Further amendments have been made to the Queenstown Lakes navigation safety bylaw following a public hearing in Wānaka last week.
A hearings panel comprising Cr Quentin Smith (chairman), Cr Gavin Bartlett and Cr Cody Tucker unanimously agreed to a suite of changes to the bylaw last Monday after hearing personal submissions from 24 people, including waterskiers, swimmers and windfoilers.
The bylaw review occurs every five years.
This year’s proposed changes drew 139 written submissions, with many being concerned about several proposed ski lane removals in Lakes Wakatipu and Wānaka to reduce conflicts between powered craft and other lake users.
Not every submitter won their day, but it seemed many had successfully got their point across when the panel deliberated in Wānaka last Thursday.
The panel rejected a proposal that all non-powered vessels carry at least two forms of communication between 50m and 200m from shore.
Cr Tucker said it made sense for people in powered vessels to carry communication devices, but requiring every one floating or paddling down the Clutha River to carry two forms of communication "feels overly restrictive".
He felt non-powered small craft users should be encouraged to carry a form of communication, but that it should not be enforced.
Other panel decisions addressed reductions in the width of Kawarau River access gates and requiring power boat owners to name their vessels.
None of the changes are in effect yet. The panel’s final recommendations must be written up in a report and presented to the full council for adoption in February.
