The Lake Country Momentum

Reflecting upon the past year serving the community, I have come to the realization that there is much on the go and much has been accomplished by our local government. A number of road improvements, for instance, have been completed, bringing with them a much higher sense of safety in the community. Lodge Road is an example and as I am writing this article, Lake Country staff members are working on an even safer path for pedestrians reaching from the Copper Hill subdivision down to Lodge, especially students that go to and from George Elliott Secondary. But I also think of the important improvements on Davidson Road, Camp Road, and Robinson Road to cite a few. Even the provincial work on the new Highway 97 section, which will be finished in the summer of 2013, is seen as a major improvement that will definitely benefit the community. Since I have moved to Lake Country, my family and I have been a bit reticent in driving along Wood Lake at night and even during the day on those gloomy cold days in the snow or rain – that section of the Highway is not safe and the new section is a great relief to all drivers.

The District is also actively working to solve many issues related to water service and quality. The major one is the water quality in Oyama. Finally it can be said that much improvement is being made through the Kalamalka Lake Interconnect project that will be completed in the spring of 2013. The improvements will be fully available at that time and the Oyama residents will be able to finally access good quality water, something they have not enjoyed probably for as long as they lived there. The major drive for this focus is the Water Master Plan, which has been in the works for three years now. The final version was presented to the Water Advisory Committee which unanimously recommended Council's approval. As I wrote many times before, the Plan provides a 20-Year infrastructure vision that comes with a cost, but a necessary one, and Council just approved the necessary increases over the next four years to get on with the Plan - $50 a year per residential property on the District's water system beginning in 2013 and ending in 2016. This was not an easy decision by Council but was supported by the findings in the Water Master Plan and even pushed a bit by some mandated requirements from Interior Health. But this is positive because water, after air, is the most precious commodity we have. For years we have lived ignoring the reality that water, like everything else, is not endless and that, as any other organic material, is subject to possible contamination. Lake Country is certainly leading the Valley in ensuring protection of this critical resource in terms of quality and conservation and other governments are looking at the District's Plan as an example of a progressive approach to deal with such an important issue.

Other things are also happening. I can think of the healthy reorganization the District went through this year. This has improved a number of processes and is going to also provide needed funds for important infrastructure projects, which are suffering from the lack of grants available from both the federal and provincial governments because of the economic times we are living. Staff have been praised a number of times for changing gears in dealing with "customers" and in processing applications. With the rare exception, the level of satisfaction from members of the public has exponentially increased.

The addition of an Economic Development Officer has also introduced an element of energetic marketing activity that is bringing much deserved attention from investors in diverse areas of the Country, and even from across the border. A big piece of land on Main Street has finally been sold to a developer and we are waiting to hear about another piece of land on the same street that has captured the interest of a number of investors with an ambitious vision for the Town Centre.

There is more but suffices to say that it seems to me that Lake Country is gaining momentum. And it will do more so once a sustainable plan for the whole community is initiated and completed. The District has received a grant for this and it is in the process of selecting a firm to guide the community through the process. This plan – which is formally called the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) – will be prepared with the purpose of creating a holistic community vision in the four pillars of quality living: economic, social, environmental, as well as land use and infrastructure. This plan is so critical that a number of other plans have been put on hold until the ICSP is completed and approved. Furthermore, the public and community stakeholders will be directly and extensively involved in the creation of the plan because this is theirs – or ours as I live here with my family.

So stay tuned and be ready to participate!

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One Year with the New Council

The most recent local government election was held last year on the third Saturday of November – so pretty soon we will celebrate the new Council's one year in office. Four out of six councillors are new and three of them come from three wards. Our system is unique in British Columbia but it is reflective of the varied diversity that we enjoy in Lake Country. By the same token, though, our Community, Council and Staff are also proud of the fact that Lake Country is one community, one municipality where the sense of history, diversity, and cultural variety stemming from the four wards blend into what best represents life, the Okanagan way. I cannot imagine a better place to live, visit, and do business than Lake Country where three of the most beautiful lakes in the province and beautiful natural settings offer the opportunity for a quality in life that is the envy of many visitors.

Since incorporation, the various councils have worked hard to build this wonderful community and have done many good things that other municipalities only dream about. It is no different with this new Council. They have been working as hard to continue to provide the same – or even better – level of life enjoyment notwithstanding the challenges that we all face due to the continuous struggles in the global economy.

In previous articles, I have attempted to share many of the accomplishments that we were able to make just in the last year. You can certainly read those again on our state of the art community portal at www.okanaganway.ca and specifically under the "Blog" section. However, today I think that it would be better if I wrote about the future and specifically some of the things that will happen and come up in the next few months.

Budget deliberations start on Tuesday, November 20^th. The first meeting will be held at Municipal Hall, in the Council Chambers, commencing at 3:30pm. The intent is to provide Council with an update on the current 2012 numbers and introduce plans for 2013 and beyond. Council has to approve a 5-Year Financial Plan under current provincial legislation; hence, the whole discussion cannot be isolated to the 2013 budget, although next year will be looked at in more detail than the following four years.

