People required to have a hearing to consider their resource consent application could have to pay 75% of estimated costs upfront.
In a meeting of the Otago Regional Council's finance and corporate committee yesterday councillors voted against charging 100% of the estimated costs, as was proposed.
Instead, a requirement that 75% of the estimated costs of the hearing be sought prior to a hearing was to be included in the council's draft Long Term Council Community Plan.
If the hearing cost more, a further invoice would be sent out or if it cost less, a refund made.
Some councillors were opposed to the concept that resource consent applicants would have to pay upfront.
"You don't pay before you get a service, I'd be interested to know if other councils operate this way," Cr Doug Brown said.
Corporate services director Wayne Scott said Environment Canterbury required applicants to pay 90% upfront and Environment Southland required set amounts, depending upon size of hearing, to be pre-paid.
As large commercial consent hearings were already charged at 100%, the ORC proposal would only affect small number of smaller applicants, Mr Scott said.
Chairman Stephen Cairns said the charges were appropriate business practice and would bring efficiencies into the consent process.
He suggested that 90% of the estimated costs should be charged as the council was not a "benevolent society".
However, Cr Stephen Woodhead proposed an amendment that it should only be 75% of the estimated costs.
The amendment was successful on a vote of 8-3.
Chief executive Graeme Martin said it was hoped such a regime would "drive" applicants, lawyers and consultants to be more efficient when making applications and provide information prior to a hearing.
"Too much is deliberately left to that process [hearings] and not enough is done prior."
Councillors also approved an increase in dairy shed monitoring costs to $150 and an increase in the vehicle use charge out rate to 68c from 62c to incorporate petrol price and dollar values.
