Resource Consent Application

Proposed camping ground - for the 2012 Rhythm and Vines festival,
managers for the event applied for an extension to the current camping
ground plan, in hope of increasing the number of campers for the duration
of the event. Their proposal for this included an addition of the 5.25
hectare of the Pinot Gris Vineyard (bordering the Waiohika Estate) for the
camping ground extension. They also identified the convenience such an
extension to the camping ground would be for transport, with the extended
area going into the Pino Gris Vineyard, near gate 'D' entrance to the festival
grounds. This would be useful for minimising traffic congestion into and
out of the event grounds as particular gate entries (such as gate D) could
potentially provide entry for campers only therefore people travelling to
and from the festival by automobile and walking/on foot may not enter and
therefore clash at the same entry an element of safety for festival goers is
furthermore acknowledged here. Before the application for this particular
resource consent was approved in 2012, the camping facilities would have
only accommodated 5,000 people, however with the council granting this
proposal for a camping ground extension into the neighbouring, Pinot Gris
Vineyard, the festival was able to accommodate an additional 3,000 people,
proving a total of 10,000 camping spaces for festival attendees overall. This
resource consent for a campsite extension was required in order for the
2012 Rhythm and Vines festival campgrounds to be more spacious for
campers due to an extension to the camping areas, as well as the potential
for the festival to host a larger population of people (camping) over the
three-day period of the event.
Strengths:

The initial granting of the Resource Consent Application for a
proposed camping ground for the 2012 RNV festival meant that the
event managers and organisers were able to plan the camping
facilities and capacity allowance a considerable amount of time before
the event, and before tickets went on sale to the public.
The camping area extension allowed an additional 3,000 camping
spaces of which was positive for both the economic success (camping
ticket sales) and social success (accommodation for festival goers) of
the event.

Weaknesses:

With the camping ground having been extended after the resource
consent application, the camping grounds, with a higher capacity of
people allowed, could have meant that people may have found it a
long distance to walk to the prime event venues (such as the main
music stages).
People camping on the very edge of the camping area may have felt
slightly excluded and out of the loop with being bases a considerable
distance from the main stages. This could have meant that if campers
in this situation wished to watch from their campsite, they may have
had difficulty seeing from such a long distance away. This may have
potentially altered these peoples overall enjoyment and participation
during the event.

Success:

The camping ground extension allowed an additional 3,000 campers
(total of 10,000) for the 2012 RNV event, presenting a success of the
consent for this in its self with a larger capacity of people able to be
accommodated on site.
The 2012 festival was able to provide more spacious areas for people
to set up camp aiding personal space and ability for people to camp
in larger groups.
Special Alcohol Licence

A Special licence was crucial for event managers to apply for in order for
alcohol to be legally supplied and consumed at the RNV festival. This
particular licence is needed for events that are intending to supply/sell
liquor in a public area or in an area that is not privately owned. Therefore
with the 2012 RNV festival being held in the Wiohika Estate, this Special
Alcohol licence was required due to this being a area soon be
accommodating a large population of people whom are not owners of the
land (waiohika estate).

With Rhythm and Vines being a strictly R18 event and consequently in
accordance with New Zealand liquor licensing laws, event staff only permit
the entry of individuals with all three valid forms of identification
including:
An 18+ ID Card
A current and valid New Zealand Drivers Licence
A current Passport (updated within the last two years)

Event organisers for the festival made it clear that under no circumstances
would there be exceptions made to this strictly placed policy in accordance
with the New Zealand law for the drinking age of 18+ years of age.
Therefore, minors (individuals under the age of 18) would not be allowed
to purchase tickets or attend the Rhythm and Vines festival. In order for the
event organisers to have successfully enforced this policy and furthermore
complying with the Special Alcohol Licence, the name on the forms of ID
was needed to match the name exactly displayed on online-ticket at the
time of purchase. As the RNV festival commenced, the licence was enforced
further with concert attendees who did not successfully (legally) precent
all three indicated forms of identification were asked to leave and in some
cases escorted off site premises. These people who violated this policy
would have not only been denied entry, but would have also received no
refund for their ticket purchase.
Strengths:

One of the strengths for the Special Alcohol Licence for the 2012 RNV
festival was that the drinking policy of the event successfully
complied with the New Zealand drinking law of individuals
consuming liquor being 18+.
With the 2012 RNV event holding this alcohol licence, this meant that
attendees would not have had to bring their own liquor, and this
would have also meant that excessive and illegal substances would
not have been allowed into the festival grounds complying with the
overall safety of the event and therefore a valid strength of the special
alcohol licence overall.

Weaknesses:

The 2012 RNV festival was not an all ages event - With the 2012 RNV
event holding a special alcohol licence, and therefor complying with
the New Zealand drinking age law of 18+, minors (individuals under
the age of 18) would have been denied entry to the event, and
therefore the age range of the festival comprised of individuals only
18+ and over. This could have meant that families with younger
children may not have been able to take all members of their family to
the event if they were planning to attend.

