Peachland
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April 9, 2010 Peachland, BC
Volume 06 | Number 14
District proposes boundary extension By Joanne Layh For the second time this year, Peachlanders have been given notice of an Alternate Approval Process (AAP). This time around though, it concerns no spending. In fact, if the District of Peachland is successful in their proposal, it could actually mean more revenues rather than expenditures for Peachland. Back in 2007, Peachland Council passed a resolution to support in principal a golf course and residential expansion as part of the Area Sector Plan process. The resolution stated that if the applications for Crown Land acquisition were successful, then the District of Peachland would make an application to extend boundaries consistent with what was proposed as part of the Area Sector Plan. Late in 2008, the Ponderosa-Pincushion Area Sector Plan was formally adopted by District Council. Last August Treegroup Development Corp. was successful in acquiring the Crown Land and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Westbank First Nation. Now the District of Peachland is fol-
lowing through with their commitment by proposing an extension to its boundaries. District Council will likely proceed with the extension unless they receive sufficient opposition from the electors. The District of Peachland has this week announced an AAP concerning the boundary extension. As was the case with the recent curling club loan guarantee AAP, for there to be considered sufficient opposition to the proposal, at least 399 people (10% of the electors) will need to sign an elector response form indicating they are against it. Electors have until 4 p.m. on May 17 to register their disapproval. District of Peachland staff were quick to point out that turning down the boundary extension does not mean turning down the development. “If this AAP doesn’t go through, it doesn’t mean the development or the golf course won’t go through. It just means the developer will have to get two sets of permits – one from the Regional District and one from us for that,” director of corporate services Polly Palmer told the View, adding that if the District of Peachland were unable to
extend the boundaries, “they’d be paying all of their fees and taxes to the Regional District, not us.” Whatever one’s views of the golf course might be, it is entirely likely that even those opposed to the development in general would still be in favour of the boundary extension. Those opposed to the golf course might actually be more likely to support the boundary extension, as it would mean that Peachland would have more input in the development process if it were within their planning jurisdiction. As well, the District of Peachland would benefit by having the proposed areas within its boundaries as it would then be able to collect Development Cost Charges (DCC’s), taxes, and other fees and charges from the developer. According to the Area Sector Plan, the two areas of land in question would contain parts of the golf course as well as various types of housing. However, the plan is not set in stone. For each phase, the developer will still need to apply for a development permit, whether it is to the District of Peachland or the Regional District.
Blair Savege of Valhalla Helicopters piloted the helicopter that extracted a number of abandoned vehicles Photo Contributed from a Peachland ravine last week as a kickoff to Community Clean Up month.