Council Highlights – February 1, 2011

LAND DEVELOPMENT IN LAKE COUNTRY

Council dealt with a rezoning application for a property on Reimche Road and Woodsdale Road. The new zone is for a multi-family residential and mixed commercial. Council has advanced the proposal and it was referred to the Ministry of Transportation for approval before it is finalized. No development application has been received for this property at this time.

A temporary commercial permit was approved for a property on Powley Court. The permit will relax zoning conditions to allow for large equipment (two full sized dump trucks and a bobcat) on the property as it is used for business purposes. Council approved a one-year permit with a number of restrictions in order to monitor the owners response to noise complaints raised by neighbours and to allow mitigation of those issues.

A soil disposition permit was also approved to allow for the filling of part of the property owned by Rainbow Gardens. The applicants will have to comply with a number of geotechnical provisions for the protection of the stability of the property.

LAKE COUNTRY OBTAINS NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

Council were told that Lake Country Hydro Generation Plant is now Ecologo certified. Ecologo is a national environmental certification that is given to organizations and companies that meet certain 'green' criteria. This is a further recognition of the sustainable efforts the District has been fostering for the last few years. The plant generates electricity, which is sold to BC Hydro. The net of the sales will be used for capital projects to assist with the provincial carbon neutral program. In addition, the certifications provides 'green credits' that can be sold to other organizations to offset their carbon footprint.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION PRESENT THE 2011 STRATEGIC PLAN

Robert Fine, Executive Director of the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, of which Lake Country is a member, and Mike Gilmore, Chair of the Board, presented the 2011 Strategic Plan. The plan will focus on youth attraction and on addressing issues of increased aging population. It will also provide support to individual municipalities to increase awareness of economic growth potentials within the various communities.

DEALING WITH PROVINCIAL POLICIES

In an effort to lobby the provincial government to change policies affecting local governments, Council adopted a number of resolutions for discussion at the upcoming Southern Interior Local Government Association Conference in Merritt and the 2011 UBCM Convention in Vancouver. Council passed a resolution to request the Province to include Development Permit infractions under the ticketing provisions of the law. This would result in many savings due to court actions which are the only way, currently, municipalities can deal with those issues.

Council also approved a resolution in opposition to a proposal from the Province to allow for trading water. This would work against conservation targets that our municipality and most of the water purveyors in the province are striving for in order to achieve sustainable communities.

Finally, in following up on the previous resolution, Council also approved a motion to encourage the Province to create groundwater regulations and agricultural water reserve systems to improve the long-term security of water supply for agricultural land.

RICK HANSEN'S RELAY

The Rick Hansen Foundation announced the 2011 Rick Hansen Relay. The Foundation is calling for participants in the various communities and Councillor Rees has proposed that an application be filed with the Foundation on behalf of Nigel Hughes who was instrumental in the creation of the Accessibility Advisory Committee in Lake Country. The Mayor will follow up on the proposal and submit an application on behalf of the District. If the proposal is accepted, the Mayor will act as a proxy on behalf of Nigel Hughes who passed away a few years ago.