A proposal to swap some reserve land at Oamaru Harbour with adjacent commercial land will go to a special hearings committee set up by the Waitaki District Council.
The five-councillor panel, chaired by Cr Hugh Perkins, will meet on Monday to consider two submissions on the council proposal.
The submissions, from Oamaru Steam and Rail and Oamaru resident Bruce Comfort, are both supportive, but call for assurances.
Steam and Rail wants to ensure the legality of the railway line it uses from Itchen St to the Red Sheds near the Oamaru Penguin colony is not compromised. Mr Comfort wanted assurance the process and requirements were legal and adjoining roads would not be affected.
The council advertised in October for public comment on the land swap affecting about 7ha on the foreshore.
That included the former NZ Rail goods yard the council bought in 2008 after it became surplus to needs.
The plan is to change 3.77ha of land along the foreshore, at Friendly Bay, the Steampunk playground and on the harbour side of the Esplanade and Waterfront Rd, from Oamaru Harbour endowment freehold land to local purpose reserve.
Land from the Oamaru Rowing Club building to the McKeown depot, and a vacant section at the corner of the Esplanade and Waterfront Rd, is excluded and retains its endowment land status.
The decision to change the land to local purpose reserve better reflected its existing use for recreation and public space.
As Oamaru Harbour endowment land, it was required to provide a return to the council to maintain the harbour. However, it was not doing this, because of the way it was being used and developed.
Because of the requirements of the Local Government Act and Reserves Act, the council was required to ''exchange'' a similar area of land to replace the endowment land being lost.
The council intends to change the status of 3.34ha of former goods yard land, excluding track used by Oamaru Steam and Rail.
It will change from local purpose reserve to Oamaru Harbour endowment freehold.
