Despite being scaled back, controversy continues to swarm a bylaw affecting Coldstream homeowners wanting to renovate. District politicians adopted changes to the subdivision and development servicing bylaw Monday night. The new bylaw restricts the potential for
Coldstream to require off-site works on homes seeking a building permit –
something the district was previously blasted for. “Council listened and council did agree with
(resident concerns),” said Maria Besso, acting mayor. “So we have been
working on it...to come up with something that is more fair. This is an
improvement on the (previous) bylaw.” The new bylaw identifies a list of 15 roads where
homes in those areas could be on the hook for up to $2,500 in drainage
improvements. Projects valued at less than $50,000 are exempt and the
project would have to have an impact on the need for drainage
improvements. While it is seen as an improvement, some residents still maintain that is not fair practice. “You have no authority to inflict tax on any
resident simply because they apply for a building permit,” said Kidston
Road resident David Paterson, calling the bylaw unlawful. Local resident and owner of Keith Construction, Ken Dahlen, agrees and asks: “What’s next?” Such decisions are frustrating homeowners and
contractors, said Dahlen who claims to have lost $1 million in contracts
in the past year at permit issuance, not just in Coldstream, but Vernon
and the Regional District of North Okanagan. He suggests that instead of putting drainage
issues on the backs of 15 roads, council needs to budget for the
infrastructure improvements. Using the last year’s building permit figures,
Paterson points out that to continue in the direction council has taken
it could take 80 years to fix the community’s drainage problems. The roads and necessary upgrades identified in Coldstream’s new bylaw are:
- Buchanan Road - ditch realignment/culverting
- Cottonwood Lane - infiltration chambers
- Fairmont Place - ditching north side/infiltration chambers
- Howe Drive (north of Kalamalka Road) - ditching/infiltration chambers
- Kalavista Drive - infiltration chambers
- Ponderosa Way - ditching/infiltration chambers
- Rendell Drive - infiltration chambers
- Rockland Drive - ditching on north side/catch basin at curb/infiltration chambers
- Scenic Drive - catch basins/infiltration chambers on north side
- Springfield Road (9900 block) - infiltration chambers
- Tebo Drive - infiltration chambers
- Torrent Drive - infiltration chambers
- Upland Drive - culverting/storm sewer
- Westkal Road - infiltration chambers/drainage easements
- Kidston Road - ditching/culverting
Notices will be going out to the affected homeowners to alert them of the changes. District staff is also bringing back a policy to clearly lay out the applications of the bylaw.
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