Waitaki Ratepayers Association supporters are unimpressed by draft proposals to extend Oamaru's business zone.
Town planners have proposed doubling the business zone on the north side of Regina Lane by extending it to include the south side of Regina Lane and the north side of Beal St, west of the train tracks.
According to plans, the existing business zone west of the train tracks would be extended eastwards to include Beach Rd and southwards past Caledonian Rd, while a section of Arundel St, on the west side of Thames highway, would be re-zoned for retail businesses .
Properties in the proposed zone would change from their current rural general status.
A total of nine "potential areas of change" have been identified by the council, including an area between Weaver St to Usk St, and Weston Rd-Saleyard Rd.
However, Waitaki Ratepayers Association vice-chairman Malcolm McKenzie said 27 people attended a meeting with the council last Thursday where there had been no support "whatsoever" for the Regina Lane proposals.
Mr Campbell said the plans were "over the top" as there were plenty of commercial premises already lying disused around the town, and there were already plans in the pipeline to create a business park at the north end of Oamaru.
"Nobody was is favour of what the council is proposing.
"I just wonder if it's one of the old political tricks, where your plan B is so outrageous, wrong and unnecessary that you put up something even more outrageous and unnecessary, so when you back off, people think it's not so bad after all and they are inclined to not realise the adverse effects."
The possibility resale values of houses on Beal St and Pembroke St could be affected if additional commercial and industrial buildings were put up was also a concern, he said.
Council planning manager David Campbell said the plans, which had been identified in the council's 2009 Community Plan, were still in the pre-consultation phase and would probably change before they were notified.
Mr Campbell said concerns of residents would be noted when the planning department made a report to the council in December.
"There has been a variety of feedback mechanisms, particularly written feedback, and that will form part of our recommendation to council."
