''We've made the cake but not iced it.''
This was the description of Oamaru's historic Harbour St, after 29 years of development, given to a public meeting last night by Project Harbour St group convener David Wilson.
Four questions on the street - traffic, design, promotion-marketing and establishing a working group - were put to about 80 people at the meeting and feedback invited.
One of the more controversial issues was banning traffic. However, the meeting was not just about that, but also the revitalisation of the street.
However, a vote showed five people wanting traffic access to remain as it was, 10 wanted traffic banned and pedestrians only and 38 wanted traffic-calming measures with set closing times.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher told the meeting he originally favoured closing the street to traffic, but now tended towards limiting and managing traffic to reduce its impact.
It was a legal road and required a legal process to close, along with a 35 day limit on temporary closures.
The council had a team headed by roading manager Michael Voss considering traffic management in the whole historic precinct, including Harbour and lower Thames Sts, he said.
A report was expected in mid-June which would recommend setting up an advisory group to work with the council on a traffic management plan, which would go out for public comment.
Ideas from last night's meeting will be correlated by a working group, then presented to the Waitaki District Council and Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, which owns heritage buildings in the street.
A proposal to set up another working group to embark on ''Project Harbour St'' to develop ''New Zealand's Finest 18th Century Street'' was not proceeded with.
david.bruce @odt.co.nz
