Murewa Rural District Council (Noise) By-laws, 2026

Murewa Rural District Council has adopted noise by-laws covering its whole area. The baseline rule is the national one: nobody may emit noise above the standards set under section 79 of the Environmental Management Act. On top of that, the by-laws prohibit loudspeakers, amplifiers, instruments and similar devices that disturb neighbours or people in a public place, advertising by loudspeaker without the council's prior written consent, shouting or drumming that disturbs the peace, noisy model aircraft and vehicles, bell-ringing and hooting for hawking, and keeping animals or birds whose crowing, barking or screeching is a nuisance. Power-driven grass and hedge cutters are restricted on residentially zoned land.

Businesses feel this most through section 5. Outside land zoned for industry, no business, trade or industry may operate — and no machine, engine or tool may be used for building, demolition or excavation — on a Sunday or a public holiday, or before 07:00 or after 18:00 on any other day, where the noise is likely to disturb the neighbourhood. Work urgently necessary to save life, protect health, preserve property or maintain essential services is exempt, and the council can grant a written exemption on good cause, with conditions, and withdraw it at any time.

Weddings, parties, church services, awareness campaigns and promotional events need a temporary noise permit. The written application must name the applicant, describe the event and its location, state the sound source and level, and give the times and the period sought, which cannot exceed six months. Both an application fee and a permit fee are payable. The authorised person weighs the effect on neighbouring properties and must give written reasons; an aggrieved applicant has 21 days to appeal to the council.

Enforcement has teeth. An authorised person may impound equipment, gadgets or machinery used in breach, hold it in a council compound, and release it only on payment of the penalty plus removal and storage charges. Equipment unclaimed after three months is advertised, then sold at public auction after 30 days; the council deducts its charges and the balance goes to the owner, but any balance unclaimed for 30 days after the sale is forfeited. A permit is cancelled if the holder is penalised for a breach, must be returned within 48 hours, and cannot be renewed for a year.

One caveat: in the published text, the fee and penalty schedules list the headings — CBD and other-area business permits, impoundment and storage fees, per-hour charges for business noise and for obstructing an officer — but the amounts themselves are blank. The by-laws say penalties may be paid at the prevailing interbank rate, so the figures should be confirmed with the council before relying on them.