The new budget will benefit from some of the cuts that were applied to the District's operations last April and hopefully those cuts will assist increasing the amount of money that we need for capital projects such as roads, parks, and so on. And while, as I just said, the minimum requirement of the financial plan is to forecast for the next five years, Lake Country staff have been working over the last two years on 20-Year plans for managing our assets properly and wisely. The first piece of this planning exercise is the Water Master Plan, which will be finally adopted before the end of the year. The infrastructure component of the plan has been known for about two years now and calls for a $79 million price tag over the next twenty years – all this for clean, affordable water and the ability to foster proper conservation practices both at the institutional and family/individual levels. In order to accomplish all that, water fees – obviously only for those who are on District's water system – will need to be increased; and Council has agreed to a 5-Year increase beginning in 2012. District of Lake Country water customers' bill went up $49 this year and, according to the plan, should go up $50 per year in the next four years, from 2013 to 2016.

Other plans regarding the long-term Integrated Transportation Framework – which includes roads, trails and pedestrian connections –; and the long-term Liquid Waste Water Management Plan – which includes our sewage system – are close to completion and in 2013 we will have a clear picture of our infrastructure priorities.

Finally, in December and January, Council will make more specific decisions on the overall budget and specifically what projects will be approved and how much service will be provided to the community. In the first case, Staff is proposing to use most of the money saved through the District's reorganization for capital, infrastructure projects. In the case of services – in other words the daily operations of the community (maintenance of infrastructure, firefighting and fire prevention, bylaw enforcement, legal services, financial services, leisure programs, policing, the theater and more) – Staff will have to establish the impact of current contract increases, cost of living, slow growth and so on to see how much needs to be allocated to cover for those expenses. An example is that the current RCMP contract will cost an extra $120,000 in 2013 which is the equivalent of a 1.5% tax increase.

In December, the District will begin the process of creating an overall Economic Development Strategy. This has been a priority of Council and now that, through the recent reorganization, the District has an Economic Development Officer (EDO) we have the capacity to begin and complete this task. Our EDO is working with a number of stakeholders to ferret out the details of the strategy and come up with a plan, including priorities and actions. In addition, Council will also review its Strategic Priorities to see what is still relevant and what needs to be added. Much of it will have to deal with how resources can be properly allocated to exploit current capacity efficiently and effectively. In this past year, Council members were able to evaluate for themselves where some efforts need to be made and this may mean that some priorities might be shifted or new ones could be created.

Pretty soon, the new municipal website will be up and running. It will look much like our community portal (the okanaganway.ca). The site will be easier on the eye, information easier to find, and browsing more user-friendly. I wish to thank the Corporate Services group that has been working very hard on this project for the last few months. We were told that our current website needed an overhaul and we have done it. I am convinced that the new one will offer a much better experience to both the skilled and the less skilled web navigator.

In conclusion, I wish to spend just a few words on an important piece of our Business Systems Review – which is the streamlining of land use applications, including processing and information gathering for development permits, building permits, and so on. Council approved many changes that have allowed for much faster application course. Soon, the Planning & Development group will be able to tell us how much time we are saving for the applicants and staff through the new process. However, the most important change is that we are seeing more appreciation for the service provided by staff. In the past, it was felt that the District had an issue with the quality of customer service. Whether that was a perception or reality, Staff have been working hard to change that. In order to monitor our efforts, the Planning & Development group has created a Customer Comment Card to monitor the level of satisfaction of their customers and receive important feedback for things that need improvement. Just a few days ago, a customer filled out the card and he was very complimentary of the two staff members providing assistance to him, and ranked our service as top notch. The card contains very nice comments and I believe it is a testimonial to our sincere efforts to do our best for the community as a whole and to those individuals we come in contact with every day at the counter.

So a big "Thank You" to staff for their selfless desire to be their best!

Lake Country Phase 2 of Business Systems Review Underway

In May of this year, Council passed a resolution that, as the Administrator, I look further into the Business Systems Review recommendations and suggest further implementation of those that are going to affect the budget in coming years, beginning in 2013. As a result, I submitted a number of suggestions to Council which were approved as action items to be implemented as the second phase of this project.

Just as a brief reminder, the first phase of the reorganization dealt mainly with two areas: the organization itself and the development permit process. The first one was a response to a clear mandate to find operational savings in view of economic difficulties and alleviate the tax burden to the community. I would also add that the savings gained through the reorganization will also be allocated to much needed infrastructure works. As you may know, Lake Country, and the rest of the municipalities in Canada, are struggling to find sufficient funds to maintain old and failing infrastructure and improving basic needs such as water quality, proper sewer systems, and safe roads and transportation. The second one was a much overdue streamlining of the land development process, by many characterized as long, cumbersome, and difficult for both the individual applicants – typical property owners that wish to improve their home – and professional developers, which we wish to have investing in the community with the aim to increase our tax base for the same reasons I just explained with respect to the organizational changes.

As a result, the District has had to reduce its staff complement by eliminating four management positions and six union positions. We also added three positions to meet the strategic priorities of Council and balance our current capacity issues, which have not gone away but, to some extent, have increased. The net annualized savings are just below $700,000, which will be useful to funding a number of much needed capital projects (this is the equivalent of about 8% tax increase).

