THE RDOS PENCHANT FOR OVER-REGULATION IS A PROBLEM

(OSOYOOS TIMES — September 12, 2007) —

We can all appreciate people in our community who give their time to serve on boards and help to make decisions that will improve our quality of life.
And we can also appreciate planners, engineers and other professionals who serve our communities by providing expert advice.
But when service to the public becomes instead a headlong rush “ by bureaucrats or appointed or elected board members “ to dictate most aspects of people's activities, then our appreciation of them quickly turns to distaste.
That has happened a great deal to the staff and committee members of the Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen in the past few years. They are all no doubt well-intentioned, good people “ and they must wonder many days why so many people in Area 'A' (and in the other Areas as well?) seem so unhappy with them.
They no doubt think their actions are for people's own good “ but it is their intrusive and overbearing actions that sow the seeds of their own image problem.
This was on display for all to see at the Monday meeting of the RDOS rural Osoyoos Advisory Planning Commission, hearing a local vegetable grower's application for greenhouse expansion.
The Commission members took their duties seriously, but unfortunately that meant that instead of agreeing with the evidence that they shouldn't be overly regulating this greenhouse expansion, they looked for every conceivable reason why they should limit his requested expansion area anyways.
When industry authorities spoke at the meeting and said the provincial government even recommends allowing greenhouse expansion, still the Commission members felt they wouldn't be doing their job for the public unless they limited this man's ability to build up his greenhouse vegetable business. In the end, the Commission grudgingly allowed the basic expansion the grower needs, but not what he asked for, and no easing of limits for anyone else.
This we know what's good for you attitude, unchecked, leads eventually to bureaucrats deciding which pair of socks you and I will wear to work each day.
We do need some rules. But not so many. And not so intrusive. If you lighten up a bit, RDOS, people will like you better.