An updated Wairarapa Consolidated Bylaw has now been adopted by all three Wairarapa district councils, providing rules for activities ranging from roaming chickens to vehicles on beaches, al fresco dining, and tā moko.
The Bylaw aims to minimise and mitigate risk relating to health and safety, nuisance, and offensive behaviour, and works to protect specified council infrastructure and activity.
It includes sections covering the sale of goods in public places, keeping of animals, public places, traffic, cemeteries and crematoria, beauty therapy, skin piercing and tattooing, and trade waste.
As a result of the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms, water-related matters previously covered by the Bylaw must now be dealt with under the new Water Services Act.
Following submissions, a proposed change to allow skateboards and scooters on footpaths in Masterton’s CBD was removed, as were proposals to ban or decrease speed limits for vehicles on Castlepoint and Riversdale beaches.
The issue of speed on the two beaches attracted interest on both sides of the argument, but new legislation, the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024, removes from councils the ability to set speed limits, noting that beaches are legally regarded as roads.
Following submissions calling for better enforcement of rules around vehicles on beaches, Masterton District Council staff will talk to the Police about increasing enforcement at specific times of the year. The Council also encourages people to call the Police if they have concerns about poor driving on beaches. The advantages of increasing signage will also be considered.
But the Bylaw will now allow mobile traders and stalls at the beaches.
The beauty therapy, tattooing and skin piercing part of the Bylaw recognises tikanga and includes an exemption for tā moko. Tā moko is considered a taonga or cultural treasure. Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi protects Māori rangatiratanga over taonga.
Rules are not necessarily the same throughout Wairarapa. In Masterton and Carterton district, for instance, chickens must be kept in confined areas and allowed to roam on owners’ properties. Roaming is forbidden in South Wairarapa because of concerns about dog attacks.
The updated Wairarapa Consolidated Bylaw will apply from 1 November 2025.
The full Bylaw will be available on council websites on 31 October.