At yesterday's Queenstown Lakes District Council strategy committee meeting, senior policy analyst Ralph Henderson recommended the noise provision review be undertaken as part of the district plan review.
He said the plan change would not be completed before the review, and so "may have compatibility issues" with the revised plan.
It would also be more efficient if the process was undertaken all at once for Queenstown, Wanaka and Arrowtown as part of the district plan review.
Bar and restaurant owners have sought to have noise limits in the resort relaxed.
Cr Cath Gilmour moved to bring the search for a solution forward, rather than wait two years.
"There are impracticalities here that are holding back the hospitality sector, but we also need to protect those who want to sleep."
Cr Simon Stamers-Smith agreed, saying he could not understand "how such a simple plan change could take so long".
Newly elected Restaurant Association of New Zealand Queenstown president Cameron Mitchell said noise up to permitted levels was easily drowned out by passing cars, and the bans meaning no-one could drink or dine outside after 10pm were "unreasonable".
Karen Hattaway, co-owner of Pier 19 and Captains restaurants, said, "It's very difficult to work with and for people from Europe, who are used to dining alfresco, having to pick up their dinner and take it inside at 10 o'clock is quite hard." Speaking to the Otago Daily Times after the hearing, Mr Mitchell said the decision to bring the search for a solution forward was an "excellent" one and he was impressed by the attitude of the councillors to the issue.
"If it was left to go through with the district plan, that would mean two years' waiting and another two years for action, and people were wanting action yesterday, not another three or four years from now."
Compared with 13 other New Zealand centres, Queenstown's 50dB average night-time noise limit is one of the most stringent; a major sticking point for resort hospitality providers.
More than three-quarters of people wanted town centre noise limits relaxed.
However, overall feedback was divided, with many submitters passionately opposed to the idea.
Queenstown bar Revolver earlier this year fell victim to noise regulations, voluntarily closing its doors after noise complaints.
Revolver was reportedly unable to comply with consented levels during live gigs.
