So let us get this straight. An unelected resident from Keremeos turns out to be the deciding vote in shutting down a major subdivision project some 50 kilometres from his home while the mayor of the community closest to the proposed development has to sit and watch helplessly? Does anybody else see something wrong with this picture? Thursday’s rejection of the Willow Beach subdivision proposal by the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen rural board now threatens to cost the region millions of dollars in provincial infrastructure funding. Worse, Thursday’s board decision threatens to undermine trust in our political system. Granted, this is not the fault of the person at the centre of this situation — alternate rural Keremeos director Duncan McArthur, who cast not once but twice the deciding vote against the proposal while filling in for the duly-elected representative Joe Nitsch. He acted — according to all available evidence — within the letter of the governing legislation. As RDOS chair Dan Ashton said himself, McArthur is under no obligation to vote along the wishes of Nitsch, who favours the development. Rules, no matter how inconvenient they may be, only cease to be rules when they are changed or when they violate a broader ethical or moral imperative, a high threshold this issue has failed to meet, even if it may cost millions in lost funding.
Development supporters vowing to force a third vote may wish to reconsider such a move unless they wish to be accused of political trickery, just as opponents of the development are counselled to cool their self-righteous rhetoric. We should instead focus our attention on the broader question. Why are we permitting a two-class democracy? Rural directors can make decisions that impact far-off communities, yet city representatives cannot vote on matters happening right outside their front doors. Calling this situation an example of tyranny by minority is more than appropriate and must be remedied as soon possible to stop the ongoing erosion in public confidence.
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Osoyoos resort left in limbo JOE FRIES Wednesday, August 13 Penticton Herald
Controversy continues to dog the proposed Willow Beach resort development at the north end of Osoyoos Lake, and now the town‘s plans for a multi-million-dollar sewer system extension could be in jeopardy. Last Thursday, after months of discussion and public meetings, rural directors with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen narrowly voted down the zoning bylaw amendments needed for the 1,088-unit development to proceed. One of the naysayers, however, was Duncan MacAthur, an unelected stand-in for Area G director Joe Nitsch, who had to tend to business on his farm that day. “Duncan voted according to his conscience, which is perfectly legitimate,” Nitsch, who still supports the development and MacArthur, said in an interview Tuesday. However, “that (board) decision is not based solely on the elected members of the board, and it should be.”
Directors actually voted on the amendments twice at the Thursday meeting at the insistence of board chair Dan Ashton, and it appears they may vote for a third time to decide on whether the project gets one of the last approvals it needs. Nitsch thinks that B.C.‘s community charter, which governs local governments, may contain a provision to allow the item to be brought back at the next board meeting. “I‘m not guaranteeing,” he said, but “I suspect (it) can, although it will be challenged.” Osoyoos Mayor John Slater, also a regional district director, albeit one without a direct say on the matter since Willow Beach is within a rural area, is hopeful the development, and the accompanying sewer system upgrades, will proceed as planned.
The federal and provincial governments last year announced a $4.5-million grant to tie in the 120 homes on the north end of the lake with the town‘s sewage treatment facility, thus doing away with the current septic field systems that may leak effluent into Osoyoos Lake. The Willow Beach developer also agreed to contribute up to $10 million for local infrastructure, some of which would see the new homes also tied in to the plant. But the government grant stipulates that work must begin by October. “We‘re very concerned that if the project doesn‘t go through, we‘re going to lose the $4.5-million grant,” said Slater. “The province has basically told us that.” Tom Chapman, a rural director for Naramata, who has voted against the development because he thinks the high density of the project will unduly stress the sensitive ecological system in the area, called the provincial government‘s deadline “hogwash.” “Every other grant in this valley has been given extension upon extension,” Chapman remarked. Slater said that if the regional district does not approve the development, the Town of Osoyoos could look at extending its municipal boundaries to include Willow Beach, and approve the project that way. Regional district directors will likely discuss the resort again at the next board meeting Aug. 21. The proposed 30-hectare development calls for a mix of residential units, including condominiums, duplexes and single-family dwellings. Other amenities, such as parks and commercial spaces, will be offered on the site.
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