City throws down the gauntlet (KAMLOOPS)

By MARKUS ERMISCHStaff reporterAug 18 2006 http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Council approves new housing development - now it's up to the ALC to agree.Faith in the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) has eroded among Kamloops politicians, but the custodian of the province's agricultural land will have a chance to polish its tarnished image. "I'm afraid the ALC doesn't have their listening ears on," Coun. Pat Wallace said during a public meeting Tuesday, where she and her colleagues considered a residential development proposal in Westsyde. "That can be seen by the travesty of turning down Tranquille." At the end of the public meeting council, with the exception of Coun. Arjun Singh, gave its blessing to developer Bill Bilton's plan to build 64 housing units along the southern rim of The Dunes golf course on a parcel of land 94 hectares in area. It is now up to the Agricultural Land Commission to remove the land in question from the Agricultural Land Reserve. Failing to do so would effectively kill Bilton's proposal, just like negative ALC decisions last month thwarted two separate development proposals, most notably a plan to build a resort-type community at Tranquille. At the time, Mayor Terry Lake condemned the ALC decisions as "narrow-minded" because they "hamstring the ability to plan a community." These sentiments reverberated strongly in council chambers this week. An impassioned Wallace suggested council change the zoning from agricultural to residential immediately following Tuesday's public hearing rather than await the ALC's decision. Such a move, said the veteran councillor, would send an unmistakable message to the ALC that "we are very serious in our support" of Bilton's proposal. Should the ALC once again vote negative, the City of Kamloops should appeal the decision, Wallace said. Municipal councils, however, cannot appeal ALC decisions. Other councillors shared Wallace's concerns, albeit in a more muted manner. "In the balance, I think [the residential development] is the better thing for the neighbourhood," said Coun. John O'Fee, noting that the land on which Bilton proposes to build "is not really viable agricultural land." Only Singh opposed the proposal, arguing it could lead to undesirable urban sprawl north into the valley. During the public meeting, proponents and opponents to the project shared the microphone. Some argued that more residential development in the community, populated primarily by seniors, could rejuvenate the neighbourhood, putting pressure on the school board to re-open Westsyde elementary. Others said the new access road to the golf course proposed by Bilton would divert traffic from the residential areas and increase safety. Two speakers, who live adjacent to the proposed development, said new houses would ruin their view of the golf course. A family which lives on nearby Westsyde Road said they fear an increase of traffic on that major thoroughfare. Bilton bought the golf course, together with adjacent land, earlier this year. He had said that for now, he has no plans for additional residential development in the area. City development director David Trawin told the public hearing that during the next three to five years, the supply of developable land in Kamloops will shrink. This is especially true for flat land that is easily serviceable, a city engineer pointed out.