On 20th February 2017 the Howick Local Board received a petition from residents of Dannemora in Auckand to get the Council to stop heavy trucking businesses from operating from private homes in residential areas. In so doing these persons escape the OSH safety regulations and save the cost of compliance in operating from an industrial zone.
This in our view is contrary to the spirit and intention of the provisions of the Unitary Plan which the petitioners believe does not allow this type of business in a residential zoned area
The Council staff are of the view that anyone can park in a residential zone and that they are unable to prevent trucks from parking. In other words it is too difficult to regulate. We disagree for reasons expressed here. In spite of protests the council decline to give written detail for their overriding the Howick Local Board in their acceptance of the petition and rely instead upon a straight email rebuttal.
The Auckland Council have declined to use their extensive powers to stop the use of residential homes for heavy industrial trucking businesses and ensuing encroachment of the heavy trucks (not permitted on the house section by size and tonnage) onto the street.
Because of higher density of population in residential areas abnormal pressure is thus applied to the residential streets for domestic parking. We now not only have that problem but also have to compete for space with trucks which should be in yards in industrial areas. There have been heated arguments between residents in both Wellington and Christchurch who are complaining just about car parking let alone large heavy trucks.
The petitioners have explored the safety angle with Worksafe New Zealand but although they advertise their services and obligations about keeping vehicles safe in workplaces and preventing accidents they also decline to become involved regardless of the safety aspect to the public and users of the residential roads. They prefer instead to abrogate the responsibility to the Council’s involved. Heavy trucks are considered in themselves to be workplaces and as such when parked are left unsupervised which is a potential danger.
The recent terrible accident between a motor car and a heavy truck parked outside of the trucker’s residential home on a Levin Street brings the matter into focus.
Our petition needs to be considered by the Minister of Local Government asking the Minister to direct that the laws of residential zoning be enforced and unsuitable businesses be sent to operate from Industrial zones. We need further signatures of support.