An elephant in the room

The Peachland Seniors Support Society (PSSS) has established a pathway to millions of dollars of provincial and federal funding to build a second phase of seniors housing on the district owned lands on 5th Street. This funding has been secured in light of commitments made by the previous council to lease the land for the project and to waive Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and planning fees. However, it now seems that some decision makers do not see the provision of another 73 units of affordable seniors housing to be a priority or even perhaps, a desirable goal.

The society’s rezoning and development permit application was submitted to the district 10 months ago and to date has yielded only a variety of red flags: processing delays; resolution of planning concerns complicated by an outsourced planning

Mayor Patrick Van Minsel issued the following response to the letter above:

The society’s rezoning and development permit application will come before council for first and second reading probably in March.

In the meantime, as per council res- process; statements that that revenue losses from DCC waivers are too burdensome to be acceptable; questions raised about the benefits of the project; suggestions that the land is too valuable for its intended purpose; and most disturbingly, news that the mayor has been in contact with a private developer and scoped out an alternative project proposal for the site.

If we cannot be assured of council’s continued support for the phase two project, it will collapse. We will then need to advise the province that the $500,000 already spent over the past two years on pre-development costs has been wasted; that we no longer need their proposed $8 million capital contribution; and, that their anticipated $500,000 annual operating subsidy will not be required. Federally, we will need to decline a potential $3 million CMHC contribution, and a preferred rate CMHC olution, the mayor is engaging with RDCO and BC Housing to discuss this project.

Resolution: “That the Mayor will formally request the RDCO and BC Housing pay the DCCs and other fees associated with this project.”

Eventually this council will make a decision based on facts and all input