Also, Council approved the amendments to the Development Permit Application process. We have made significant changes to applicable Bylaws to streamline the process and timelines to make it easier for people to work with the District of Lake Country and move forward on their projects.  As I mentioned in a blog in July, processes and procedures are reviewed with the intent of cutting red tape and making things easier for the taxpayers, residents, businesses and potential investors – that is a key area of focus and a mandate given to us by Council. Fees are also part of the change and they have been reviewed and new ones will be approved by Council at the beginning of September.

I have been approached by many taxpayers and received a number of e-mails thanking the District and Council for the direction we have taken on this. I always tell them, and staff at the District, that this is an ongoing process and that change is an important leadership tool for the community. More change will come and will continue to come in future years.

Phase 2 deals again with some organizational matters but also with contracted services and regional functions. With respect to the organization, Council approved my recommendation to review all management salaries to see if they are aligned with other municipalities, comparable public sector organizations, and comparable private sector organizations. It is important for Council to know if their managers are paid fairly, are overpaid, or are underpaid. Some think that salaries are too high and certainly higher than in the private sector. Our recent experience in hiring from the private sector has shown us otherwise with difficulty filling positions because we pay much less than the private sector. This will shed a light on comparability and will introduce a more balanced approach to pay, where not all managers are paid the same but based on their responsibilities, including budget administered, staff managed, and complexity of decision-making.

As for contracts, some current arrangements seem to be costly and operationally cumbersome. In particular, the current Sewage System Operational contract, the Road Maintenance contract, and the regional contract for Mapping Services with the Regional District (called GIS – Geographic Information Services). With respect to the Sewage System Operational contract, the District is working on securing a grant to double our Treatment Plant capacity. The issue of operational control, also in view of the proposed Liquid Waste Management Plan envisioning the current plant to provide waste management to the whole community, is becoming more front and centre for our operations and needs to be addressed. The Roads Maintenance contract has lost its competitive edge and needs to be revamped in order to maximize its value-for-money. Finally, Council decided not to renew its GIS contract with the Regional District whose cost has almost doubled since West Kelowna abandoned the function. Feasibility and practicality are going to be a factor of whether the District can continue to be serviced by the Regional District in this area.

One more issue is the Regional Rescue Services. The Central Okanagan Regional District has initiated a review last year. The report generated by the consultant was not satisfactory to the District and the rest of the municipalities utilizing the function. There are 12 different services and administration fees – both from the City of Kelowna and the Regional District – are escalating leaving the partnering municipalities with higher bills. The delivery of these services is also under review. As some of them are contracted out and paid only upon usage, the question that lingers in the minds of all partners is why we receive an annual bill even if the service is not utilized.

Finally, a review needs to be done of our development cost charges (DCC's), which are paid to build critical infrastructure. In fairness, our DCC's are the lowest in the region but the review will also be undertaken with the assistance of the development community. The Urban Development Institute has created a liaison committee which meets on a regular basis and is composed of developers and municipal staff from the District. This is a huge asset for us and I feel that it will take us to a new, much more modern approach to doing business.

I also acknowledge that change spurs negative reactions and I also know that this is the nature of the business I am in. This is part and parcel of a growth process: growth cannot come without some pain. But Council is showing strong leadership in focussing on its vision and its goals rather than been passive spectator to the future of the community. So, kudos to our community leaders that have chosen the less walked road.

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Here we Go Again! Time to Get some Action from our Provincial Government

In about a month the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention will be held in Victoria. The convention has three main purposes. The first and foremost is for individual councils to meet with provincial ministers and lobby them for important issues to be resolved, projects to be approved, and funds to be granted. The second is to form a ‘local government’ united front in dealing with provincial policy affecting local governments, such as, for instance, use of Crown land or how water is protected and distributed to users. The third is networking opportunities and learning best practices through a series of workshops on momentous issues that are affecting municipalities and regional districts throughout the province.

Council is preparing to attend and has requested a number of meetings with a few ministers. Usually, not all of them are approved by provincial officials but we try to get as many as we can.

In the past, the District has been effective in dealing with these meetings and much has been accomplished. We hope to do the same this year but the political atmosphere and the economic difficulties we are living in may be somewhat limiting. Notwithstanding this, our new Council (for a few of them this will be their first UBCM convention) is determined to make a difference for their community.

The District has requested meetings with Minister Chong (Community Development – formerly Municipal Affairs), Minister Lekstrom (Transportation and Infratsructure), Minister Thomson (Forest and Land), and Minister Polak (Aboriginal Reconciliation). The topics range from the current construction of the new Highway 97 stretch from Winfield to Oyama, to funds for an expansion of our current Sewer System Plant. Let me just review a few of these topics of discussion.

