Emotions run high at council

By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Jun 27 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/

Tempers flared Monday as some Vernon councillors accused their colleagues of ignoring long-term planning. Councillors Buffy Baumbrough, Barry Beardsell and Juliette Cunningham were visibly upset as Mayor Wayne Lippert and Councillors Pat Cochrane, Jack Gilroy and Patrick Nicol supported an official community plan amendment for a residential development on Eastside Road. “The four of you are smacking the general public in the face,” said Beardsell.
At issue is whether the application from Ekistics Town Planning can proceed now or should wait until early 2008 when the city’s OCP review is completed.

The city’s new long range planner had asked that any applications for OCP changes be placed on hold during the review process. While that recommendation was accepted it does not apply to the Eastside Road property. “Why are we bothering to have an OCP review done at such a huge cost? If this isn’t fast-tracking, I don’t know what is,” said Beardsell. Cunningham fears council’s actions will send the wrong message to Okanagan Landing residents. “They believe the only reason the city wanted Okanagan Landing was for land and tax dollars,” she said. Baumbrough also wanted the proposed 100 residential units on the old Paraiso Point campground to wait.
“It does not fit many of the Smart Growth principles,” she said.

However, the four councillors defended supporting an OCP amendment from tourist commercial to residential-low density. “If this was truly bare land, I’d be content to support a deferral but it’s already zoned tourist commercial. They could operate as a campground which didn’t have any support from the neighbourhood. Residential is a better use of the property at this time,” said Cochrane. But that brought a sharp retort from Beardsell, who pointed out the campground can’t legally open. “The argument about the campground has no validity,” he said. Lippert says the matter must still go to a public input session and then bylaw changes must be considered. It doesn’t mean it’s going anywhere,” he said of the Ekistics’ application.

In terms of considering it before the OCP review is done, Lippert believes that is appropriate, “This (application) was already in process,” he said. Gilroy maintains the developer is following all of the rules. “You can’t hide behind the OCP. Business can’t stop,” he said. Developer Craig Stowe hopes the process will remain on track. ‘It’s a huge investment and we’ve got public support in the neighbourhood,” he said. “It fits into the residential neighbourhood. It’s a positive development.”