Town of Osoyoos council has decided to approve a previous agreement with the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) to approve the development of 45 new lots as part of Phase 3 of the Spirit Ridge resort complex despite a self-imposed ban on future development within the town due to sewer capacity issues.
While all future development has been put on hold until the town resolves its sewer capacity issues, members of council approved these 45 new lots at Spirit Ridge as they had a tentative deal in place with the OIB before the seriousness of the sewer capacity issues was divulged last fall.
Council was informed by staff last fall that the town’s two main sewage ponds were near capacity and there were serious concerns the ponds could overflow unless a significant amount of effluent was dispersed.
Council eventually voted to extend a sewage line and build a new rock tunnel to get rid of excess effluent near the sandpit area to the south of Desert Park racetrack.
Town council has commissioned a detailed report be prepared by a consulting firm to look at the long-term needs for the town in terms of sewer capacity. That report has not been completed.
Under the deal, the OIB will pay $8,000 for each of the 45 lots, which will provide $360,000 to the town.
Coun. Sue McKortoff said construction on Phase 3 at Spirit Ridge is already underway and council has a verbal agreement in place from last fall for this project to proceed and she believes council has no choice but to finalize the deal, despite the moratorium on future development in town as a result of sewer capacity issues.
Coun. C.J. Rhodes said he’s “always conflicted” about issues relating to development when the town has serious sewer capacity issues, but he was under the impression the town’s current system can easily handle putting these 45 new homes onto the current sewer system.
“I think we owe them (OIB) and this should proceed … but we really need to know about our sewage capacity and where we go from here,” said Rhodes.
Chief administrative officer Barry Romanko informed council that the town’s two main sewage treatment ponds near the town landfill site have dropped considerably over the past several months and there’s no longer any real concern about those ponds overflowing.
“We’ve had a very good spring and our lagoons and ponds are dropping,” said Romanko.
Town council has approved two projects for 2013 that will further lower capacity in the town’s sewer system by running lines and getting rid of effluent at the playing fields near Osoyoos Secondary School and eventually up to the Osoyoos Airport.
Coun. Michael Ryan said the deal with the OIB tentatively approved by council last fall happened before the sewer capacity issue surfaced and it was his opinion the deal with the OIB should be approved, but the OIB council be notified no further development will be approved until the sewer capacity report is finalized.
Mayor Stu Wells said he felt that was a terrific idea.
Following lengthy debate, council approved the development of the 45 new lots, but also supported a motion that no further development be approved in the town until sewer capacity study is completed and reviewed by council.