Sewage Treatment Plant. We have known for the last two years that the District’s Sewage Treatment Plant is almost at capacity and needs to be expanded sooner rather than later. The cost of the expansion, which will double the current capacity, is in the order of $6 million. Last year, the District applied for a grant to the Provincial and Federal governments for two thirds of the total cost, but it was unsuccessful. We thought it was going to be a no-brainer but the money went to the City of Cranbrook instead. We know that money is limited and the funds are oversubscribed and so, although we were disappointed, we also understood that provincial priorities, when it comes to these grants, takes into account a much larger picture. So this year we have applied again. The Regional District is also contributing to the project and has allocated at least $750,000 for the septage facility component. But we definitely need the $4 million from the province and the feds. Minister Chong’s department handles these applications and we have had numerous meetings with her in the past to show her our leading edge long term infrastructure plan, one of the first and best in the province. We hope this year is the year. Failing that, we will really need to think hard at options that we do not really want to go to, such as, for instance, borrowing. We’ll keep positive and be confident that, this time, the grant will be approved.

The new 8km stretch of Highway 97 will be soon completed and with that the current portion of highway along Wood Lake will be given to the District. We have been asking for assistance in planning for the transition from the province to the District of this beautiful piece of asset. The questions are: will the old section of highway be given to the District in a decent shape (in other words, will the province do some repair and safety work before it gives the stretch to us)? Will they help with the maintenance initially (the cost to the District could be between $100,000 and $150,000)? Will they want the road to continue to be such or are we allowed to do something with it as well? This is a beautiful piece of infrastructure with a huge potential and Council will begin public consultation on the vision and use of the soon to be acquired asset. But in the meantime, those questions need to be answered. We asked before but we have not received any real answers. Let’s hope we do this time.

Finally, the concern of water protection continues to be an issue when Crown Land rights are shared with private individuals for recreational purposes. The concerns are many: water is used (often without specific protection mechanisms) by private lease owners to the possible detriment of expanding reservoirs for public uses, and with that, the rights of the Okanagan Indian Band to a protocol on surety of structures and protection of natural resources, mainly water, in the same area.

These are all complex issues that take time to unbundle and be solved. The work that is done at UBCM is not quick but it is a patient labour of puzzle piece fitting. We just hope that, for some of these, the picture is almost complete.

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From Hay Field to Premiere Soccer Facility

Beasley Park is a community legacy thanks to thousands of hours of volunteer work, several fundraising projects and donations from local businesses and individuals. When the Lake Country Soccer Society (LCSS) has a vision, they see it through to fruition; and in this case, the broader community has benefited from their dedicated efforts.

To bring you up to speed on how the past 20 years has unfolded resulting in Beasley Park being transformed from a hay field to one of the premier soccer facilities in the Okanagan Valley, we must recognize the dedicated efforts of the Lake Country Soccer Society directors and members. The land for Beasley Park was originally purchased by the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) twenty years ago (1992) and then was transferred to the District of Lake Country upon incorporation in 1995. The Lake Country Soccer Society was also established in 1995 and had a strong vision for furthering the sport of soccer in the community.

It was that passionate vision and a strong volunteer work ethic that created the two original soccer fields from an old hay field at what is now known as Beasley Park. The success of the park sparked the need for a facility to house the club and provide adequate dressing rooms for the high profile soccer matches that the park was then attracting. From that need, the Beasley Community Centre was constructed in 2001; and many sports teams and community groups have enjoyed the use of this facility for various functions and activities.

In 2010 the District of Lake Country took over the management of the soccer fields from LCSS and then in 2011 assumed the maintenance responsibility for the fields as well. To continue and build on the traditions started by LCSS, the Parks & Recreation staff have increased aeration and fertilization, installed a new central computerized irrigation control system to improve the efficiency of water distribution, utilized new mowing equipment to keep the fields in top condition and a sweeper to clear goose droppings from the soccer fields. The management and maintenance of the community centre also became the responsibility of the District in 2010; and retrofits and upgrades have included a new air conditioning system, bleacher enclosure to reduce vandalism, storage space enclosure, as well as repairs and upgrades to bring the facility up to the current fire code. Community centre renovations will start in November and lighting installation for field #2 will be complete in August 2012.  These two projects are made possible through the Community Recreation Grant program in the amount of $400,000. And as part of the District increased heritage program, a new Heritage marker will be installed this month on the Beasley Park site adjacent to the public art. 

So our heartfelt thanks go out to the many hard working volunteers and organizations for their contributions towards creating a superior soccer facility and community amenity which provides increased recreation opportunities for people of all ages and abilities!

Roads and Water Projects Moving Forward in Lake Country

Many changes are occurring within the Lake Country local government organization and to the way the District does business. However, notwithstanding the difficult times we are going through, I actually have something positive to talk to you about, milestones achieved in moving towards our goal of creating a more liveable community with vibrant and environmentally friendly transportation networks. A few projects that you've heard about in this blog, the news media and from Mayor Baker and Council in the last few months are now in the works or are completed.

The Lodge Road Lift station upgrade is now complete. The upgrade increases capacity for liquid waste collected from all of Lake Country – including the Clearwater subdivision, Woodsdale Road and the Lakes. This project was strategically scheduled to ensure it was completed before the Lodge Road transportation corridor upgrades started.

Speaking of which, the tender closes on May 10^th for the Lodge Road transportation corridor project, which will improve safety for pedestrians and help connect neighbourhoods to schools. Once the tender is awarded, the construction will start as soon as school finishes for the year. That means an intense period of work during the summer, so the project can be for the most part complete when the kids go back to school in September.

