In the Morning Star, Nov. 11, Kim Flick, a long range planner with the City of Vernon, states that: “In August, mayor and council adopted the guiding principles identified by the community, which are: protect and preserve green spaces and sensitive areas;… and protect agricultural land, …These guiding principles, supported and reinforced by input from the community, represent the vision of Vernon’s future, and will guide the development of the different land use options for the OCP”.
On the same date, Richard Rolke wrote an article in the Morning Star about how the construction of a senior care facility on 4.47 acres on Star Road in the North BX was “shot down”. The North Okanagan Regional District directors unanimously voted Wednesday not to send an application to the ALR for an 18 to 20 unit extended care home. NORD staff had recommended that the application from Focus Corporation not be passed on to the ALC for consideration. They state: “Land in the ALR is not on the table for conversion to other uses, said Rob Smailes, the manager of development services…The proposed care facility was opposed by many nearby residents stating “it would transform the country setting to a more urbanized setting” (Nov. 11). Smailes added that such a facility would create traffic issues as seniors travel to Vernon. Has Coldstream Council voiced any concerns about the traffic issues that this proposed mega sports complex will create for Coldstream? Has Coldstream Council voiced any concerns about how this mega sports complex could transform Coldstream’s country setting and “Rural Living At Its Best” to a much more urbanized setting, with all the ensuing problems?
One has to really question where is Coldstream’s Official Community Plan when Coldstream Council so readily is willing to send forward an application to take 118 acres of prime farm land out of the ALR, when the NORD won’t send forward an application for 4.47 acres for a senior’s home! There is a great difference between taking out 118 acres to put a 600 – 1000 car parking lot, stadium, storage, offices, washrooms, change rooms and bleachers, 2 baseball fields, 4 soccer pitchers, 6 slo-pitch/fastball fields, and 4 dog agility fields – with taking out 4.47 acres for a senior’s home. And yet which one was turned down – the senior’s home! NORD states that land in the ALR is not on the table for conversion to other uses. In Coldstream, during the last OCP process, respondents to a survey on Agricultural Land voted 88% towards wanting to preserve Agricultural Land. Coldstream, which actually states in their OCP that they want to preserve the rural nature and agricultural land base of Coldstream, is willing, even eager, to send forward an application to the ALR to develop 118 acres of prime farm land. In Coldstream, ALR is on the table for conversion to other uses! We need to ask: Why is this? What happened to the OCP of Coldstream? Who is the main push behind this? Where is ‘Rural Living At Its Best” heading? Do we want to go there?
Name withheld
On the same date, Richard Rolke wrote an article in the Morning Star about how the construction of a senior care facility on 4.47 acres on Star Road in the North BX was “shot down”. The North Okanagan Regional District directors unanimously voted Wednesday not to send an application to the ALR for an 18 to 20 unit extended care home. NORD staff had recommended that the application from Focus Corporation not be passed on to the ALC for consideration. They state: “Land in the ALR is not on the table for conversion to other uses, said Rob Smailes, the manager of development services…The proposed care facility was opposed by many nearby residents stating “it would transform the country setting to a more urbanized setting” (Nov. 11). Smailes added that such a facility would create traffic issues as seniors travel to Vernon. Has Coldstream Council voiced any concerns about the traffic issues that this proposed mega sports complex will create for Coldstream? Has Coldstream Council voiced any concerns about how this mega sports complex could transform Coldstream’s country setting and “Rural Living At Its Best” to a much more urbanized setting, with all the ensuing problems?
One has to really question where is Coldstream’s Official Community Plan when Coldstream Council so readily is willing to send forward an application to take 118 acres of prime farm land out of the ALR, when the NORD won’t send forward an application for 4.47 acres for a senior’s home! There is a great difference between taking out 118 acres to put a 600 – 1000 car parking lot, stadium, storage, offices, washrooms, change rooms and bleachers, 2 baseball fields, 4 soccer pitchers, 6 slo-pitch/fastball fields, and 4 dog agility fields – with taking out 4.47 acres for a senior’s home. And yet which one was turned down – the senior’s home! NORD states that land in the ALR is not on the table for conversion to other uses. In Coldstream, during the last OCP process, respondents to a survey on Agricultural Land voted 88% towards wanting to preserve Agricultural Land. Coldstream, which actually states in their OCP that they want to preserve the rural nature and agricultural land base of Coldstream, is willing, even eager, to send forward an application to the ALR to develop 118 acres of prime farm land. In Coldstream, ALR is on the table for conversion to other uses! We need to ask: Why is this? What happened to the OCP of Coldstream? Who is the main push behind this? Where is ‘Rural Living At Its Best” heading? Do we want to go there?
Name withheld
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