Whether towns in the Clutha district can be certified "motorhome friendly" remains a point of contention for the district’s two community boards.
New Zealand Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) Clutha Valley area chairwoman Shirley Sutherland spoke to the West Otago Community Board at its public forum this week .
There were only seven requirements for a town to be certified "motorhome friendly" and Tapanui met six of them, she said.
Six covered the amenities and resources available, such as waste disposal systems and stores nearby .
Tapanui and other towns in the Clutha district did not meet the seventh of the criteria, as the Clutha District Council’s freedom camping bylaw, which she said was not "legally compliant", prevented people with self-contained motor homes from staying overnight in towns.
The council excludes freedom camping in any urban area of the district.
It is allowed only in self-contained units on public land controlled by the council, and away from areas signposted "no freedom camping".
Mrs Sutherland appealed to the community board to put pressure on the council to amend its bylaw so Tapanui could be certified motorhome friendly.
West Otago community board member John Herbert pointed out people in self-contained vehicles who were registered with the motor caravan association could stay in or near Tapanui at a property leased by the association.
Mrs Sutherland told the board the association directed tourists and users of self-contained motorhome units to motorhome-friendly towns, increasing traffic and business to those towns.
Concern about the amount of waste being left behind in Lawrence by freedom campers was expressed at Wednesday’s meeting of the Lawrence Tuapeka Community Board.
Board member Rowena Paterson wanted more public toilets installed in places used by freedom campers. .
Lawrence-Tuapeka ward councillor Geoff Blackmore said he was not against freedom campers but believed changes in legislation needed to be handled correctly.
Clutha District Council regulatory services group manager David Campbell responded that the council’s bylaw was "old", and was up for review later in the year.
It was, however, difficult to write legislation to fit the whole district, especially when there were other areas, such as the Catlins, that faced continued problems created by freedom campers in non-self-contained vehicles.
He said it was hard to police the bylaw.
The council would be surveying freedom campers in the summer to get a better understanding of the situation ahead of its bylaw review.