Recognizing that there will be disruptions to the traffic flow and inconveniences during the construction period this summer, the contractor will be giving all residents updates so that alternate travel routes can be planned and people are made aware of what is happening at each stage of the project. The safety improvements planned within this project were recognized by ICBC, and as a result they are contributing $102,000 towards this $1.5 million project. We are also thrilled to be receiving $146,000 from BC Transit to include bus shelters and pullouts along Lodge Road.

If you weren't able to attend the Open House on April 11^th, and you'd like a better understanding of what the roundabout at the intersection of Bottom Wood Lake Road and Lodge Road will look like, or what the concept is for the separated sidewalk and pedestrian bridge over Vernon Creek, drawings of the project are available for viewing right now in Municipal Hall and on the District of Lake Country website.

Our goal for Lake Country is to develop and implement an Integrated Transportation Framework. Basically, this is a project that looks at all modes of transportation in Lake Country, not just vehicle traffic. It promotes liveability and good health, connects neighbourhoods to schools and parks, includes multi-modal transportation options for transit and accessibility and makes transportation convenient, easy to use and barrier free. The key theme of an Integrated Transportation Framework is: sustainable service delivery and active transportation. So anytime work is done on infrastructure renewal we consider making active transportation improvements. And you will hear more about this in the weeks to come as the details are finalized on renewal projects on Trask Road, and on Camp Road to address issues of resurfacing, ditching and pedestrian pathways.

On another note, focusing on some essential and fundamental targets in the area of water quality, safety, and well maintained infrastructure, the Kalamalka Lake Interconnect project will bring significant improvements to water quality for all water customers in Oyama. This $5 million project includes a new reservoir and chlorination system at the Oyama Lake intake, the installation of a UV treatment system at the existing Kalamalka Lake Pumphouse, and a new booster station at Sawmill Road. Construction is set to begin this spring and to be completed in the spring of 2013. With this new infrastructure in place, we will be able to supply customers that currently receive water from Oyama Lake source with treated water from the Kalamalka Lake source. This will much improve ongoing issues with system reliability, capacity and water quality experienced by customers on the Oyama Lake system, and will enable us to remove the current permanent boil water notice.

Speaking of water, the spring melt is underway and we continue to monitor our lakes and creeks for potential risks associated with run-off. Run-off has progressed in a steady fashion and for the lower elevations is mostly complete. The upper watersheds (above Oyama and Beaver Lakes) are melting now. Risk of flooding is low. At the same time, our upper lakes are full, indicating a robust supply of water available to carry us through the irrigation season.

Seasonal run-off can impact water quality. Customers supplied by the Beaver and Oyama Lake sources may notice elevated colour, which is considered normal for this time of year. Water turbidity (cloudiness) has been slightly elevated at times, but remains within an acceptable range.

We are of course at the mercy of Mother Nature – a change in the weather could impact water quality and flood risk. At this time, however, the news is good.

Beasley Park Gets a Grant

When Premier Christy Clark announced the funding to be provided through the Community Recreation Program, at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in September 2011, the District of Lake Country wasted no time in putting together a case for receiving a grant to renovate the Beasley Park community centre and add lighting to the fields.

How excited we were to find out that $400,000 in funding from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development was approved for the proposed projects in Lake Country through the Community Recreation Program. Many residents, visitors and sports groups in Lake Country regularly use the fields and facilities at Beasley Park. These some 21,500 people participate in recreational activity using the park amenities as part of their healthy lifestyle. And we want to make it even more attractive for people of all ages and abilities to get out there and enjoy recreation at our parks.

As Mayor Baker mentioned recently, local government, the province, and the health authorities want to work together to provide opportunities that make it easier for people to make healthier choices, every day. And what better way to demonstrate effective collaboration, than by making quality recreation infrastructure easily accessible – which will attract residents and tourists to the community.

Maybe you heard the funding announcement on AM 1150 News/Talk/Sports show on Saturday, or saw the news crews and dignitaries tromping around with Mayor James Baker, MLA Norm Letnick and Director of Parks Steve Schaffrick at Beasley Park on Saturday, March 17th to participate in the formal announcement of the $400,000 investment.

So what is going to be done with the $400,000 you wonder? For starters, the Beasley Community Centre will get a new multi-use deck (approx. 1,840 sq. ft.); as well as new wood floors, a fitness system mounting and relocation of the sound system; plus a renovation of the showers and washroom facilities; and a new toilet room. Then when you step outside on to the fields, there will be new field lighting towers on Beasley Field #2, and more work done on the landscaping.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick acknowledged, "Both the upgraded community centre and soccer fields will be put to great use. The Youth Soccer Association will be pleased with this project. Bigger isn't always better, but Beasley Park is about to be both."

Click on this link to browse page by page through the exciting Spring 2012 Lake Country Leisure Guide and decide what activities you, your friends, and family members can participate in at our beautiful parks and facilities. And mark your calendar so you can plan to come out to Beasley Park to join in the local celebration on Canada Day, July 1^st.

