Seeing camper vans parked overnight at Dunedin's Molars, on Portsmouth Dr, at Bayfield Park or the harbourside makes Dunedin city councillor AndrewWhiley ''cringe''. Here, he details his thoughts on the matter.
In early October, the Otago Daily Times published a letter to the editor of mine regarding freedom camping.
I stated I did not support camper vans staying overnight at Dunedin parks.
A couple of members of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) responded with letters of their own, expressing their opinions against my view.
I also received a lot of positive feedback to the letter.
It is an issue a lot of Dunedin residents are concerned about.
I recently met with the Dunedin NZMCA's Morry Nielsen-Vold, as well as Dunedin City Council staff heavily involved with freedom camping.
These discussions were enlightening for everyone.
I explained I do not support camper vans staying overnight at Dunedin parks, whether they are self-contained or not, and I cringe when I see campers parked overnight at the Molars, on Portsmouth Dr, at Bayfield Park or at he harbourside (by the Jade building).
Morry agreed with this and we discussed at length the NZMCA and Thames Coromandel District Council High Court ruling as outlined in the October/November NZMCA magazine.
I quote: ''Thames Coromandel District Council Mayor Glenn Leach and CEO David Hammond confirm they are keen to work closely with the association to ensure that responsible motorhomes in Certified Self-Contained (CSC) vehicles know they are welcome to holiday on the Peninsula.
However, they made it clear TCDC's new freedom camping bylaw will take 'a hard line' on non self-contained vehicles.''
My goal would be to see Dunedin do something similar. Unfortunately, we don't have time to implement a plan for this summer, but in talking to Morry and the DCC staff, everyone knows the goal is to have responsible freedom camping in appropriate areas.
The NZMCA has been developing some sites around the city to create suitable places in which members can stay overnight.
The members work through a code of conduct that respects the areas they visit.
This includes staying in appropriate areas, no closer than 50m to each other, and has strict guidelines regarding dumping their tanks and rubbish.
The key element NZMCA and DCC staff are concerned about is non-self-contained vehicles, which are mainly rental vehicles.
These vehicles are really my key concern, as well, and I would like to see all non-self-contained vehicles head to our camping grounds.
This summer, according to DCC staff, there will be clearer guidelines and better enforcement of the limits to vehicle numbers in designated areas, with stricter adherence to the arrival and departure times (as a guideline, 8pm-8am).
It would also be great if campers would access websites such as ''camping.co.nz'', which outlines where visitors should stay, where camp grounds are, attractions, dumping stations, petrol stations and even where to get groceries.
With DCC staff being active in enforcement and camper education, it is hoped we'll have a more positive result from the extended trial of freedom camping.
However, now is the time to be thinking about the 2015-16 summer season so freedom camping in future years is managed positively.
We need to have clear restrictions on locations open to freedom camping and, at the very least, restrict any location to self-contained vehicles only.
So please, no camper vans parked overnight at the Molars, John Wilson Ocean Dr, Portsmouth Dr or at the Harbourside.
And please, no freedom camping at city parks, where it is not authorised, so Dunedin residents get to enjoy their facilities.
