I have be informed today that there are proposed changes that will make having bees in suburbia almost un workable, and restricted to one box.
Proposed changes to Te Kaunihera ō Tāmaki Makaurau Ture ā-rohe Tiaki Kararehe 2015 / the Auckland Council Animal Management Bylaw 2015
I have sent this to you just to be sure you and the bee keeping community give public feed back on this.
You need to ensure you respond to the internal size of a bee hive.
Currently they say a bee hive is only one Langstroth dimension box. - so only 2 supers per property.
Personally I like to use 2 brood boxes in Summer to help stop swarming and go up 2 honey supers. [4 total]
Then in winter reduce to one brood box super.
Then some times I may catch a swarm and so have 2 bee hives on a property. 3 hives is too much work.
We need to make submissions so it can captured in the public consultation doc.
Please help correct the policy makers [lawyers who understand nothing about bees & nature] with a wave of response for the bee keeping community.
.............................................................................
Proposed changes to Te Kaunihera ō Tāmaki Makaurau Ture ā-rohe Tiaki Kararehe 2015 / the Auckland Council Animal Management Bylaw 2015
I have sent this to you just to be sure you and the bee keeping community give public feed back on this.
You need to ensure you respond to the internal size of a bee hive.
Currently they say a bee hive is only one Langstroth dimension box. - so only 2 supers per property.
Personally I like to use 2 brood boxes in Summer to help stop swarming and go up 2 honey supers. [4 total]
Then in winter reduce to one brood box super.
Then some times I may catch a swarm and so have 2 bee hives on a property. 3 hives is too much work.
We need to make submissions so it can captured in the public consultation doc.
Please help correct the policy makers [lawyers who understand nothing about bees & nature] with a wave of response for the bee keeping community.
.............................................................................
About the proposed changes
The Bylaw and associated controls set out rules about animal ownership and interaction to minimise risks to public health and safety, nuisance, offensive behaviour and misuse of council-controlled public places.
The proposal aims to make the rules easier for Aucklanders to read and understand, while minimising the potential for nuisance to occur.
Key proposed changes are to:
· require an approval to keep more than two standard beehives on urban premises with a land area less than 2000 square metres (no approval currently required).
Note: Council has heard a range of views about limits on beehives in urban areas and is seeking feedback:
o on allowing more or less beehives without an approval than the proposed two
o on limits for different sized urban premises than the proposed 2000 square metres
· incorporate rules from another bylaw about the feeding of animals on private property
· update the definitions, structure, format and wording of the Bylaw and controls to make them easier to read and understand.
The proposed changes are the result of a statutory bylaw review completed in 2020 during which we also sought feedback from you.
No public feedback is being sought on other aspects of the Bylaw and controls as they will remain unchanged, for example:
- the Bylaw continues to focus on the impact of animals on people
- matters covered in existing legislation remain unaddressed in the Bylaw, for example animal welfare in the Animal Welfare Act 1999, pest control in the Biosecurity Act 1993 and Auckland Regional Pest Management Plan 2020 - 2030 and dogs in the Dog Management Bylaw 2019
- existing rules in the Bylaw and controls for which changes are not proposed remain, for example the restrictions on the ownership of stock in urban areas.
From 2 June the public can find more information on the proposal and how to have their say including in person, online or by phone at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/have-your-say or by contacting council by phone on (09) 301 0101. Free internet access is available at our libraries.
Local boards can provide views on how a Panel should address matters raised in public feedback:
- in a resolution at business meetings in September 2021
- by (in addition to written views above) speaking to their resolution to the Bylaw Panel at a public meeting on Friday, 29 October 2021.
Please note that if local boards do not provide formal views at a business meeting, they will be unable to present those views to the Bylaw Panel meeting in October 2021.
Next steps:
- Local boards will receive a summary of public feedback to the proposal prior to September 2021, to assist in providing their views.
- Local boards will receive a report on public feedback to the proposal for their September 2021 business meetings where they will have the opportunity to provide their views.
- A Bylaw Panel will consider all public feedback and local board views at a public meeting in October 2021.
- The Governing Body will consider Bylaw Panel recommendations on the proposal and make a final decision on any changes to the Bylaw at its November 2021 meeting.
For more information please:
- read the 27 May 2021 Governing Body Agenda report which includes findings and options reports, statement of proposal and proposed amended bylaw (Item 11).
- contact Breanna Hawthorne or Saralee Gore, at Breanna.hawthorne@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or Saralee.gore@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.