Karen Miller – Lake Country Customer Service

Council Approves Preliminary Budget

As many of you would know, Council has been deliberating on the 2012 budget for the last few weeks. On Thursday, March 8^th (International Women's Day – and I hope you did not forget to honour the women in your life), Council concluded the first part of deliberations by approving a 'provisional' budget pending further adjustments that may be recommended as part of the Business Systems Review, which is underway. Council had to deal with infrastructure and capital pressures, impact on the taxpayers, and maintaining a decent level of services for the community. It is a complex exercise like in a puzzle, putting all the pieces in the right place will cause a harmonious picture to be created. But a budget is not a work of art. It is, rather, a forecast which remains slightly prone to changes as the unpredictability which comes with it unfolds throughout the year. For instance, because of the economic crisis (which does not seem to be getting better), much of the revenue forecast from building inspections, engineering fees and land use applications in 2011 was a disappointment, therefore new targets needed to be set for 2012.

The focus of the budget exercise for this year has always been to minimize the overall impact on the taxpayers, knowing that in order to maintain the same level of services we would have to keep up with inflation. In addition, it was necessary to increase the funding for capital works as it is very low compared to other municipalities with similar population. At the end, Council decided to adopt a preliminary budget with an inflationary increase of 2.5% for property taxes and to reduce the proposed water fee increase necessary to carry on with our water master plan to less than half of the original proposal ($49 instead of $114). All other fees will remain the same. This will accomplish a few things:

• The operating budget, which includes the general fund that comes from property taxes, the water fund and the sewer fund, both of which come from user fees, will see a slight increase (less than 1.4%) to factor in some contractual obligations that will also increase due to inflation;
  
• The portion of the capital budget funded through property taxes (general fund) will increase from about $350,000 last year to $410,000 this year. This is good for the community as 50% of our infrastructure will need to be properly repaired, maintained and replaced in the next 20 years. To put things into perspective, the District would need between $1 and $2 million a year in property taxes to take care of our assets (roads, water and sewer systems, parks, etc.);
  
• The capital program for 2012 will be just shy of $9.8 million which is almost the same as last year.
  

All this with the lowest tax increase ever in the history of Lake Country (the lowest tax increase prior to this was 3.2% in 2007). Kudos to Council. They had the leadership to direct staff to prepare a budget that would address their strategic priorities, guarantee the same level of services (or in other words quality of life) and begin to address our infrastructure needs properly. This is a visionary effort which will pay back in the next few years and in the long run. Further adjustments may be made once the business systems review is concluded. But those adjustments will mean either less taxes or more money for capital projects.

To bring perspective to the numbers, the municipal portion of the tax bill we pay is only 52% of the whole (in other words on $1,000 collected, $520 go to the municipality and $480 go to other agencies, such as the province, the regional district, BC assessment and the likes). A 1% tax increase equates to $2.94 for every $100,000 of assessed value. To make things simpler, if your home is assessed at $500,000 a 1% increase would be $14.70. So a 2.5% increase would be $36.75 for the whole year. This year, the District will complete the following major capital projects:

• Lodge Road reconstruction for a total of $1.6 million;
  
• The Kalamalka Lake Booster Station, UV Treatment and Reservoir, which will improve water quality in Oyama, for a total of $4.2 million;
  
• Sanitary Sewer works in various areas of the District for a total of $780,000;
  
• Beasley Park upgrades, including works at the Community Centre, a Park 'n' Ride, and parking lot improvements for about $1 million;
  
• Swalwell Park parking lot and Farmers Market for $220,000;
  
• A number of road and pedestrian safety improvements in different locations, including Bond Road, Sherman Road, and Beaver Lake Road for a total of $150,000.
  

A copy of the budget package is available online at www.lakecountry.bc.ca. If you have any questions about the budget and the process for its approval, call the Finance Department at 250-766-5650.

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Census Stats and Other Lake Country Stuff

The numbers are out and Stats Canada has released them. In the last five years Lake Country has grown in population a total of 21.9% and has now 11,708 people living "Life. The Okanagan Way". Lake Country is the fastest growing municipality in the Central Okanagan and the Central Okanagan is the fastest growing area in BC, second only to Greater Vancouver. 21.9% means an average of 4.38% annually, which is above the 3% average forecast in our Official Community Plan. Now this does not mean that we will continue to experience these growth rates. The current real estate market is very slow due to economic conditions, but when those conditions get better, and they will, we will experience more growth in those areas that Council has identified in our plans. So, investors beware! Lake Country is open for business and this is where the Central Okanagan is really growing. We will need more commercial services and vibrant community to provide what newcomers will need in terms of living our Okanagan experience fully. And growth also means gaining needed tax base to properly maintain our infrastructure which is becoming old. Our 20 year plan cannot be accomplished without new growth and other levels of government assistance. Water quality and conservation, as well as transportation, parks, sewage and other infrastructure do not come cheap and they are beginning to come to the end of their life span. When the municipal budget is up for consideration, Council will have to decide what to prioritize, what to delay and what to cut. Remember, municipalities only get 8 cents or less for every dollar we pay in taxes. The rest (a whopping 92%) goes to the federal and provincial governments.

