From July 1, full-season Waitaki Lakes camping fees will rise from $400 to $550, and from $280 to $350 for a half-season.
The season for the six council-managed sites has also been extended. Previously it ran from the third Saturday of September to the first Sunday of May, but it will now run until the first Monday of June.
When the change was tabled at a Waitaki District Council meeting on Tuesday, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the service had been subsidised by rates and it needed to be sustainable.
"We needed to recover the costs. People don’t pay rates to help other people have holidays," Mr Kircher said.
This season, the flood zone at the Boat Harbour camping ground will be restricted to casual camping, self-contained vehicles only, due to flood events over the past five years resulting in evacuations from the area.
"Should we see another extreme weather event, we want to be really confident we can get people and their gear out fast and safely," council recreation manager Erik van der Spek said.
Other proposed changes tabled at Tuesday’s meeting were questioned by councillors.
Oamaru Airport helicopter landing fees were proposed to change to a weight basis, in line with charges for aeroplanes.
Council documents outlined the reason for the change as being for "simplicity and consistency of landing fee charges to contribute towards the airport being cost neutral".
Cr Jeremy Holding said there was not enough information on the change, and it could have repercussions for airport users.
Mr Kircher said landing fees for helicopters should be based on equity, not weight.
"My question is around the equity of helicopters being charged the same as fixed-wing aircrafts when we’re looking at a project of, I think, $600,000 for a runway where helicopters really don’t use much," Mr Kircher said.
There were also questions raised about the prices of weekend burials in the district.
Weekend adult burial cost $500 more in fees than weekday burials.
Burial services were already a "very stressful time" and the council should not add to it, Mr Kircher said.
"We can leave them as is for now, but I think there’s some work that can be done on them."
Removing overdue book fines at Waitaki District Libraries was also proposed, to reduce barriers to access the library.
Cr Jim Hopkins said removing the fines could have "unintended consequences of penalising other borrowers" and he wanted to see the second notice fine of $5 continued.
Other councillors agreed.
Councillors voted to adopt the changes, and requested additional information on fee changes that raised questions at the meeting.
