A UBCO student had a message for a member of a community group opposed to a 25-storey tower on the old Kelowna RCMP site during Tuesday (Jul. 26) night害羞草研究所檚 council meeting.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e read about the previous speaker,害羞草研究所� said Jackson Higgs. 害羞草研究所淚 believe he害羞草研究所檚 just trying to protect the view from his luxury condo. Well, 20 thousand students call this place home during classes.害羞草研究所�

Just before Higgs spoke, Les Bellamy with Kelowna Legacy Group (KLG) had criticized council for wanting to stick the tower in the middle of several low-rise buildings.

害羞草研究所淭his drastic insertion will look like a phallic symbol,害羞草研究所� argued Bellamy.

READ MORE: Kelowna Legacy Group doubles down on doubling of downtown tower

The project has an affordable housing component, which was noted as something that is desperately needed by several other UBCO students who spoke in favour of the development.

Bellamy said while he appreciates the support for affordable housing, lake view properties are not the ones the community desperately needs.

Others who spoke against the tower took council to task over the process it took to get the project where it is now. Many in opposition questioned why the tower was allowed to grow to 25-storeys from 13, which was the original height laid out in the request for proposals from the city.

害羞草研究所淭he process is unfair to the taxpayers and the development community as well,害羞草研究所� said one area resident. 害羞草研究所淚t sends the wrong message to the public.害羞草研究所�

KLG has led that charge and has called for the development to be paused or even scrapped. Several councillors acknowledged they could have done better.

害羞草研究所淚 love the project, but it害羞草研究所檚 not transparent,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Charlie Hodge. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 blame staff, my frustration is with this council. We have lost credibility, we have not kept our word.害羞草研究所�

Coun. Mohini Singh said she was shocked by the amount of pushback on the project.

害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 most I害羞草研究所檝e had,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 reached out to developers and the common thread I heard was faith and trust. They said 害羞草研究所榶ou害羞草研究所檙e changing the goal posts.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said he takes process seriously but did agonize over the project.

害羞草研究所淚f we go back to square one it will be six years out before anything gets built and we will be missing that affordable housing need,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淚 think we are creating an amazing public benefit here.害羞草研究所�

Questions were also raised about the legality of the process council undertook.

害羞草研究所淟egal opinion was sought,害羞草研究所� said Doug Gilchrist, city manager. 害羞草研究所淲e are transparent and above board.害羞草研究所�

Mayor Colin Basran spoke about the controversy the development has generated.

害羞草研究所淭his whole bait and switch perpetrated about this project is so factually inaccurate,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no conspiracy going on just a fully committed developer.害羞草研究所�

Speaking about affordable housing, developer Greg Appelt told council that 316 units were included in the original tower, but that number dropped to 259 after the redesign.

害羞草研究所淚t went down as a process of the public consultation in redesigning the building,害羞草研究所� he said.

Appelt added that he was excited to get started.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a long time coming.害羞草研究所�

Council voted 6-2 to rezone the property and allow the tower to move forward. Councillors Hodge and Singh were opposed.

READ MORE: Make way: Kelowna UBCO tower passes public hearing hurdle