Lack of opposition to the Roxburgh Gorge cycle trail plan means the decision on whether it gains resource consent is likely to take the form of conditions attached to its approval, the independent commissioner hearing the application says.
Denis Nugent, of Wanaka, heard the Central Otago District Council's application for land-use consents for works and structures associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of the $3.3 million cycling and walking trail in Alexandra yesterday.
He is viewing the site of the proposed trail, which will run along the State Highway 8 side of Lake Roxburgh, from Alexandra to the Roxburgh dam, by boat, today.
The Department of Conservation had initially recommended consent for the trail be withheld, unless it was consulted on the final alignment of the trail next to Flat Top Hill and other public conservation land, so adverse effects on indigenous vegetation, archeological sites and other heritage items could be avoided.
The CODC agreed to that request before the hearing began.
Of the six people and organisations making submissions on the application, two spoke at yesterday's hearing.
John Douglas, of Alexandra, supported the proposed trail, although he wanted some conditions attached to its approval.
"The track and the bridges on it are not designed to accommodate a high lake [Roxburgh] level or flash floods.
The 1878 flood should be used as a baseline.
We had three 100-year floods in the 1990s and most of these floods happen in the summer, when the track's use will be highest."
To ensure trail users' safety, track levels should be 1m above the highest recorded level of Lake Roxburgh, while bridge levels should be 1m above flash flood levels, Mr Douglas said.
Exit or access routes to the trail should also be installed at the Butchers dam parking area and miners monument at Gorge Creek because of the need for emergency access routes and, at 34km long, the track was too long for families to walk, he said.
Fish and Game New Zealand environmental officer John Hollows, who also spoke at the hearing in support of the application, said it was uncommon for Fish and Game to support a land-use consent application.
"So it's nice to be able to support this one, which can only add to Central Otago as a recreational destination.
Lake Roxburgh is a hidden gem as fishing goes and this is an opportunity to enhance angling in the area."
His organisation would like to see, where possible, provision for side tracks to the water's edge at key locations, such as beaches and creek outlets, to increase opportunities for recreational activities, Mr Hollows said.
As the application to build the track did not include access or exit routes, Mr Nugent said Mr Douglas' proposal fell outside his jurisdiction.
For the same reason, he could not rule on Fish and Game's proposal for side tracks.
Yesterday's hearing was not the only hurdle the Roxburgh Gorge cycle track has to clear.
Negotiations with 14 landowners for easements across their properties were continuing, CODC business development manager Jonathan Gadd said.
Consent was also required from the Otago Regional Council to build the bridges, at Butchers Creek, Gorge Creek and Shingle Creek, as construction might disturb the river bed.
CODC planning officer Anita Dawe said that application should be made in the next few weeks.
Mr Nugent noted that should consent for the trail be granted, under the Resource Management Act the land-use consents would go to the individual landowners, not the council or the Roxburgh Gorge Trail Charitable Trust, which will be responsible for ongoing governance of the trail.
He reserved his decision for up to 15 working days.
