Vernon must be a confusing place to be a developer. As the city undergoes its official community plan (OCP) review it is difficult to know how council will look at development in the city. In July, city council voted to deny any development that ran counter to the OCP until the new document is completed in the spring. Vernon’s elected officials then went and contradicted that new policy a few minutes later. First there was a stalemate over a plan to turn Paraiso Point Campground into a condos and then council decided the Coldstream Hotel block wasn’t limited by their OCP ban. Now it seems residential development at the airport is also okay.
So the message to developers from council is, “projects that conflict with the OCP will not be approved, unless we change our minds.” While the message to residents is “we value your OCP input but in the meantime we’re going to approve whatever we want.”
The lack of consistent decision-making has raised the level of frustration for residents. In today’s council meeting the city will once again be asked to approve the re-development of Paraiso Point. They will be asked to break the deadlock while keeping in mind the 65-signature petition opposing it from Eastside Road area residents. These residents may feel they’ve entered a time warp. Just five years ago Eastside Road residents were at a public hearing to oppose the proposal which allowed the campground to build in the first place. At the time some residents worried that the campground would only encourage more development. With a 100-unit development now proposed for the property it seems their fears are being realized.
Residents are opposed to it, it conflicts with the OCP, so it would seem to be an easy answer for council. Instead council is all tied up on the issue and if all seven council members show up, the development appears likely to be approved. For residents who attend the public hearings, who want their neighbourhoods to remain quiet, such a decision would be a slap in the face. Why participate in a public process if the city won’t listen to what you or your neighbours want? City Hall is under increased pressure to approve more tourist residential developments. Lakeshore property is becoming increasingly limited and developers are trying to maximize the space that’s left. But if the city does not even stick to the existing plans for each neighbourhood, they risk alienating current residents. An increasing number of people are angry with council for allowing higher density development in older, low-density areas. While this may help the city’s bottom line, as a whole there’s no real benefit to the existing residents. If council cannot live up to its OCP commitments and take the time to really listen to neighbourhood residents, then the new OCP is rendered meaningless before it’s even been finished. If council cannot give a clearer message to developers, Vernon will never live up to its potential.
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Don Quixote Note: I saw nothing in the agenda to indicate that Council will debate 'the re-development of Paraiso Point.' Perhaps the Editor assumed that this would happen after it was postponed last meeting because of the 3-3 Council Stalemate or he is feels that it will be added to this afternoon's Agenda.
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