City council needs to set byelection dates to replace vacant seats and address resident complaints about Perseus Winery on Lower Bench Road.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
June 17, 2013 - 10:39 AM
PENTICTON — A byelection and a winery interfering with family life will generate discussion at Penticton city council tonight.
Corporate officer Dana Schmidt was instructed to find byelection dates and examine the process to fill the seat left by former mayor Dan Ashton. He ran and won an MLA seat in the 2013 general provincial election. Acting mayor Garry Litke has been keeping the chair warm until a new leader is elected. The byelection will also allow candidates to run for the seat left empty by Councilor Litke. The veteran councilor has said he will run in the next mayoral race.
Perseus Winery's expansion to include a lounge area open to 11 p.m. and a patio open to 7 p.m. at its 134 Lower Bench Rd. location is leaving a bitter taste with nearby residents.
Several letter writers complain the addition of a restaurant would ruin the family neighbourhood feel of the area, generate too much noise, odour and vehicle traffic and lower property values.
Writer Anita Henderson of 136 Bankview Rd. called it "devastating." Erwin Ploner, Mary Kiviste and Neil Campbell said the lounge application should be denied. Leanne Nash and Robert Doull said the winery should build a sidewalk.
Tonight's council meeting is at 6 p.m. at city hall.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1
News from © iNFOnews, 2013