As Penticton city staff prepare to finalize their recommendations to council on the proposed Canadian Horizons development on Spiller Rd., opposition to the development continues to grow.
The 300-plus home development, proposed by Canadian Horizons to be built on land adjacent to the Campbell Mountain landfill, has received heavy opposition from many residents of both Naramata and Penticton.
The city害羞草研究所檚 director of development services, Blake Laven, said he believes there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of 害羞草研究所渕isinformation害羞草研究所� on what is actually being proposed for the area circulating among locals.
The 160-acre property is currently zoned as country residential. Canadian Horizons has applied for a re-zoning application to change the current zoning to a mixture of large-lot residential, small-lot residential and small-lot with lanes.
City staff are currently in the process of reviewing the application and expect to make a proposal to council on how to proceed in the next few months, according to Laven.
Lyndie Hill, a born and raised Penticton resident and owner/operator of Penticton害羞草研究所檚 Hoodoo Adventure Company, has become one of the more vocal opponents of the development. Hill is concerned that if the development is approved it will take her beloved city in a 害羞草研究所渄irection that we can害羞草研究所檛 return from, opening doors for further development, that can害羞草研究所檛 be closed,害羞草研究所� she said in a letter written to the Western News.
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Hill is part of a much larger movement to stop the development, as over 10,000 residents have signed a to voice their opposition. A website, preservenaramatabench.com, has also been created but is currently down.
Hill believes that if the development is built it will trigger a waterfall effect, leading to more 害羞草研究所渦nsuitable害羞草研究所� development in the hillsides of Penticton and the surrounding area.
Hill does see the need for new housing developments in Penticton but believes the downtown area is better suited than the hills. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 still a lot of potential to grow up in Penticton and not grow out,害羞草研究所� she said.
However, according to Laven, the property for the proposed development is one of the few pieces of land left where hillside development would be allowed.
害羞草研究所淚f you look at our official community plan we害羞草研究所檝e actually reduced a lot of the areas designated for this type of development, this is the one pocket that害羞草研究所檚 left to satisfy our housing needs,害羞草研究所� Laven said. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think it害羞草研究所檚 fair to say because we害羞草研究所檙e going to allow development here that we害羞草研究所檙e just going to allow unfettered development throughout the rest of the hillsides.害羞草研究所�
Hill is not necessarily against developing the area, but she is however against changing the zoning from country residential.
According to Hill, development in the area that falls under country residential zoning would be more suitable. 害羞草研究所淏ut that害羞草研究所檚 not going to make the developer money so they害羞草研究所檙e not going to do that,害羞草研究所� she said.
Despite being a local business owner, the prospect of bringing homes for 300-plus homes and the resulting economic benefits to Penticton does not outweigh the negatives of the development for Hill.
She says long-term sustainability and preservation of what makes Penticton and the surrounding area unique as being more valuable than attracting new people to town. She also has doubts that the homes would desirable to potential home-buyers.
害羞草研究所淓ven with people with lots of money害羞草研究所� they want to move to Penticton for its recreational value,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not because we害羞草研究所檙e booming with jobs for them to come here, we don害羞草研究所檛 have this bustling industry that people are going to move here and be a part of.
害羞草研究所淚n some ways, you害羞草研究所檙e putting the cart before the horse, you have all these expensive houses but where are the jobs to pay the people who are living in them?害羞草研究所�
City staff are currently putting together a financial analysis of the impacts of the development. A current draft of the financial analysis has shown 害羞草研究所渉efty returns害羞草研究所� for the city, Laven said.
Further, from a business owner害羞草研究所檚 perspective, Laven predicts the community will also benefit from the development. 害羞草研究所淗aving this type of housing is going to be a huge attraction to professional classes; doctors, dentists lawyers, teachers, police. This is housing for that middle-upper income bracket.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e going to dine downtown, they害羞草研究所檙e going to be shopping downtown, they害羞草研究所檙e going to be contributing to the local economy, they害羞草研究所檙e going to be contributing their children to the school systems害羞草研究所π卟菅芯克鶟
Despite the benefits of community growth, Laven did highlight traffic as a potential and identified issue. Upper Bench Road and Naramata Road will be busier if the development happens.
A handful of intersections in the area have been identified as needing upgrades to handle the extra traffic and changes will have to be made if the rezoning application is to be approved, Laven said.
Another potential problem with the development is its proximity to Campbell Mountain Landfill. The city received a study detailing that anywhere within 500 metres of the landfill area is likely going to have issues with residential development, large in part due to the landfill害羞草研究所檚 compost site.
However, only 15 per cent of the development proposed development害羞草研究所檚 area falls within 500 metres of the landfill.
害羞草研究所淲e are looking at how to deal with any housing proposed in that area,害羞草研究所� Laven said. 害羞草研究所淔or the little bit of housing proposed in that (500 metre) area we害羞草研究所檙e trying to see how to phase that in害羞草研究所� maybe that happens after the compost site is moved or maybe there害羞草研究所檚 additional buffering put in place, but we害羞草研究所檙e definitely aware of the additional the hazards of developing within close proximity to a landfill.害羞草研究所�
The proximity to the landfill is also one of the concerns for Hill and those in opposition to the development. Hill thinks the landfill will likely scare off potential buyers, detracting from the proposed economic benefits of the development.
害羞草研究所淎re we just going to destroy this land and people aren害羞草研究所檛 even going to want to live there because it smells and the traffic害羞草研究所檚 bad and all the houses look the same and are cookie-cutter?害羞草研究所� Hill asked. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what people are moving here from Vancouver to get away from, they害羞草研究所檙e not moving here for a place that害羞草研究所檚 exactly like Vancouver.
害羞草研究所淲e all want what害羞草研究所檚 best, but let害羞草研究所檚 ensure the benefits of our developing city reach beyond our generation, past the pockets of a few individuals and into a healthier community for all generations to come.害羞草研究所�
City staff intend to introduce a recommendation on the rezoning application to council in the coming months, likely by the end of February, according to Laven.
If people have concerns about the development, Laven encourages them to voice their concerns to city council so so council can weigh the community害羞草研究所檚 concerns with any perceived benefits of the development.
害羞草研究所淚f the community doesn害羞草研究所檛 feel that this is the right thing for Penticton then we probably shouldn害羞草研究所檛 build it,害羞草研究所� Laven said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to be up to city council to weigh all of that and make a decision.
害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e in favour of it you should let council know and if you have concerns with it you should let council know as well.害羞草研究所�
Laven concluded by recommending that people in opposition suggest an alternative for a better development. 害羞草研究所淚s it lower density? Is it more trees? More park space? Better access? Wildlife corridors? Rather than just opposing something what do you see as an alternative?害羞草研究所�
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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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