Marine Parade residents aired their opposition to Tauranga City Council's freedom camping bylaw in chambers yesterday, citing traffic, environment and community as the key issues.

The council is currently hearing public submissions on its draft bylaw that will prohibit motor homes parking overnight between Adams Avenue and Banks Avenue, but allow them in marked spaces for up to two nights along the rest of Marine Parade, excluding directly outside homes.

Marine Parade resident Graham Matthews is one of the Mount homeowners concerned about council's freedom camping bylaw.

Marine Parade resident Dr Stephen Connell spoke in support of his submission by phone from Canada. He says allowing freedom camping along Marine Parade will just make things worse.

From his second floor window overlooking the dunes, he's seen 'more backsides than a proctologist” and made countless trips across the road to hand toilet paper to people toileting in the dunes, he says.

Council's bylaw will only make things worse he says, and put extra pressure on the sensitive dune ecosystem, and dunes that have been re-stabilised with work from the Marine Parade community.

He also talked about the Marine Parade residents' sense of community and how he remembers walking with his father, picking up rubbish left by summer visitors.

Police are already stretched during the summer holiday period and unable to respond to anything other than serious crime, say Stephen. They will not be able to police any bylaws.

Traffic issues were brought up by other submitters who say there is no cycle lane and that angle parked camper vans will force cyclists further out into an already busy road in summer.

Similar complaints were aired in submissions from ratepayers adjacent to other parks; Ferguson Park in Matua, and Memorial Park where freedom camping will be permitted.

Papamoa Holiday Park director Bruce Crosby opposes permitting freedom camping in nearby reserves, but says he understands the council is being compelled by central government to comply with rushed legislation introduced for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

He's read the Freedom Camping Act, and sympathises with the council's position.

'I have read it and I feel sorry for the council today,” says Bruce.

'You have my utmost sympathy.”

The law means council is compelled to allow self-contained camper vans to park overnight within the city, unless it can produce compelling reasons why not, backed up with evidence.

As councillor Murray Guy said to one submitter, people can park a camper van all day and all night on Marine Parade legally - the only issue is if people are sleeping inside.

The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association submission offered council its own bylaw its drafting in consultation with Local Government NZ and the Department of Conservation.

'We are drafting a model freedom camping bylaw to promote the development of consistent, lawful bylaws nationwide,” says policy advisor Tony Gavin.

He also wants overnight camping extended to three nights to match the time on the self-containment warrants.

Council will now deliberate on the submissions.