Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has held a series of meetings, in Roxburgh, Alexandra and Cromwell, this week to get growers' views on where horticultural development could take place in the district in the future.
The Central Otago District Council asked for the current horticulture areas to be marked on maps of the district, along with potential areas for future expansion, as part of the district plan review process.
The council heard submissions on its plan review discussion document last year, which highlighted the conflict between rural residential living and noisy rural activities.
Some rural residents said gas guns and sirens used for bird-scaring during the fruit season were spoiling residents' peace over summer, while orchardists pointed out the importance of the fruit crop to Central Otago, saying it boosted the economy by about $100million annually.
A draft district plan review will be completed by the end of this year or early next year and it will be notified for submissions.
HortNZ natural resources and environment adviser Angela Halliday said mapping the areas for potential horticulture development in the future would provide useful information for the council to determine zoning and hopefully avoid reverse sensitivity.
A rule on bird scarer noise was being drafted as part of the plan review.
Growers were also being asked about their use of those devices to try to find some common ground between the two sides on that debate, Ms Halliday said.
A Central Otago labour market survey carried out last year revealed cherry plantings in the district would increase by 34% over the next five years, pipfruit plantings by 12% and peach and nectarine plantings by 11%.
