Making our city tick – updates to the Urban Environments Bylaw

The Urban Environments Bylaw (UEB) covers many things that help us coexist harmoniously in our city and neighbourhood spaces.

It includes the management of public health, safety and nuisance, trading in public places, the control of alcohol in public areas, keeping animals on your property, management of reserves, and burials and cremations.

Nelson City Council engaged with the public to seek their views in late 2021 as part of a regular review process designed to ensure the Bylaw is still fit for purpose, serving the community, and keeping up with change. 

Council received 38 submissions on the Draft Amended Urban Environments Bylaw, with most relating to cats, trading in public places, control of alcohol in public places (including reserves), and golf in Neale Park. A late submission was also accepted, representing 24 residents who are asking Council to include a provision prohibiting alcohol in public places in the Wood area, specifically between the central city and Trafalgar, Tasman, Weka and Wainui Streets.

At a full Council meeting on 10 May, elected members voted to accept some changes to the Urban Environments Bylaw (2015) that will come into effect on 1 June 2022 and address some concerns in other ways.

The permission to play golf in Neale Park has been removed, with the new Bylaw specifying that no one is to practice or play golf in any area or reserve other than Waahi Taakaro Golf Course. Golf in Neale Park has caused public safety concerns from neighbouring residents and park users, including some very near-miss incidents involving golf balls landing too close to young children. 

There will be no change to the current rules relating to retail displays like sandwich boards on footpaths. Following feedback from submitters the Bylaw will retain the 2 metre width of footpaths, and instead, a comprehensive assessment of structures on footpaths will occur when Council reviews the City Amenity Bylaw later this year.

There were requests to manage cats, particularly in relation to microchipping and desexing. Time is required to consider these matters, and staff will report back on this issue by August 2022.

There are no changes to the current list of public places where alcohol is not permitted. However, in response to a submission from residents, elected members have asked Council staff to report back on the option of adding an area in The Wood to this list. 

The review and feedback process ensures the Bylaw keeps pace with our community and its changing needs, says Mel Courtney, Environment and Climate Committee Deputy Chair. 

“What we can see from the review, and what we’re hearing from the community, is that the current Bylaw is working well, and only a small range of issues have arisen since it was last reviewed in 2015.

“Consequently, most of the current Bylaw will remain the same, and where there are issues, we are looking to make changes. The changes reflect feedback we’ve had from the community, for example, people feeling unsafe in Neale Park because of the danger of being struck by a golf ball.”

For more information, and to read the updated bylaw in full, go to nelson.govt.nz/urban-environments-bylaw-225