Saturday, May 29, 2010

Plan goes back before public

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 29, 2010 12:00 PM

A plan for one Vernon neighbourhood is going back to the public once again. Vernon council has decided to hold another public hearing on the proposed Bella Vista West neighbourhood plan after some changes were made to one specific property on Tronson Road. “There’s an opportunity to lower the footprint on the property and I’m willing to put it out there and see what input we get,” said Coun. Buffy Baumbrough. It’s been proposed the land use designation for 8700 Tronson Road go from hillside residential single and two-family to hillside residential apartment housing. The five owners of the 6.7 acres — known as Sage Bay — have expressed concerns that the original plan would not allow for development that is cost-effective on the steep site. Mayor Wayne Lippert believes there is a need to consider residential apartment housing there. “It would give us additional trails they will provide for,” he said.

However, opposition came from Councillors Patrick Nicol and Bob Spiers. “There’s the addition of more density and I don’t agree with it,” said Spiers. This will be the third time that the neighbourhood plan has gone to public hearing Other recent changes to the proposed plan remain in place, including redesignating Morning Glory Estates from hillside residential apartment to residential low density. “Alternate one is still in place, recognizing what residents at Canadian Lakeview Estates want,” said Lippert. There had been concerns the plan would allow for up to 123 apartment units on three acres of the 22.5-acre Morning Glory site (most of it is fairly steep). Among the issues for residents were traffic and such a development possibly not fitting into the neighbourhood. The next public hearing on the proposed Bella Vista West neighbourhood plan will be held June 28 at 5:30 p.m. at city hall.

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