Local Government Awareness Week is being held this week province‐wide. Drop in to the Municipal Hall and view our panels about what the District does for you, where District revenue comes from and where it’s spent and an overview of what’s going on in the District.
COMMUNITIES IN BLOOM
The District is excited to announce that we have registered in the well‐known Communities in Bloom program and the City of Kelowna, the past national champions, have agreed to be our mentor in our first year of the program. Communities in Bloom is much more than just flowers (although that is part of it). We will be evaluated in many areas. See our webpage at lakecountry.bc.ca for more information.
BCRPA PARKS & OPEN SPACE AWARD
The District of Lake Country Parks and Recreation Department is proud to be the recipient of the 2011 BCRPA Parks and Open Space Award for Swalwell Park. This award recognizes innovative spaces that have, or could have, a significant impact in the Recreation and Parks field. These spaces will have demonstrated excellence in concept, design and development. “Swalwell Park is a great place for people of all ages to enjoy a variety of community activities” says Mayor James Baker. Click here to see some pictures of Swalwell Park.
DELEGATIONS & PETITIONS
Carol Ellison, Success by 6 Coordinator, United Ways of the Central Okanagan got Council out of their seats and involved in building a brain. The demonstration showed how the brain architecture of children is affected by emotional, social, cognitive and physical skills and the importance of early childhood development. Success by 6 is an initiative dedicated to providing all children with a good start in life and helps ensure that children ages 0 to 6 develop the skills they need as they enter school. After building a brain, Myrna Kalmakoff, Community Coordinator for Community Action Toward Children’s Health (CATCH) presented Council with information on the Child Friendly Communities Project that encourages Local Governments to include priorities for young children in planning for the community. Click here to view the full presentation to Council.
ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAW 784, 2011
On May 3, 2011 Council had a lengthy discussion about Zoning Amendment (Russo) Bylaw 784, 2011 to re-zone 8, large rural lots along Oyama Road. The Bylaw was given 2 readings and forwarded to public hearing to hear comments from the public. Due to some required technical corrections in the bylaw Council rescinded first and second readings and read the Bylaw again as amended. The Bylaw will continue to Public Hearing to ensure that residents have an opportunity to provide their comments.
ZONING AMENDMENT (THOMPSON) BYLAW 789, 2011
Zoning Amendment Bylaw 789 for Thompson received 2 readings and will be forwarded to public hearing. The bylaw amends the zoning of the property at 3386 Woodsdale Road from C-2 Neighbourhood Commercial to C-1 Town Centre Commercial allowing the property owner to develop to a higher density. The new zone allows a similar suite of uses but allows construction of taller buildings to a higher density and is consistent with the District’s Official Community Plan.
STRATA CONVERSION HOLAND
Council approved an application to convert an existing duplex from rental to strata allowing the sale of up to 2 units in the building located at 15130 Highway 97, provided all required servicing is completed prior to subdivision. The property currently contains an existing duplex constructed in 1979 and a workshop that is used as a dog grooming studio. The potential removal of 2 rental units does not pose a significant decline in available rental stock in the Oyama neighbourhood and the proposed subdivision can now proceed subject to the Approving Officer’s determination.
AGRI-TOURISM ACCOMMODATION ON ALR LAND (ZONING AMENDMENT BYLAW 790, 2011)
With the recent development of an RV Campground in Oyama concerns have been brought forward to Council relating to land use conflicts from agri‐tourism accommodation development. Concerns primarily relate to perceived issues of noise, traffic and visual impact. Some residents also expressed concern about the potential loss of agricultural land if farm land is allowed to be used for tourist accommodation rather than agricultural production.
On April 19th staff were directed by Council to prepare amendments to the zoning bylaw to address these issues. Click here to view the complete report outlining the proposed amendments to Zoning Bylaw 561 which include buffering, minimum setbacks, appropriate placement and restricting the number of permitted units based on lot size.
Council held a lengthy debate around the need for public consultation and the process for implementing zoning amendments. Council gave first reading to Zoning Amendment (Agri-Tourism Accommodation) Bylaw 790, 2011 and directed staff to hold public input sessions for residents to have an opportunity to express their comments. Staff will also be examining the option of creating an Agri-Tourism Accommodation Development Permit Area.
GROWING FOOD LOCALLY – SETTING AN EXAMPLE
As an opportunity for the District to set an example of how to use land in a manner that addresses sustainability, carbon reduction, staff wellness and support for local food, District staff are proposing that the lawn in the center of the District parking lot be converted into a small garden. The small lawn area currently needs regular maintenance, including fertilizing, cutting and watering; by planting a small garden the water will be used to produce vegetables and works towards reducing the District’s carbon emissions by no longer requiring mowing of the lawn. Staff will be invited to tend the garden outside of work hours and harvest the vegetables. The food can be donated to local food banks, costs will be minimal and the District will be setting a positive example for business/homeowners. It is a small step which can easily be replicated and is a positive opportunity for all involved.
LOGO USE LICENSING AGREEMENT
Council approved staff’s recommendation for Logo use, rescinding Policy No. 11.115 and authorizing staff to execute licensing agreements for applicants wishing to use the Lake Country logo. Applicants can apply to use one of the three possible tag lines: “Life. The Okanagan Way.”, “Business. The Okanagan Way.” or “Experience. The Okanagan Way.”
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