Business at risk over noise issue | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

A hint that the emergence of a " new" Martinborough may be putting some stresses and strains on the town's traditional way of life arose at a South Wairarapa District Council meeting yesterday.

Marilyn MacKenzie, who has run a firewood yard in Nelson's Road for many years, spoke to the council of her concerns for the future of the business in light of unclear council policies regarding the rural area.

Mrs MacKenzie said she employs 9 full-time and 5 part-time staff who rely on the firewood yard for their income.

"Our business is now under threat of prosecution over noise, to the stage where we are seriously considering whether we can continue," she said.

Mrs MacKenzie referred to legal arguments that revolve round how long her business has been going and whether the firewood yard has existing use rights " to make the noise that we do."

But her appearance before the council yesterday was more to do with the future, Mrs MacKenzie said.

"Even if we prove we have existing use rights, or we come up with a solution that is satisfactory to the council for the moment, how can we be certain it will last?"

She said at any time a existing neighbour, or a new neighbour could raise " fresh issues about noise."

"We cannot run a business on such an uncertain basis."

Mrs MacKenzie said she was supported by many other rural businesses who had learned of the firewood yard's plight.

These included Waugh Engineering, Ace Panel and Paint, Malneek Contractors, Muirlea Rise vineyard and Nga Waka Vineyard.

She tabled a document containing 70 submissions supporting her stand.

Mrs MacKenzie said it was "very strange" that the district plan allows for bird scaring devices, including firearms to exceed noise limits but not for other noise that is a regular part of the rural environment like most chainsaws, lawn mowers, weed eaters or vineyard mulchers.

She said a lot of the problem could lie in the fact that some people see rural Martinborough as a pristine, quiet country landscape "and don't see it for the working rural area that it is."

"We know that some businesses, particularly new ones, have an interest in advertising that this is a quiet place.

"This creates false expectations."

She referred to a case where a cottage on the wine trail that was offering accommodation was taken to the Disputes Tribunal for claiming the cottage was "peaceful" when there were bird scaring devices in the area.

Mrs MacKenzie asked council to do a survey to determine rural values and amenities and to determine attitudes to rural activities.

She wanted this to be published as a technical assessment and description of the existing rural environment to use it to start discussions with rural stakeholders and the public as a way of managing conflicts that arise.

The assessment would cover regular sources of noise and other matters such as odours and sprays.

The hope was that it would lead to a greater understanding, or possibly a plan change to reflect that existing rural activity will occasionally breach noise rules.