The draft plan will be publicly notified in September for two months before a hearings panel, comprising Wānaka councillors Barry Bruce and Lyal Cocks and Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board member Chris Hadfield, make final recommendations to the council for approval.
The Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board approved both the notification and panel nominations on Thursday August 22.
The draft plan was created this year following several public workshops and initial feedback campaigns last year, to which more than 600 people responded.
Because Kai Tahu is continuing to work on the content of the iwi’s feedback regarding the values of Mt Iron, the board also passed an additional resolution on August 22 for chairman Simon Telfer to review the draft plan once Kai Tahu’s feedback arrives, to make sure iwi statements about values are accommodated before the final plan goes to the council for full sign-off.
Mr Telfer said he "completely supported mana whenua values" but the board needed to be sure all people understood what they were and did not remain a "general unknown".
Senior parks adviser Kat Banyard said Kai Tahu had not identified any specific areas on Mt Iron "but they are working on that".
Councillor Quentin Smith said he would be concerned if the entire mountain was identified as having cultural values, limiting opportunities for recreational development.
Cr Smith, board chairman Simon Telfer and fellow board member John Wellington also asked council staff to clarify access points to Little Mt Iron so people could consider themduring the submission period.
Mr Wellington added he understood the Great Ride route would be extended into Wānaka soon and the track around the base of Mt Iron had been identified as the preferred route.
Mr Telfer asked Ms Banyard how public submissions could be made.
She said staff would draw up specific questions that people could answer. There would also be opportunities for general feedback.
"We got such a wide variety of views in the initial feedback we need to know if [the draft plan has] have landed in the right place," Ms Banyard said.
Reserve plan timeline
- September 19: QLDC to approve public notification of Mt Iron draft reserve management plan on September 19.
- September 23-November 29: public submissions period
- December: hearing — date to be decided