And speaking about budget, Council will begin discussing it on February 16^th. Staff are planning to provide an overview of the current budget and long term plans, incorporate the priorities that were approved by Council in December and come up with a formula that will provide the level of services needed in the community. The current economic times are tough and so Council will be aware of what can be afforded. A business systems review is underway and its final outcome will provide opportunities to scale back some services, save some money and minimize the impact of municipal operations to the taxpayers. We hope to have a final, clear direction from Council next Thursday. I have challenged staff to submit a 'no tax increase' budget, which can be a double edged sword: it could be a temporary relief to the taxpayers but it is also a detriment to future projects as reserves would need to be used in order to continue to make things work. Not an easy task but a very important one for the future of our community.

On another note, I read in the paper that the District is considering a marina on Wood Lake. I have never heard of this before, in fact I was surprised when I read it. I thought maybe I had missed something in the last couple of years. So I asked staff and they were as surprised. We also checked the books and there is no application for such a thing. Maybe the newspaper should ask the District first if this is true before writing something that is not accurate. If, in the past, there was a proposal it is now defunct as far as the District is concerned. Furthermore, deliberations about these things are, by law, made in the public realm and cannot be considered in a closed meeting. In fact, we rarely have closed meetings and only to discuss legal issues, land negotiations and personnel matters. Even in that case, most of the times the resolutions adopted in a closed meeting are brought forward to a public meeting for public knowledge. No secret on this side.

Finally, I wish to highlight the fact that the District of Lake Country has received a grant to do an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. This is very important for us as our current plans are not fully inter connected. The Plan will include extensive public consultation and will represent a solid picture of where the community sees itself and wishes to be 30, 50, or even 100 years from now. If we don't do this, provincial and federal grants may be not be awarded as those levels of government now require municipalities to take an integrated approach to economic, social, environmental, and infrastructure issues. No big picture, no money. Staff are working on the terms of reference and we hope to begin the process in the spring.

Lake Country Needs More Economic Growth

I received a few e-mails asking that I clarify my position with respect to the article “Just a Bit More Balance, Please” published last week in The View as it relates to Lake Country. I am happy to do so with this blog.

The article, which was written by Tom MacDonald in Victoria, was not at all concerned with Lake Country business or the Lake Country Chamber. It was a general reflection on the economic crisis and reactions to it, including some from a number of local government officials.

The issue in the article was about the continuous reports from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) about businesses being taxed too much by local governments and statements by CFIB with respect to the value-for-money from local governments in general. The Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) has tried to counter CFIB claims (for a copy of the UBCM report on CFIB claims please go to Comments on Fiscal Management in BC Municipalities) and I did have some discussion with provincial staff on the Premier’s position about local governments. In my opinion, CFIB comments are one sided. There are not only issues with local governments taxation systems, if you wish, but also with the way both federal and provincial governments are dealing with the economic crisis and the impact (or not) on the work force and the taxpayers. Having said that, I believe that:

·         The 2008 bailout was wrong and created a bigger gap between the middle class and big corporations. In fact the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ which the article talks about was a reaction to the way the bailout money was utilized;

·         The small and medium businesses came out with the short end of the stick in the current economic crisis;

·         The issue of taxation is real for business and residential taxpayers alike but small business is also struggling more than others because of the economic crisis and cannot afford more taxes and rightly questions the value-for-money for the services they receive (or not) from local governments;

·         All taxpayers are reaching a capacity limit in what they can pay to sustain community and all governments services;

·         We need to work together to find solutions. Conflictual positions do not help.

In Lake Country we need more business and more economic growth. We cannot be sustainable on residential tax base only. It just does not work. In addition, the existing businesses cannot afford to pay more or they will collapse. Furthermore, I know and I appreciate much of the hard work and countless volunteer hours that members of the business community and the Chamber provide to Lake Country. I don’t think a community could really be such without those contributions.

I understand the issues the District of Lake Country is facing and I will continue to work with all stakeholders to make our community an even better place for residents, tourism and business investment. As a supporter of economic development, I will continue to make an effort in cutting back our budget to relieve the taxpayers of unnecessary tax increases, and I am confident the new Council will make the right decisions for the community on this. The vision is there and I will pursue it with vigor. Finally, I also hope that we can all support the efforts of our good District staff, recognizing that adjustments need to be made to the organization and work together to make those adjustments. Cooperation is the key and our partnership with the Lake Country Chamber of Commerce and other important stakeholders in the community will be critical to accomplish our goal of creating a unique place to live.

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Just a Bit More Balance, Please

I just recently came across an article by Tom MacDonald, the Executive Director of the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) of British Columbia and 2011 Silver Medal Lieutenant Governor Award of British Columbia. The article fully reflects my sentiments about the subject topic of local government taxation and relationship with the business community and so I asked Tom if I could publish his article in my blog. He agreed and here it is:

"I can't think of even a single time over the past eight years where anything even remotely political in nature has been the subject of this report. After all, normally we leave the politics to the folks at UBCM (Union of British Columbia Municipalities). However, a few weeks ago I was out walking with a local government colleague and we got onto the topic of the various "Occupy" movements that were manifesting themselves across North America including Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. While the "Occupy" groups seem to be at best incoherent collectives of people with beefs against "the system," the prevailing theme of the movement is that corporate greed has led to a situation where a very small percentage of the population controls much of the wealth, and that the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow.

