Have your say on proposed changes to Tauranga City Council’s Dog Management Policy, Dog Management Bylaw 2018, and Keeping of Animals Bylaw 2018.
The formal consultation process is an opportunity for the community to have their say on the proposed changes before they become law. Both consultations close on Monday, 17 September.
Draft Dog Management Policy and Dog Management Bylaw 2018
We are proposing to make some changes to our dog management policy and bylaw to ensure the recreational and exercise needs of dogs and their owners are met, while minimising any danger, distress or nuisance from dogs.
Our policy states the general approach to the management of dogs in our city, while our bylaw states the specific rules that dog owners must follow, including areas where dogs are prohibited or where they must be on a leash.
Proposed changes:
- extending the current dog prohibited area 255m past Moturiki (Leisure Island)
- replacing the 200m prohibited area around the Ōmanu and Pāpāmoa surf lifesaving clubs with a defined area of the beach that dogs on a leash can transit through (includes flagged lifeguard areas)
- a new summer season, on-leash restriction between Motiti Road and Karewa Parade between 10am and 5pm from 15 December to 15 February
- requiring all dogs classified as menacing to be neutered
- prohibiting a person from exercising more than two dogs off‑leash in a reserve at any one time
- prohibiting a person from exercising more than four dogs on‑leash in a public place at any one time.
Full details of all the draft changes and why council proposes to make them are available at www.tauranga.govt.nz/dogs
Draft Keeping of Animals Bylaw 2018
Our draft keeping of animals bylaw enables Tauranga residents to keep animals on their property as long as they don’t cause a nuisance to other neighbouring residents.
Proposed changes:
- clarifying pigs and goats can only be kept in areas zoned rural
- restricting the maximum number of hives in a residential zone (excluding rural residential) to two
- changing current restrictions so chicken coops can be constructed along the boundary line but must not be within five metres from any neighbouring dwelling
- requiring a person to hold a licence if they would like to keep more than 12 poultry
- changing current restrictions so that horses or cattle must be at least five metres from any dwelling, shop, warehouse, factory, workshop, church or school.
Full details of the draft changes and why council proposes to make them are available at www.tauranga.govt.nz/animals
Have your say
Council is now asking the community to provide feedback on both consultations. It wants to know if the community supports the changes, if they don’t, or if they have any other changes they want to be considered.
Residents can provide feedback on both consultations by visiting council’s website and completing the online submission forms. Paper copies are also available at our customer service centre at 91 Willow Street and in our libraries.
Submission hearings will take place on Monday, 1 October. The community’s feedback will be used to propose a final dog management policy and bylaw, and final keeping of animals bylaw for adoption by Council by the end of the year.