By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Jun 29 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
A Vernon politician believes the city may be contradictory when it comes to developing its own property. Council agreed Monday not to endorse official community plan amendments while the OCP is under review. However, Coun. Pat Cochrane is concerned that decision won’t apply to the city-owned Coldstream Hotel site. “How can we let development go ahead on that property without the OCP review being completed first?” he said. The city is pursuing developers who may be interested in constructing commercial uses on the site, which was originally purchased for a cultural complex. The land is currently designated commercial and Cochrane says any changes in use will not be reflected by the OCP. “The expectation is there will be a lot higher focus on residential downtown.”
Cochrane was also concerned the city will be seen as following different rules when other applications are on hold during the OCP review. “I don’t see a difference between developing a piece of property downtown or on Eastside Road,” he said. Cochrane’s attempts to have the new policy include the Coldstream Hotel site failed. It was pointed out by Coun. Juliette Cunningham that there isn’t 100 per cent support among council for housing there. "We need to be clear as a council,” she said.
Leon Gous, chief administrative officer, doesn’t expect anything will happen with the Coldstream site before the new OCP goes before council for consideration in early 2008. “You won’t see anything happen there very quickly,” he said. Under the new policy, any applications for OCP amendments (including neighbourhood plan submissions) received during the review process will not be endorsed. The only exception may be amendments regarding affordable housing, child care facilities and social amenities.
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