Don't say you didn't know!
Like many of you, I receive my Summerland Utility bill online and as such I receive the District's newsletter that way, too. An interesting note in this issue deals with the municipal boundary extension that was just passed - this is the 377 hectares of land to the west of town, site of the contentious golf course development. Here's the blurb from the newsletter:
...and in the save-a-tree department, you can sign up to receive your utility bill online.
Summerland Council has received word from the Province of BC that the District’s request to extend our boundary to the west to encompass 377 hectares of land has been approved.We can't say we weren't warned here; many folks out there have expressed very strong feelings about both this boundary extension and the proposed golf course. Many have also complained, rightly or wrongly, that decisions such as these are being made without adequate opportunity for public input - it seems the framework for such input is being outlined above; if you are passionate about this issue, make it your business to know when and where these hearings take place, and how and to whom you can direct your concerns.
Development of these lands could have taken place while the lands were within the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen which would have meant that the District of Summerland had little say in how they were developed. As any development in this area will impact Summerland, Council made the request for the boundary extension so that the lands fall under municipal development control. By placing them within Summerland’s boundaries, any development will have to comply with the land use and development regulations of the District.
Before development of the lands can begin, the developers will be required to go through the public approval process where all of the land use issues, environmental concerns, servicing and infrastructure issues will be addressed. There will be numerous informal opportunities for public input and there will also be the formal legal processes of public hearings on the land use bylaws.
Watch for additional information on this topic in future on [the district's] website...and on upcoming Council meeting agendas.
...and in the save-a-tree department, you can sign up to receive your utility bill online.
posted by Anonymous |
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2 Comments:
Too often I find it easier to complain that I was not given a say than to actively get involved.
I find your letter to be very applicable, and it is my intention to play a proactive and informed role in this process.
That said, do you know where and when these notices will be available?
Myron
By
Myron, at 11:52 p.m.
It looks like in the last line of the quote, it's basically saying "we'll keep you posted", which also puts the onus on us to stay informed. It seems like the main expectation is that everyone reads the Summerland Review for this stuff...
By
Jeremy, at 8:12 a.m.
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