A long-awaited Lake Hawea lakefront management agreement has been reached between the Queenstown Lakes District Council and land owners Contact Energy and Land Information New Zealand (Linz) and should be signed by the end of this month.
Linz and Contact Energy will give the council an operating easement to manage the southern foreshore of Lake Hawea for recreational purposes, for 15 years from July 1.
There is a right of renewal.
Linz will give the council $30,030 plus GST each year for three years in return for management by the local community and the council.
Linz also agreed to clear noxious weeds from the land for one year, and work to that effect has already been completed at Johns Creek.
The costs of continued weed clearance ($9000) will fall on to the council from July 1 next year.
Public access is protected and the council has full control over maintenance, fire control, biosecurity and reserve management.
The deal was presented to the Wanaka Community Board at Tuesday's meeting by QLDC community services general manager Paul Wilson and received unanimous support.
The matter will come before the full council this month.
The board has asked the council to authorise QLDC chief executive Duncan Field to sign the agreement.
Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks said the signed deal would be a major milestone for the Lake Hawea Community Association and worthy of "popping the cork".
Board member Jude Battson, of Lake Hawea, said the looming deal was "very exciting".
The southern foreshore of the lake is held by the Crown in several titles.
They are variously administered by Linz, Contact Energy and the QLDC.
Much of the land is included in Contact Energy's operating easements for electricity generation purposes.
The community had long expressed a desire for consistent management under one party.
