Survey finds satisfied citizenry

By Vernon Daily Courier Staff Thurdsay, August 16, 2007 http://www.dailycourier.ca/stories.php?id=59662

Overall, Vernon residents are a satisfied bunch, but there is one area where they are growing less pleased. The 2007 City of Vernon taxpayers questionnaire showed little variance in opinion from the last survey in 2005, except when it came to development. In 2005, 36 per cent of respondents were pleased with community development. Two years later that number fell to 27 per cent, marking the biggest change in any category. Parks, leisure and cultural services, protective services and environmental services all remained relatively unchanged. Public opinion of roadway and transportation services fell by six per cent to 33. Coun. Juliette Cunningham said she was not surprised at the low approval for community development. She said people have watched numerous developments pop up and during the last election she heard from many people who were concerned about such rapid growth. Cunningham said it‘s clear people want the city to exert more control over development. The Rise is one of the most visible developments in the city and can be seen from just about everywhere, but Cunningham said Okanagan Landing residents are growing more concerned about rapid expansion in that part of the city. Of the 1,196 respondents, 31 per cent live in the South Vernon/Okanagan Landing area. “A lot of these are from developments that were approved before this council came on,” she said. “We know we can‘t stop development, but it has to be looked at in a comprehensive way.” That‘s where the official community plan comes in. The OCP will help set guidelines for development and help civic leaders map the future of the city. A draft of the OCP is expected in December and Cunningham said it will be adopted in May 2008