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Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Reserve's grazing licence to be reduced
After a Waitaki District Council meeting recently noted passionate community views on both sides, it decided to agree with the Waihemo Community Board's suggestion on how to deal with the Waihemo Recreation Reserve. After some debate the council resolved that the progressive rehabilitation of the Puketapu/Waihemo Recreation Reserve, as proposed by the Waihemo Community Board, proceeds, and that the current grazing licence to occupy be reduced by about 20ha as agreed with the licensee to assist with the progressive rehabilitation of the reserve. The council will now delegate to the chief executive the authority to negotiate and undertake necessary actions for the renegotiation of the licence to occupy, and renewal terms "that allow sufficient notice for the lessee, but align with the eventual re-establishment of the entire reserve". The entire Waihemo Recreation Reserve has been grazed for more than 100 years, with a licence arrangement in place that is held month by month. The reserve contains unique vegetation and is proposed to be zoned a Significant Natural Area in the draft district plan. Waitaki District Council has a project in partnership with the Puketapu Community Trust to create a formal track up Puketapu Maunga via the reserve. The trust also plans to carry out pest control and restoration work on the reserve. Grazing of deer is considered inconsistent with the requirements of the Reserves Act and should eventually be retired, a district council document says. "However, a rapid retirement of the land from grazing could result in an increase in invasive pest species." This month-by-month arrangement allowed for community consultation to occur around further grazing of the recreation reserve, a WDC statement said. "The Reserves Act 1977 requires that council consults with the community around its intent in issuing a licence or lease. WDC advertised its intent in issuing a grazing licence for part of the Waihemo Recreation Reserve in February, receiving 112 submissions with 55 submissions supporting the issuing of a grazing licence and 55 against. "The council's hearing committee assessed the submission and recommended a reduced licence area would work in with the proposed development of the walking track up to Puketapu. "The access to the summit is a key project for the Waihemo community, so this approach will allow for that work to continue along with pest control and planting."
Otago Daily Times
11-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Limited grazing endorsed after even split against practice
The Waitaki District Council has endorsed a new plan to rehabilitate the Waihemo Recreation Reserve, following significant public input and a recommendation from the Waihemo Community Board. At a recent council meeting, councillors acknowledged the passionate views expressed by the community, with public submissions evenly split — 55 in support and 55 against continued grazing of the reserve. After much discussion, the council voted in favour of the community board's proposal, which balances environmental restoration with continued, limited grazing. The council will now delegate to the chief executive the authority to renegotiate the licence to occupy and renewal terms "that allow sufficient notice for the lessee, but align with the eventual re-establishment of the entire reserve". The Waihemo Recreation Reserve, located near Palmerston, has been grazed for over a century under a month-by-month licence. However, the area contains rare native vegetation and is earmarked as a Significant Natural Area in the draft District Plan. Waitaki District Council has a project in partnership with the Puketapu Community Trust to create a formal track up Puketapu Maunga via the reserve. The trust also plans to carry out pest control and restoration work on the reserve. Grazing of deer is considered inconsistent with the requirements of the Reserves Act and should eventually be retired, a district council document said. "However, a rapid retirement of the land from grazing could result in an increase in invasive pest species." This month-by-month arrangement allowed for community consultation to occur around further grazing of the recreation reserve, a council statement said. "The Reserves Act 1977 requires that council consults with the community around its intent in issuing a licence or lease. The district council advertised its intent in issuing a grazing licence for part of the Waihemo Recreation Reserve in February, receiving 112 submissions with 55 submissions supporting the issuing of a grazing licence and 55 against. "The council's hearing committee assessed the submission and recommended a reduced licence area would work in with the proposed development of the walking track up to Puketapu. "The access to the summit is a key project for the Waihemo community, so this approach will allow for that work to continue along with pest control and planting."
