The Clutha District Council is working through consultation on a draft bylaw proposing a ban for vehicles on eight Clutha beaches, with exemptions for emergency services, boat access and access to properties otherwise inaccessible by road.
Vehicles elsewhere would be limited to 30kmh and be expected to be driven safely and away from wildlife.
During hearings late last month, 47 people spoke to their submissions.
At its meeting in Balclutha today, the council regulatory and policy committee will consider a total of 725 unique written submissions.
Of these, only 343 (47%) were submitted by self-identifying Clutha residents.
Some of those who spoke to their submissions last month expressed concern non-residents might be able to influence the outcome of a bylaw largely affecting local beach users.
However, during the hearings, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said each submission would be weighted according to the identity and locale of the submitter, and its uniqueness of content.
An analysis of the submissions prepared by council senior policy adviser Mike Goldsmith shows 90 submissions - not included in the total of 725 - were copies of one prepared by Catlins resident Marilyn Dunn.
During the hearings, Mrs Dunn spoke against any vehicle ban on Kaka Point Beach.
The council also received 108 incomplete submissions, including only name and address.
Of the 382 submissions received from non-Clutha residents, the largest number - 129 (18%) - were from Dunedin residents, followed by Invercargill (32; 4%), Auckland (24; 3%) and Gore (22; 3%).
During the hearings, some Taieri Mouth residents expressed concerns about an increase in Dunedin residents using vehicles on the settlement’s beach, following the introduction of a similar beach bylaw in Dunedin in 2018.
The report also provides a breakdown of common themes among submissions.
The two areas of highest concern were that wildlife and the natural environment should be protected (53 respondents); and that other, traditional beach activities using vehicles should be provided for in any new bylaw (48 respondents).
Those figures mirror themes that arose during hearings.
The council will adopt the resulting new bylaw on September 15, which will come into force on January 1, 2023.
