Rangitikei District Council plans to meet forestry owners to discuss the industry's use of roading.
It is part of the council's investigation into to the possible use of a differential rate based on impact on roading.
Roading rates are based on capital value, not on use or likely damage.
A report by council policy analyst Katrina Gray suggested it was too early to make a decision and the council should wait until research on the impact of heavy vehicles on low-use roads was completed.
That was currently being worked on and due to be finished in 2017.
Councillor Angus Gordon said any new rating system needed to be in place before big forests were harvested. "We want to be thinking sooner, rather than later."
Councillor Lynne Sheridan backed Mayor Andy Watson's suggestion that the council liaise with forestry owners in the meantime, to get a better idea of its requirement for roading.
"At the moment, we are plucking numbers out of thin air," she said.
It received support around the assets and infrastructure committee table.
"At the end of the day, we're not there to thump them," Councillor Dean McManaway said. "We're there to make sure our infrastructure stays intact."
The council would discuss with the industry when harvesting was likely to occur and planned routes for transporting logs. "There are all sorts of other things that could come out of that discussion," Mr Watson said.
"For example, labour requirements, possible employment, all these possible economic gains."