12 Storey Building a key aspect on dissent
Passionate opinions dominated a public hearing last Thursday night in Osoyoos.
Close to 300 people attended the public hearing in the Sonora Centre gymnasium. It lasted approximately three hours.
At issue was a zoning amendment bylaw and proposed development, including a 12-storey tower, at the foot of Main Street, the site commonly known as the Packinghouse Property.rnThe meeting was chaired by Mayor John Slater, who sat with the rest of Osoyoos Town Council.
Developers Glen Harris and David Webbe sat at another table with their plans and artist renderings on display along the walls. Architect Mike Huggins, Rare Earth Project Marketing Manager James Askew and Boutique Hotels of B.C. President Mike Duggan rounded out the team.
The meeting opened with Developer Glen Harris outlining the plans for the project, the reasons for choosing the old packinghouse site and his belief that the project would be good for Osoyoos.
Harris has been in the real estate business for 24 years, the last 14 years of which he has been involved in real estate development services. He was admittedly nervous before the crowd, but spoke about his feelings of responsibility to a site that has been cherished for years by Osoyoos residents.
I understand and respect the responsibility we have for the property, Harris said.
He also clearly wanted the audience to know it was not his intention to build, make money and then leave town. He intends to own some commercial space and vacation in the community.
Next, architect Mike Huggins went into extensive detail about the development, including its six components and the reasons for its layout.
Huggins explained the primary reason for a single 12-storey tower was to allow room for more retail and convention space on the remainder of the site. He also spoke about his appreciation for the community of Osoyoos.
David Webbe spoke to concerns he had heard from the community about what could happen down the road to Osoyoos if a 12-storey tower was approved for his development.
No one knows what the future will bring, but that's why you have a council here to make sure your concerns are listened to, said Webbe.
The floor was then opened up to the audience to ask questions and provide comments.
The first speaker was Michael Ryan, who said he appreciated the work that went into the plans, but objected to the scale of a 12-storey tower on the waterfront.
A building of that size will dominate the town and ruin the beauty and ambiance of Osoyoos, he said.
We have to have a vision, and that is not always just an economic vision. A 12-storey tower is not right for the community of Osoyoos.rnRyan's comments set the tone for others who were also opposed to the development, although some people said that a four-storey building, with a mix of residences and stores, would be acceptable.
Others in opposition expressed opinions such as council continually cheating townspeople by selling out to developers and losing the last remaining beautiful sites in Osoyoos.
They also expressed concerns about overdevelopment and how it is affecting the lake, the loss of accessible parks and beachfront, fire safety issues, the idea of 12 storeys on the waterfront and the fear that approving the development would set a precedent to allow more towers to be developed. Some encouraged council to be more in touch with what the citizens actually want before moving forward with a development plan.
Virginia Cook said the application to rezone the site to Comprehensive Development-Osoyoos Lake Resort was out of order as it changes the intent of the Official Community Plan (OCP). Cook also feared that once the rezoning was approved, regardless of whether the development proceeded, it would not revert back to the original zoning and could potentially allow development beyond a single 12-storey tower.
The proposed 12-storey height for the building will completely obstruct and overpower use of the beach and park by the community. It is not necessary to change our OCP to attract developers to Osoyoos; they will come, Cook said.
Destination Osoyoos (DO) Chairman Arnie Polischuk stood up on behalf of DO to say he strongly supported the application to rezone the site to allow for the proposed development.
We believe the downtown core is the most appropriate site for a new hotel and convention facility…and will encourage additional business opportunities and building developments in the downtown area, Polischuk said.
In one of the most dramatic and clearly sent messages from the audience, the close of Polischuk's comments were met with loud and resounding boos.
Others who spoke in favour of the development expressed that the development would enhance the downtown core and create jobs and other economic benefits to the town.
Of those who spoke at the meeting, nearly three times as many were opposed as were in favour: 14 said No, five said Yes.
Mayor John Slater said he felt two key issues came out of the hearing.
People who are positive about the development do see the value of the economic impact and of maintaining the downtown core, Slater said.
I think that a great facility and convention centre in the downtown core would certainly enhance the area.
On the other hand, there was no question that the majority were of the opinion that the impact of 12 storeys would be too severe and would ruin the ambiance of the area, and I agree.rnSlater said the developer would have to come back with another plan.
Developer Glen Harris said the message was heard loud and clear and his team spent the weekend reworking numbers to come up with a plan they hoped would please Osoyoosites.
We've been planning since last November and we want to see this work, he said.
