Freedom camping rules may be clearer when Waihi Beach's population grows five-fold this summer break, with Western Bay of Plenty District Council looking to amend its bylaw on the act.

Photo: file.

Tomorrow's WBOPDC Policy and Planning Committee will decide whether to make amendments to its Freedom Camping Bylaw from a staff review – prompted by resident complaints last summer.

WBOPDC reserves and facilities manager Peter Watson says the amendments are to make rules clearer to freedom campers and give enforcement officers more measurable guidelines for compliance checks.

'One issue from past audits is you turn up to somewhere like Anzac Bay at Waihi Beach, there's meant to be three campervans overnight, staying a maximum number of nights each, but at 8am there's 20 campervans – and how do you measure which are the complying three?”

Peter says discussions with the NZ Motorhome Association have seen staff propose an amendment to create designated freedom camping sites, so enforcement officers don't count vehicles but ensure they ‘camp' within a boundary.

'The proposal is for the whole Western Bay district to go away from a stipulated number of vehicles per site per night, to designated freedom camping areas.

'Whether there's three big motorhomes, six small ones or campervans, they just have to be inside the designated area,” says Peter.

'So if they turn up at 8pm and can't fit in, they need to go somewhere else or they'll be ticketed the next morning for non-compliance.”

Another proposed amendment is remove freedom camping from Brighton Reserve or prohibit it during that peak summer period, and only allow the act from post-Easter to Labour weekend.

Peter says this is due to Waihi Beach's population spike last Christmas causing use and access issues for the reserve's carpark. Other amendments clarify the ‘overnight' definition and three-night rule.

Peter believes amending the bylaw will make the district more welcoming to the motorhoming fraternity and 'maintain the environment and use for the locals as well”.

Council's committee can opt for the status quo, or approve amendments, or accept amendments with members' changes for one month's public consultation.