As most of Aotearoa New Zealand transitions to Alert Level Two from 11.59pm tonight, there will be further changes in services delivered for the local community by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).

Where possible people are encouraged to visit the QLDC website as a first port of call as many transactions can be completed, and information found, on the site. Council phone lines will continue to operate as usual. Non-urgent queries can be lodged via the Snap Send Solve mobile app or by submitting a ‘fix it’ request via the QLDC website. More information about these options can be found at www.qldc.govt.nz/do-it-online/contact-us-fix-it.

For anyone who needs to talk with Council customer service staff in person, QLDC’s offices will reopen with 2m physical distancing restrictions in place as follows:

· Gorge Road (Queenstown) will be open from 8.00am on Wednesday 8 September;

· Ardmore Street (Wānaka) will be open from 8.00am on Thursday 9 September; and

· the service desk at Shotover Street (Queenstown) will remain closed until further notice.

All visitors should wear a face mask and sign in using the COVID tracer app or manual registration form. Only cashless forms of payment will be accepted.

Formal Council, Wānaka Community Board and committee meetings will continue to take place primarily via video conferencing with a minimal presence in person so that elected members and staff can observe physical distancing. Members of the public can watch a live-stream of meetings via social media as normal and anyone wishing to speak in public forum will be invited to do so via video conference. Please refer to notices in local media or advice on the QLDC website for confirmation of how each meeting will be conducted, and anyone registering for public forum will be provided with a link for the meeting they wish to speak at.

Please find further changes to individual QLDC departments below.

Rubbish and recycling

• Kerbside collections will operate as scheduled; clean and contamination-free mixed and glass recycling will be processed as usual.
• The Transfer Stations, while open under Alert Level 2, will continue to be managed via an online booking system; booking hours will be extended to 8.00am-4.40pm, Monday to Sunday (4.40-5.00pm will be the last bookable slot).
  • Areas for diversion of items such as green waste, scrap metal, e-waste and hazardous goods will be accessible during Alert Level 2; we are asking users to adhere to the booking system to prevent our facilities from becoming overwhelmed.
  • We will reassess the use of the booking system should Level 2 extend for a long period of time; booking links and T&Cs can be found on our website here: Transfer Stations (qldc.govt.nz)
  • Anyone using the Transfer Station should wear a mask and sign in using the COVID tracer app.
• Access to the Wakatipu Recycling Centre (MRF) during Level 2 is restricted to QLDC kerbside collections and commercial customers only; there will be no public access and the public recycling drop-off area is closed.
• The Salvation Army shop located at the Wakatipu Recycling Centre will remain closed during Level 2.
• Council-run community green waste sites will not be operating under Level 2; these sites are unmanned and cannot be managed in accordance with government guidelines.

3 Waters and Road Maintenance

· Three Waters and roading maintenance operations will be back to business as usual but adhering to physical distancing and other safety guidelines.

· Preventative maintenance and operational tasks will be undertaken as normal.

Parks, playgrounds and public toilets

· Public toilets will open with increased cleaning procedures in place; QR codes for the COVID tracer app will be placed on all public toilets and must be used.

· Tracks and trails will remain open; physical distancing requirements apply.

· Most parks facilities such as playgrounds, skate parks, pump tracks and drinking fountains will be reopened with increased cleaning procedures and physical distancing signage in place.

· Garden and reserve maintenance operations will return to normal in accordance with safety guidelines.

Libraries

· Frankton, Hāwea, Queenstown and Wānaka libraries will reopen on Wednesday morning from 10.00am-4.00pm.

· Arrowtown will reopen at 12.00pm on Thursday.

· Each library will host a maximum of between five and 12 customers at any one time.

· To enable as many people as possible to access the libraries each day, users will be asked to limit their visits to 15 minutes.

· Glenorchy, Kingston and Makarora libraries will reopen with normal operating hours; however, to allow for the required physical distancing, only one customer will be permitted inside these smaller library buildings at any one time.

· All visitors are asked to sign in using the COVID tracer app and wear a mask.

· Once open, libraries will establish a click-and-collect service in addition to normal browsing and borrowing; instructions for this service will be available on the Libraries website.

· A dedicated time slot for seniors and/or immunocompromised people will run from 9.00am-10.00am on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Queenstown, Frankton and Wānaka.

· Print and copying services will resume at all open libraries.

· All library use is subject to 2m physical distancing protocols.

Sport and Recreation

· QLDC Sport and Recreation will take a staged approach to opening with the core functions (gym, group fitness classes, swimming pool, stadiums) opening initially.

· Exact details will be confirmed to gym and pool members directly via email and posted online at www.qldc.govt.nz/recreation

· Further updates and guidance for members, user groups and the wider community will be posted on QLDC’s website at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/covid-19 and via Facebook @QLDCSportRec.

Parking, animal control and other regulatory services

· Parking enforcement will return to normal, i.e. the free parking permitted under Level 3 will end at midnight tonight.

· Inspections under the Health Act and Food Safety Audits will resume in accordance with safety guidelines.

· Waterways Regulatory Services are available to respond to complaints under the Maritime Transport Act and local bylaw; emergencies should be called in to 111 as always.

· Council noise control staff are available to respond to complaints.

· Alcohol licensing processing will continue as normal; some inspections will resume in accordance with safety guidelines.

· Animal control will return to normal.

· Freedom camping enforcement will return to normal.

Building and Planning

· All resource consent applications will be processed; site visits will be undertaken with the same COVID-19 procedures as under Alert Level 3

· Applications that require expert input, including a site visit, will be processed.

· Both limited and publicly notified applications will be notified within the standard 20 working day submission period

· Although hearings can now be held in person, due to continuing COVID restrictions many will continue to be held over Skype or Zoom where possible

· Pre-application meetings will occur online over Skype or Zoom

· Our Duty Planner service remains available through phone, Skype and email only – there will be no public in-person counter service in either Wānaka or Queenstown under Alert Level 2; it is recommended that planning queries are emailed to services@qldc.govt.nz “Attention Duty Planner”

· All meetings with external parties will continue to be held online only as staff will not be attending any meetings in person under Level 2

· Hearings for notified resource consents that involve a large number of submitters and/or experts, and those that have a high level of community interest, will remain postponed until further notice; these and will be reviewed as we move through Level 2 and staff will continue to liaise directly with applicants that fall into this category.

· Site visits for building inspections and the issuing of code of compliance certificates will continue in accordance with new safety requirements.

· Building services such as accepting and processing applications, issuing consents or requests for approvals will continue as normal.

Updates and further details can be found on QLDC’s website at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/covid-19

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