Campsite proposal met with concern over access
An Invercargill man opposing a city council proposal to allow camping on a reserve says allowing it would be elitist.
Geoff Piercy spoke to the submission before the Infrastructure and Services committee on Monday.
The council has been requested to amend its Linkage Reserves Omnibus Management Plan to allow camping on the Stead St Reserve.
Only New Zealand Motor Caravan Association members have access to the leased campsite via a locked gate.
Three submitters spoke at the meeting, including two members of the association.
Piercy said he strongly opposed the proposal because it was a creeping situation.
‘‘What happens now when the freedom campers want space? This is an elitist group of people, people who have caravans worth $60,000 to $200,000.’’
‘‘What you are doing here is actually subsidising against your own ratepayers here, and what you are doing is making it an elitist place ... [with] everybody else locked out.’’
The reserve was well-used and he did not want to see a row of campervans instead of a reserve to be admired.
‘‘For God’s sake councillors, reserves are for our citizens’ and visitors’ enjoyment, not for itinerants looking for a cheap place to camp.’’
Of the 101 written submissions, 95 were in support, five opposed and one was neutral.
Most submissions in favour for the proposal were from members of the association, who saw it as a great benefit to their members as well as having a flowon effect for the city.
Some of the opposition related to the visibility from Stead St, but the council said the camping ground would be screened off from Stead St by existing landscaping, and that the existing developed areas of Stead St and the wharf would not be affected.
Association member Brian McFaul also spoke at the meeting saying he supported the proposal.
‘‘Freedom campers, we are not.
‘‘This will not be another camp ground per se. There will be toilets, showers, laundry, kitchen etc, only they will be very mobile.’’
During discussions, Cr Ian Pottinger asked if there was need for a resource consent.
Council parks and reserves manager Robin Pagan said the reason for doing an amendment to the management plan was to allow it in the management plan, which meant a resource consent was not needed for the reserve area.
Cr Lloyd Esler said he had been persuaded that it was a good use of the land and the advantages of the proposal outweighed the ‘‘almost nonexistent’’ disadvantages.
Cr Karen Arnold said people of the city had enjoyed the space for a long time, and it was something green and natural being turned into something unnatural.
‘‘That has to be a consideration as well because we are the users of this land and enjoy it more than people passing by. This is just a comment, it’s not a criticism.’’
Pagan said it would be a requirement of the lease that the reserve was returned to its original state when it was up.
Cr Allan Arnold abstained from voting as he was a member of the association.
The committee moved the recommendations to receive that the management plan be amended to allow for the leasing of a part of Stead St Reserve for camping by the NZ Motor Caravan Association, that all costs associated with setting up and running the area was at the association’s cost and that a lease agreement be in place before any work commences.
All developments will need to be approved and provided for in the lease agreement and at a cost of the applicant.
There will be no intention of providing toilets as members will have self-contained toilets and a there is a dump station at the adjacent fuel stop.
‘‘What you are doing is making it an elitist place ... [with] everybody else locked out.’ Geoff Piercy, pictured, opposed the proposal for the amendment to the Stead St Reserve.