Maori Road Lines and Other Private Roads

That Council’s policy on the maintenance, upgrading and taking over of private roads be as outlined, viz:

 ‘Council recognises  that some private roads as defined in Section 315  Local  Government Act 1974 and Section 416[5] Maori  Affairs Act 1953 may contribute to the roading network of the District by providing  essential  access  for  a  number  of  ratepayers  for  economic  benefit  and social purposes and are accessible to  and used by the public at large.
On  this basis Council may consider accepting responsibility  and taking  over  for  management   and  maintenance  purposes  those existing  private  roads  which   meet  the  following  guideline criteria :

• The private road is currently accessible to and being used as a right by the public generally.  In the case of  a  Maori  roadway  it would generally be one which has been laid off by  the  Maori Land Court without use being restricted to certain  persons  or classes of persons and hence in terms of the  Act  ‘has the same rights of user as if it was a public road’.

• The private road currently provides access to at least six inhabited lots.   In the case of a rural ‘No Exit” private road, public road status would be declared up to the point which served the last two properties.

• The  private road owners or Trustees and adjacent landowners, if  these  are  different, to initiate, totally  support  and execute  the  necessary action required to have  the  private  road declared to be public road.

• No compensation being payable by Council.

• The private road is to be of sufficient legal width and adequate alignment for public road status and appropriate to Council standards.

•  Any  new  fencing  and  relocation of  existing  fences  onto appropriate  boundaries  to be the adjacent property  owners’  responsibility.

•  For  private road accepted by Council for taking over but not  yet  declared public road, maintenance of existing  standards to  be  in  terms  of  Section 31 of  the Local  Government Amendment  Act  No 2 1989 with application and  consent  from owners in writing.

• On  legalisation  as  Public Road, Council  to  maintain  and upgrade   to  appropriate  standards  as  and  when   Council determines  from time to time and subject to availability  of funds.

• That  the  policy  apply  only  to  those  private  roads  in  existence as at 1 June 1991.’

Policy and Resources Committee, 18 June 1991