Divisive vote sparks heated debate

http://vernon.ok.bc.ca/stories.php?id=50704 By Vernon Daily Courier staff Tues June 26

An otherwise sedate city council meeting erupted into a loud and heated debate on Monday over an application to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP). Conflict arose after some councillors seemed to violate the terms of a report they had just approved. “I‘d like to know where the heck these councillors are coming from,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell, his voice getting louder. “Why are we even bothering to have an OCP review done at such a huge cost?” “If you want this community to be well-planned, you will put this on hold and do the OCP.” The report recommended that council deny any OCP amendments until the new plan is completed. However, when Beardsell‘s motion to oppose a developer‘s application because it went against the OCP, the debate became heated. Beardsell‘s motion was voted down by Coun. Jack Gilroy, Coun. Pat Cochrane and Coun. Patrick Nicol. and Mayor Wayne Lippert broke the deadlock. The other councillors argued the amendment was not dealing with “bare land,” in the words of Cochrane, but an area already designated as tourist commercial that “would be better as residential.”

The report, tabled earlier by Kim Flick, the city‘s new long range planner states that “applications for Official Community Plan amendments . . . received during the review of the Official Community Plan not be endorsed.” Coun. Buffy Baumbrough and Coun. Juliette Cunningham were equally incredulous that the rest of council seemed to be ignoring the report. “People have said time and again that they want more thought to go into long-term planning. There are so many things (in the application) that go against our OCP now. Why are we going ahead with this?” said Baumbrough, matching Beardsell for volume. The proposed amendment would change the designation of the former Paraiso Point Tent and RV Resort on 9650 Eastside Rd. from tourist commercial to resort residential. Ekistics Town Planning Inc. is proposing a “lakeshore amenity building” near the Okanagan lakeshore and 100 residential units. Council voted to request, with councillors split along the same line as the previous vote. “You can only hide behind the OCP for so long,” said Gilroy after the meeting. “Business can‘t stop in town because of the OCP.”