Successes:

The special alcohol licence showed several successes for the 2012
RNV event as people did not bring any liquor or other illegal
substances into the festival grounds (such may have been confiscated
from then upon entry). Furthermore, New Zealand drinking laws
were successfully abided.
The event comprised of individuals only 18+ and over the general
maturity of people who attended the event was high (with the
absence of young children).
The economic success of the 2012 RNV event was aided with the
alcohol licence as liquor was only available to concert attendees if
they purchased it within the festival grounds.
Use of Amplified Sound at compliant levels within open space sites

Consent for the 2012 Rhythm and Vines festival to conduct and play
amplified music within the open space site of the Waiohika Estate over the
three-day festival period. Ultimately, it was important that this sound
permit was granted for the 2012 festival in order for artists to be able to
perform and successfully entertain concert attendees during the course of
the event period. This consent would have been sought to allow the use of
electrically amplified sound that complied with the permitted noise limits
on all parts and reserves zoned Open Space Recreation. Activities
generating amplified sound such as the music entertainment on each of the
stages during the course of the 2012 Rhythm and Vines festival would have
had to have this sound consent in order for the amplified sound to be
permitted to be played outside of the daytime hours of 9am - 10-pm. This
was of course an extremely compliant and necessary consent needed for
the 2012 festival, especially on the night of the 31st of December when
concert attendees would have been expecting the continuation of music
and other entertainment past 10pm, and more importantly a considerably
amount of time past midnights. Thus, event managers and organisers
would have had to have applied to the Gisborne City Council for an
amplified sounds permit beyond the usual restricted hours of 9am-10pm.
Strengths:

A strength of the granting for the use of amplified sound at the 2012
RNV event meant that musical acts were able to perform throughout
the duration of the festival with the use of considerable loud
(amplified) music.
Large and numerous speakers for music and sound were purchased
for the event, creating a loud, festive and musical atmosphere for
attendees. This would have contributed to the overall enjoyment of
people attending, as well as their ability to hear musical acts if they
were to be at long distances from the main stages.

Weaknesses:
The day before the 2012 Rhythm and Vines festival started, a 16-
wheel truck carrying the sound and visual equipment for the event
fell over the side of a bank along Waioeka Road in Opotiki on the way
deliver its contents to the festival grounds and set up the equipment.
This was tragic for both the driver of the truck (although was luckily
unharmed) and the time allowance for the necessary sound
equipment to be set up before the festival kicked off. Because of this,
event organisers had to hastily arrange for a number of other trucks
and cranes to the crash site in order to retrieve the equipment within
the capsized truck and extra equipment was also ordered.
Rhythm and Vines organisers also spoke about and apologised for the
poor sound quality on the first night of the 2012 RNV festival due to
the replacement sound equipment that was used and constructed for
use on that day due to the truck incident that occurred the day before
the festival commenced. Organisers initially said that the sound
equipment inside the truck had only sustained a small amount of
damage and that the "worst case scenario" would be that the event set
up for sound systems and equipment would be delayed. However this
was contradicted when the sound quality for the fist day of the 2012
festival was noticeably below standard. The weakness shows
furthermore that the Use of Amplified Sound consent had not been
used to its full potential on the first day of the 2012 RNV festival, with
the use of poor/damaged audio equipment.

Successes:

Successes with the use of equipment to conduct Amplified Sound saw
content and enjoyment from festival attendees due to sound levels
and quality being recorded as having been extremely good (after the
first day when damaged audio equipment was replaced). This of
course contributed to not only the sound/musical success, but to the
overall success and positive feedback for the 2012 RNV festival.
With the consent for Amplified Sound being granted for the 2012 RNV
festival, this meant that attendees who wished to be in areas further
away from the direct locations of the sound sources (the main stages)
we still able to hear clearly and furthermore enjoy the musical acts
and performances throughout the duration of the three-day event,
with the strong, amplified audio system being able to conduct around
the festival grounds.
Suggestions for improving the permits, consents and licences for future RNV festivals:

RNV event organisers and managers could look into having more extensive back-up plans for potential mishaps that could occur before and during
the festival. A valid reason for why this would be a good improvement to the overall success of future RNV festivals is the lack of sound quality on the
first night of the 2012 festival after the incident with an equipment truck the day before the event started. Managers of the event could take this
example into account and develop extensive back-up plans (such as where they would be able to easily and efficiently retrieve emergency equipment
for replacements if something was to happen to the initial equipment). This step in the organisation process for future events would ensure that
permits such as the Use of Amplified Sound at compliant levels within open space sites would not be jeopardised in a way which would show lack of
use of these permits (such as the use of damaged/ineffective audio equipment for the first day of the 2012 RNV festival). It is important for permits,
consents and licences to be used to their full potential (legally) in order for the overall success of the event to be heightened and improved.