Whangarei people have six weeks to tell the council what sort of controls they want on the sale of so-called legal highs.
The council has drafted a policy restricting the vendors of psychoactive substances to certain streets and limited hours of sale.
Mayor Sheryl Mai says most councillors and most people want the legal highs banned outright, but the Government won't allow that. Councils can either try to restrict them or do nothing.
Ms Mai says the council wants to confine legal high sellers to Albert Street, Clyde Street and Lower Cameron Street, a part of town close to the police station.
It also wants the drug sales restricted to the hours of 10am to 2pm and 6pm to 8pm, when fewer young people are around.
Ms Mai says she and other mayors are unhappy their communities are forced to accept the sale of psychoactive substances and plan to raise their objections with the Government.
Public consultation on legal highs begins in Whangarei in March and closes on 11 April.