Otago Daily Times
17-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
'Russian Roulette': Action on speed limits demanded
Hampden's location on the state highway makes it an ideal stop-off for truckies and tired motorists, but with the busy road cutting the township in half, it is a big safety worry for residents. The situation with double-stop trucks, low visibility and speeding vehicles (across three speed limits) is getting so bad, Hampden Constable Neil Rushton says it makes him "cringe" regularly. "It's like Russian Roulette," he said. Motorists travelling south on State Highway 1 through Hampden township experience three different speed limits: 80kmh for about 450m at the northern end of the town; then 60kmh for about 1km in the township itself; then 70kmh for about 450m at the southern end of the town. "Motorists travelling north through Hampden experience these speed limits, but in the reverse order," resident Kerry Stevens said. "For motorists travelling through Hampden on a regular basis and who forget to pay close attention to the speed limit signs each time, the changing speed limits are unnecessarily confusing." Residents also have safety concerns around pedestrians emerging from between parked vehicles on to a road with a high volume of traffic travelling at 60kmh, and the safety of children walking to school each day. A group of about a dozen residents and local business-owners met with Waitaki MP Miles Anderson on Monday to present a letter asking for speed limits to be reduced from 80kmh down to 70kmh at the northern end of the town; and from 60kmh to 50kmh within the main part of Hampden. The main part of the township sits on the crest of a hill, and is home to the township's library, several shops and cafes. It is also the site, outside the township's police station, where a woman was knocked over and killed in 1999. Resident Jennifer Black said the community had tried several times to push for the change, but had been met with too much bureaucracy. "We've got this ... section at the top of the hill here where there's nil visibility. It's become a much more active business area with the very busy cafe. The hall is regularly used, the library is used most days of the week. We've got this very important police station here and, of course, the takeaways." Waihemo Community Board chairwoman Heather McGregor also agreed it was time for action. "Road safety concerns in Hampden have been a concern for many years, particularly with the three different speed limits through the township. "Pedestrians trying to cross the road between parked cars and trucks and turning into streets in Hampden is very risky. "A speed limit reduced through the township would lessen this risk." Waitaki MP Miles Anderson said he was supportive of the suggestion, and would take the issue up with the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi in the first instance and then the transport minister. "More often than not, when I come through here, there's two trucks at least parked along here and then there's traffic shooting past people trying to dash across the road, that sort of thing. No zebra crossing or anything like that." He said he was also supporting similar efforts around Duntroon and Glenavy.
Otago Daily Times
12-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Lower speed limits wanted
Hampden's location on State Highway 1 makes it an ideal stop-off for truckies and tired motorists but the busy road cutting the township in half is a safety worry for residents. The situation with double-stop trucks, low visibility and speeding vehicles (across three speed limits) was getting so bad it made him "cringe" regularly, Constable Neil Rushton, of Hampden, said. "It's like Russian roulette," he said. Motorists travelling south on SH 1 through Hampden township experience three different speed limits; 80kmh for about 450m at the northern end of the town; then 60kmh for about 1km in the township itself; then 70kmh for about 450m at the southern end of the town. "Motorists travelling north through Hampden experience these speed limits, but in the reverse order," resident and Waihemo Community Board member Kerry Stevens said. "For motorists travelling through Hampden on a regular basis and who forget to pay close attention to the speed limit signs each time, the changing speed limits are unnecessarily confusing." Residents also have safety concerns around pedestrians emerging from between parked vehicles on to the road and the safety of children walking to school each day. A group of about a dozen residents and local business owners met Waitaki MP Miles Anderson yesterday to present a letter asking for speed limits to be reduced from 80kmh to 70kmh at the northern end of the town; and from 60kmh to 50kmh within the main part of Hampden township. The main part of the township sits on the crest of a hill, and is home to the township's library, several shops and cafes. It is also the site, outside the township's police station, where a woman was knocked over and killed in 1999. Resident Jennifer Black said the community had tried several times to push for the changes but had been met with too much bureaucracy. "We've got this section at the top of the hill here where there's nil visibility. "It's become a much more active business area with the very busy cafe. The hall is regularly used. The library is used most days of the week. We've got this very important police station here and, of course, the takeaways." Waihemo Community Board chairwoman Heather McGregor also agreed it was time for action. "Road safety concerns in Hampden have been a concern for many years, particularly with the three different speed limits through the township. Mr Anderson said he was supportive of the suggestion and would take up the issue with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi in the first instance and then the transport minister. "More often than not, when I come through here, there's two trucks at least parked along here and then there's traffic shoot past people trying to dash across the road — that sort of thing. No zebra crossing or anything like that." He said he was also supporting similar efforts around Duntroon and Glenavy.
