Mark's Two Cents

Mark Siemens sent us his take on the OCP and Smart Growth:

"Smart Growth seems to be a reputable organization that wants to promote sensible growth in urbanized areas. I think their philosophy serves larger centres better than smaller communities such as Summerland. In Summerland it is still not to late to control high density development on ALR lands. There is still a sufficient land base that currently is zoned higher density to satisfy future growth for many decades.

Taking land out of the ALR at the rate the second draft of the OCP recommends is premature, I am not convinced we need to touch ALR lands at least for this version of the OCP. I strongly support re-zoning in the town core that would encourage owners of lots with detached housing to sell to developers that would better utilized this precious land resource. Increasing the density of land adjacent to the downtown commercial area would revitalize the downtown business community and allow future residents to be less automobile dependent."