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Penticton News

Mayor and residents speak out against neighbourhood plan

Residents speak in front of Penticton City Council during Public Hearing.

PENTICTON - People were lined up against the back wall of council chambers, some even listening carefully to the proceedings from the hallway, as council discussed new neighbourhood plans during Monday night’s public hearing.

The Spiller Road and Reservoir Road Neighbourhood Concept Plan will include the construction of a residential area in Penticton’s Northeastern Hills with 800 to 1,000 new homes to be built, the majority of which will be single family dwellings.

Anthony Haddad, Director of Development Services, said the number of homes constructed will be a reflection of market demand, which is likely to fluctuate over the years.

Mayor Garry Litke spoke out against the plan saying there are other — better — options for revitalizing the city. He doesn't see the neighbourhood plan as being an extension of Penticton, but the creation of an entirely new community. He says resources should be used to improve the city’s existing infrastructure.

There were several residents who were also opposed and stood in front of council to express their concerns about high wildfire risk, a landfill buffer, water, sewage, transport and funding.

The council and staff provided some solutions, such as the inclusion of the protection services committee to oversee the development and ensure precautionary measures are taken for issues like wildfires.

The plan was originally introduced to council in 2007 by Urban Systems, a planning, engineering and urban design firm. Council has been reviewing the plan with Urban Systems and other involved parties for the last seven years and will continue to review and update the plan with the consideration of the public’s concerns in the future. There is currently no deadline for the project to be passed by council.

To contact the reporter for this story, e-mail Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @meaghanarcher.

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