Amendments Urged For Control Of Pig Farms

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31092, 22 June 1966, Page 6

Amendments Urged For Control Of Pig Farms

Ways in which the council might control the establishment of pig farms and the keeping of pigs were discussed by the council's solicitor and its tow-planning officer (Mr M. R. Parker) in reports considered by the Waimairi County Council at its monthly meeting last night. It was suggested that the council should amend its town-planning definition of predominant use in a rural zone to make it subject to the provisions of council bylaws, and that the bydaws themselves should be brought into line with the townplanning ordinances. Public objections were heard on May 4 to the council’s proposed change in its ordinances covering predominant uses in rural zones to make the keeping of pigs subject to council approval. “Waimairi county is in a somewhat unique position in that it is part of a large metropolitan area, and although the county is still predominantly un-built on in actual area, it contains some of the best housing land and will continue to expand,” said the solicitor. “If there were no other way of controlling pig-farming in dose proximity to urban development, we think that the Town Planning Appeal Board would find nothing wrong with the proposed amendment However, the council is in a position to control

such activity by passing bylaws and thereby not discriminating between natural rural uses.”

But, the solicitor went on, town-planning ordinances had the force of a statutory regulation, and overrode bydaws inconsistent with them. As the council's predominant uses stood at present, they allowed any form of farming to be carried out, at a certain distance from houses, without consent of the council. This clashed with by-law area and distance requirements.

Mr Parker recommended the council to uphold the objections, and to amend its ordinances and bring its bylaws into line. He said a recent Court case judgment would, in effect, test the existing by-laws. The recommendations were referred to the town-planning committee.