Johnson's Road

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CCFF99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04078671esnimw.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#CCFF99" FACE="Arial" ><B>AndiC - Home Page</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AndiC Home Page"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Books"><U>My Books</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photo Albums"><U>Photo Albums</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Vehicles"><U>My Vehicles</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favourite Links"><U>Favourite Links</U></A>   |   <B>Johnson's Road</B>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="P76 into RangeRover"><U>P76 into RangeRover</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#336699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="041c83b3.gif"> <div> <IMG SRC="07b98d20.jpg" border=0 width="152" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> and its companion volume ...</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="07c94d20.jpg" border=0 width="148" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This collection of North Island tracks is specially compiled to offer simple and safe routes that are ideal for single-vehicle, family-type adventures.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> They are for drivers who want to get away to magical, out-of-the-way places, but who don¹t want to bush-bash all the way through dense gorse and sticky mud, risking serious injury to person or vehicle. There is little opportunity to get stuck on these routes, little chance of getting into a dangerous situation. There is, however, much enjoyment to be had exploring back-country New Zealand in a vehicle designed so admirably for the purpose.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Travelling south?<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Don¹t forget the 4WD SOUTH ISLAND series by Ken Sibly and Mark Wilson.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Together these two books detail 200 4WD routes throughout the beautiful South Island.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="07da9d20.jpg" border=0 width="169" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="07e8cd20.jpg" border=0 width="140" height="210" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> All four books come in a practical spiral binding and include an illustrated guide to competent four-wheel driving.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Available at only $39.95 from all good booksellers<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> or direct from the publisher:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Shoal Bay Press Ltd, PO Box 17661, Christchurch.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#CCFF66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#CCFF99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Johnson's Road</I></div> <div> We Won !!!! Review the Judges Decisions <A HREF="http://andic.co.nz/decision.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://andic.co.nz/decision.htm"><U>here</U></A></div> <bR> <div> For those who don't know, the 4WD community is witnessing one of its rare moments of solidarity in pursuing Upper Hutt City Council in the Environment Court.</div> <bR> <div> <B>But why are we opposing an obscure road closure in Upper Hutt?</B></div> <bR> <div> Way back in the late 80's, the 4WD Association opposed the closure of a road in Waitakarei. Unfortunately, they lost the case with the (then) Planning Tribunal ruling that recreation was not a reason in itself to force Council to keep a road open.</div> <bR> <div> OK, so we lost that one. But it hasn't stopped there. Ever since, any Council wanting to close a road has used this as an excuse (or precedent) to ignore applications from recreational groups to keep roads open. Many similar roads have been lost over the years because of one decision by one Judge - who on the face of it also severely exceeded his authority.</div> <bR> <div> So here we are in Upper Hutt, asking Council to open a road which has never been formed, and their reaction is not only to ignore our requests, but instead to proceed with a formal stop order. An order that if it succeeds will see the land occupied by the road given over to some property developers for a song. Needless to say, the developers are pretty keen to get their hands on this land - it will improve the value of their holdings by up to $1,000,000 - and they'll probably only pay a few thousand dollars for it - nice work if you can get it!</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="076bccc0.jpg" border=0 width="700" height="460" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Much to the annoyance of the developers and Council, a group of us have chosen to fight this closure. It is of value not only locally to us, but will hopefully go some way to overturn the 1989 Ruling in Waitakarei, and confirm that indeed recreation is a valid use for the Countryside.</div> <bR> <div> Part way through all this, a brilliant decision has been handed down in Ruapehu District. Here, a land owner wanted to fence off a Public Road to allow deer hunters free gambit to shoot pet deer on his property - very sporting of him! However, locals objected. This time they took the case to Court, and despite Ruapehu District Council reeling off the classic excuse of “Waitakarei”, the Environment Court ruled against them stating that recreation WAS a valid use for a road.</div> <bR> <div> Now this helps us enormously. But there are drawbacks. </div> <bR> <div> The Environment Court held that recreation when it is multi-disciplined (more than one activity) is a valid reason, sole use by say 4WDs may not be. Hence their conclusion that Ruapehu was different in that Horse Riders, Mountain Bikers and Hikers were all represented.</div> <bR> <div> Now applying this to Upper Hutt, we can't simply go it alone. We have to get on-side with Walkers, Mountain Bikers, Horse Riders, Quad and Trail-Bike Riders as well as all other 4WD Clubs. This is not a matter where the 4WD fraternity can go it alone.</div> <bR> <div> So we're spear-heading the campaign through ARAC, a body set up to represent all many of recreational users.</div> <bR> <div> Some initial advice we received suggested that any Incorporated Society opposing a closure such as this in the Environment Court could face substantial costs if they lost the case, caused some of the original objectors to pull out. The Association with all its assets to protect was one such to withdraw. That is not to say that the Association is not in there fighting. It is. Simply the Association's name is not on the list of objectors going forward to Court. The Association is most definitely behind the case, with a contribution of $14,000 towards the costs coming from the Northern Zone, Central Zone and National Executive funds. Similarly CCVC in Wellington has helped out to the tune of $10,000.</div> <bR> <div> Further funding is being sourced locally in the Greater Wellington area, but we will need more.</div> <bR> <div> Consider this, if you have a local road closure issue in your area, and the Council are quoting the Waitakarei decision at you, now's your chance to fight back.</div> <bR> <div> If your 4WD, quad, trail-bike, hunting, tramping or whatever type of Club can afford even a few hundred bucks, we need it. More would be great.</div> <bR> <div> Follow this link for <A HREF="http://andic.ods.org/Johnsons" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://andic.ods.org/Johnsons"><U>Johnson's Road Photographs</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>