Two parcels of land zoned to conserve antelope brush areas
By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times
The public had the opportunity to view and comment on the second partial draft of the new Official Community Plan (OCP) last Wednesday, April 12.
Approximately 50 people came out to the OCP Committee's open house at the Sonora Community Centre to see some of the plan's new chapters, including a revised chapter on growth, and chapters on residential, commercial and industrial policies. Also on view was a map depicting land use designations.
Councillor Allan Carswell says one of the major changes is the introduction of a new Conservation Zone.
Two areas have been designated as conservation zones: an approximate 18-acre strip of antelope brush east of the airport, and another 14 acres of antelope brush near Desert Park.rnCarswell says the areas will be accessible as walking and hiking trails but no building or development will be allowed.
There are also a number of housekeeping changes that fix errors on the old map and bring the land use designations in sync with what is actually occurring in some areas.
The golf course land on Lakeshore Drive will revert from Tourist Commercial back to Parks and Recreation. The OCP Committee feels the land's park use is best suited for this property as it is swampland and would be a poor area to support a development.
The new OCP is long overdue. Under the Community Charter, a municipality is required to revise its OCP at regular intervals. The current OCP, adopted in 1998, is about three years out of date.
Committee member Maurice Toporowski says he hopes the public will take advantage of opportunities to provide feedback on the plan as it develops.
We do pay attention to comments. Chapter 6, for example, was revised because of comments we heard the first time around.rnAnother committee member, Bill Robertson, agrees and says nothing is etched in stone. It's a blueprint, and we're looking for input.rnExit surveys were available at the open house for people to provide comments. OCP Chair Jean Gubby says she encouraged people to take the surveys away, fill them out and return them by April 24, in time to be reviewed at the next OCP meeting.
The final draft will cover institutional, parks, infrastructure, environment and plan implementation. It should be completed by this summer, with adoption of the new OCP slated for July or August.
