Auckland Council members are supporting a plan that would introduce more open spaces and pedestrian areas to the inner-city.
The draft city centre master plan calls for parking buildings and on-ramps to be replaced with pedestrian plazas and light rail.
The plan received near-unanimous support from councillors on Wednesday, although some expressed reservations about funding and whether housing will be affordable.
Councillor Dick Quax questioned whether the redevelopment was necessary and how much it would cost.
Ideas include a cycle and walkway along the waterfront and halving traffic lanes on downtown's Victoria Street for the creation of a grassed pedestrian zone.
Longer-term ideas include converting Queen Street to a pedestrian zone with light rail and building a park over the top of the motorway in Grafton Gully to link Albert Park and the Domain.
Residents will get their say on the plan in the next two months and again at the start of next year.
