The regulatory services committee last week approved the release of the document.
The final decision would be made by full council at the next meeting on August 13.
Council initiated a full review of the Invercargill city district plan in January 2011, in accordance with the Resource Management Act 1991.
The "long review process" involved the development of a district plan review group, the development of background reports, pre-notification meetings and consultation with the public and key stakeholders, public submissions, further submissions, and hearings.
Decisions were released in 2016, and appeals to the Environment Court were received from 16 parties.
According to council's director of environmental and planning services Pamela Gare, all appeals have been resolved and the proposed district plan has been updated to reflect the council's decisions and the outcomes of the appeals.
Cr Darren Ludlow said he was one of the "sole survivors" of a process which took three council terms.
He said the council was really careful with whole process, and said he was happy and relieved with the outcome.
"It's easy to look and and go `wow, it was council bureaucracy'. But it actually reflects the magnitude of the job."
Cr Karen Arnold asked how much money the council had spent on the process.
Invercargill City Council legal adviser Michael Morris said he did not know exact figures, but it was a "large sum".
He said this was something the council had had to do.
If the council approves the plan, a public notice will be required specifying the date the plan was to be deemed operative.
