Opinions split on street activity bylaw
PEOPLE are split on whether street performers and people fundraising should be covered by a new bylaw governing activity on Dunedin’s streets.
The Dunedin City Council is reviewing its mobile trading in public places bylaw with a view to including rental share scheme operators such as electric scooter companies following the arrival of Lime scooters in Dunedin in 2019.
A proposed new trading in public places bylaw has a wider definition of trading, requires traders to have a permit to operate with conditions and introduces enforcement and penalties for noncompliance.
It is proposed rental share schemes, commercial use of footpaths, street fundraising, street performing and footpath art would be regulated by the bylaw, in addition to the mobile traders and temporary stalls already covered by the existing bylaw.
The council consulted from July 1 to August 3 this year on the draft bylaw and 66 submissions were received. Most were from individuals, with 14 from organisations, including the Dunedin Arts Fringe Trust, which was supported by 31 signatories.
A council summary of submissions shows twothirds (67%) of submitters agreed with the general direction of the proposed bylaw.
Almost all (97%) of submitters agreed rental scheme operators, such as commercial escooter companies, should have a permit to operate, and some disability-related groups wanted national regulation on things like escooter speed and escooter use on footpaths.
A report from council staff to councillors to consider the feedback at a hearing this week notes it is likely national regulation will be introduced in due course.
Submitters were evenly split on whether street fundraising should be regulated.
Some said rules would ensure safety and prevent nuisance, while others said rules could hinder fundraising, that it was for charitable purposes and rules could make it too bureaucratic.
They were similarly split on whether busking should be included in the bylaw.
Those in support thought it would provide guidance and control around the activity, while those opposed thought it would be too restrictive and bureaucratic and would hinder vibrancy and culture in the city.
On how smokefree outdoor dining should be treated under the bylaw, most preferred making promotion of smokefree outdoor dining a condition of all commercial use of footpaths permits.
Eleven submitters want to present their submissions in person to the council’s regulatory subcommittee tomorrow or Wednesday. The committee will then make its recommendations on the proposed bylaw to the full council.