy was developed over 18 months after consultation with a variety of key stakeholders including local residents, boating clubs, commercial and environmental interests, other local authorities, contractors and marina developers.

However, Mr Lee says due to a postal delivery error, many residents in the Opua area had not received the leaflet summarising the strategy last month as intended.

Given that – and the fact the Christmas/New Year break is fast approaching – councillors had yesterday (subs: Tues 10 December) agreed to extend the submission period out to 3pm on Friday 28 February 2014 to ensure the council captured as much feedback as possible.

Mr Lee says any submissions people have already made will not be affected by this time extension.

“However, if people decide they’d like to withdraw their submissions, take advantage of the extra time to do further work on it and re-submit it before the new closing date they are welcome to.”

Information about the proposed strategy is available online via www.nrc.govt.nz/haveyoursay or by contacting council policy analyst Michael Payne on 0800 002 004.

Meanwhile, Mr Lee says the council is also planning to hold a drop in day at the Opua Cruising Club on Monday 10 February to answer any remaining questions people may have.

ENDS

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