Taupō District Council is asking the community to have its say on the draft Motutere Reserve Management Plan.

A committee made up of Taupō District councillors and Ngāti Te Rangiita hapū representatives was established to oversee a review of the plan, which was last updated in 2004. The first round of consultation closed in January and since then the committee has been working with council staff on a draft reserve management plan.

That draft plan is now out for public consultation which closes at 4.30pm on Monday 4 November.

Council is seeking community feedback on the plan’s key objectives, which include supporting the reserve’s mana whenua, recreational, environmental, and public access values.

Council is also asking for feedback on three significant changes proposed in the draft plan. Those are: restricting vehicle access to Ōtaiātoa Bay (Mission Bay), new camping areas, and a public day-use area on the Motutere Bay lakeshore.

Ōtaiātoa Bay is the stretch of reserve running between Motutere Bay and Waitetoko. Considering road safety, environmental effects, and advice from council’s parks and reserves team, Council is asking the community whether there should be restricted vehicle access to this area, to better provide for public use and enjoyment.

On the Motutere Bay lakeshore, the direction in the draft plan is to enable separate day-use and camping zones. This would better align with the purpose of a recreation reserve, allowing improved public access and safety, and would reduce the effects of further development on the environment.

The draft also provides for proposed new camping areas. There are two sites of cultural significance near the proposed new areas, so any development would be subject to consideration by mana whenua as well as vegetation clearance offset conditions.

No final decisions will be made until after the community consultation period.

For those wishing to learn more about the Motutere Reserve Management Plan review, Taupō District Council is holding engagement events on 5 and 26 October at the Motutere Reserve Campground Function Room. These sessions will run from 1pm to 3pm.

For more information and to have your say, go to www.taupo.govt.nz/motutere.

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