Updating techniques for measuring noise in the Queenstown Lakes District will have "serious" implications for licensed premises, a group of bar owners says.
Brett Giddens, of Lakes Consulting Group, voiced the bar owners' concerns at a Queenstown Lakes District Council plan change 27A hearing yesterday.
The council wants to update how it measures noise in the district.
Mr Giddens, representing eight bar owners including The World Bar and Pub on Wharf, said the plan change would "compound existing inconsistencies" and create conflict between noise-generating activities in town centres and residents.
"It is suggested that the way to avoid this is to review the noise rules as a whole as opposed to the proposal to just update the existing noise standards," he said.
Daytime (8am-8pm) and night-time (8pm-8am) hours in the noise rules for the town centre zone needed to be amended and provision included for smokers using the outdoor areas of licensed premises after 10pm.
He said licensed premises should be excluded from the plan change because they already had limits set in their resource consents.
Only two of the 53 submissions received supported the proposed plan change.
The main issues raised in submissions were lack of public consultation, liberalisation of noise limits and reduction in amenity values, particularly in respect to aircraft noise.
Arthurs Point Protection Society member Garth Street said the proposed changes would significantly increase noise level rules.
He said the council did not adequately assess the costs and benefits of the plan change or assess effects on property owners.
He also raised concern over the lack of community consultation on the proposed changes.
He said the council should withdraw the plan change, consult the public and notify a new plan change.
Queenstown resident Peter Flemming said the plan change was a "bureaucratic waste of time and money".
Resident Christine Byrch told the hearing the plan change was a "travesty" and would make noise standards more lenient.
Council senior policy analyst Karen Page said "very marginally" more noise would be allowed under the new standards.
The new acoustic standards were consistent and clear, and reflected industry best practice.
The existing standards were ambiguous and inefficient in assessing individual resource consent applications.
"The science of measuring noise has been improved over recent years.
"The fact that the district plan refers to out-of-date techniques in measuring noise can cause difficulties and uncertainty in applying the noise rules.
"Therefore, the council wants to undertake a plan change to ensure that the latest techniques can be used to make sure the rules . . . are followed," she said.
The hearing before Crs Leigh Overton and Mel Gazzard continues today.