 

So what does any of this have anything to do with local government in British Columbia? Well, most of you who are our members and readers will know that local governments have been under a concerted attack this year by business lobby groups who are saying that local government spending is out of control, that business pays too much, and that business has no voice in how they are taxed. Earlier this year, an excellent response to these concerns was prepared by the UBCM in collaboration with LGMA and GFOA to address these specific points. (See www.lgma.ca: Resources and Publications for a copy of the report.) While not wanting to rehash the report, it did acknowledge that local government expenditures and taxes were rising, but that in virtually all cases, these costs were coming from the local taxpayers who were demanding the increased services. It also provided data showing that the business share of property taxes has actually gone down over time versus residential taxes, and that the majority of elected officials in B.C. were from a business background.

 

So now back to my walk with my colleague and our conversation about the "Occupy" movement sweeping North America. "How is it," he said, "that the business community and Chamber of Commerce groups often lead the charge for pressing local governments to provide additional services – deal with homelessness/street people in business areas, deal with criminal gangs, undertake beautification projects in business areas, provide more downtown parking, install new underground infrastructure to facilitate development, etc., etc. – but in the next breath, they attack local governments for increased expenditures? Isn't this just a bit hypocritical that the business lobby always seem to want more but that they want others to pay? Could this be a version of the same principle that the "Occupy" movement has seized upon when they complain that a very small minority control the wealth while the rest of the population bears the burden?" Of course my friend also raised the point that any business person reading this article would simply make the assertion that as local government employees, comments such as these from us are just self-serving and an attempt to protect our fat-cat jobs. In response to this, one might ask, how many local government managers make up that 1% who control the 99% of the wealth compared to those who are business people?

 

"Just a bit more balance on this debate please!" said my colleague."

 

The article speaks for itself…thank you for listening.

 

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Lake Country is Moving Forward

On Thursday and Friday last week, Council and staff met to establish the District's priorities for the new term and the debate was about narrowing down the District's focus to some essential and fundamental targets. There was much debate but in the end it looks like economic development, water quality, and safe and well maintained infrastructure are at the top of the list.

The group was able to identify more than one hundred projects and issues for discussion but was also comfortable to combine many of those under a number of categories to establish the top priorities to tackle in the next first months in office.

The Water Master Plan and its implementation were again at the top of the list. As you may recall, this was also the top priority in the previous term. Much was done in the last two years, to the point that a preferred option was chosen by Council and information sessions were held in order to create awareness of the plan and the chosen option. The next step will be to acquaint the new Council members with the plan, the capital projects that are needed to implement the strategy and the corresponding cost, and finally to have the plan finalized and approved prior to the 2013 budget cycle. The first step will be to present the plan and the necessary background information to Council in January and work with the consultant to prepare the final consolidated plan.

It is important to remind that the volunteers sitting on the Water Advisory Committee spent countless hours to steer and guide the process this far. They have supported the preferred option and have assisted with the public information process. It is also important to remind that there are some immediate needs that the District is already working on. Probably the most significant is the former Wood Lake water system, which will positively affect and improve the long standing issue of water quality in Oyama. We have repeatedly said that the new system will be ready in 2013 and that work has begun this year thanks to a grant from the provincial and federal governments. Finally, the issue of water rates will have to be discussed as part of the budget process. The question is whether a major increase is necessary immediately or it can wait until the next budget process. Again, this is something Council will debate and decide likely in January.

With respect to infrastructure, Council is well aware of the issue of aging, which is not unique to Lake Country but is common to all Canadian municipalities but safety is paramount for our community. So called 'Active Transportation Hot Spots' will be on top of the agenda, such as Lodge Road and Davidson Road. Council will review the list staff has been working on for the last couple of years and prioritize them in order of urgency and funding criteria. We need no reminder that funds are tight and will be even tighter as we meander through a global economic crisis that still lingers on. The District has already been working on this in the last two years and seeing this again on Council's agenda is a good sign that we are going in the right direction.

With our Waste Water Plant at capacity, another priority is also the finalization of our Liquid Waste Management Plan and securing the Ministry of Environment and Interior Health 'go ahead' with the expansion of our septic facility and the ability to provide a long-term sustainable approach to liquid waste (another item from last term priority list).

Finally, Economic Development and the Town Centre are back on the top of the agenda. Focus on a strategy, possible incentives and an understanding of market dynamics will help to successfully accomplish the economic rebound that our community needs, especially in view of the fact that almost 90% of our tax base is from residential properties.

As we work on finalizing these priorities, the Corporate Business Plan will be prepared accordingly and the budget submitted on the basis of these priorities. We will continue to communicate to the public through our social media and the traditional press and we are thankful to our local newspapers for the support they provide in communicating these important issues to the community.

Lake Country is truly moving forward.

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There Is More Than Meets the Eye

With a new Council and the highest election turnout in Lake Country's history of local government elections, interest in what we do and how we do it has increased. I am very pleased about this, because one of the biggest issues we face at the local level is apathy for municipal government. I love my job and I have passion for what I do and the community I serve and live in. In addition, as a local government administrator I deal with a very complex field and a wide variety of issues: from road construction and maintenance, to parks amenities and recreation centres; from water quality and conservation, to saving lives and properties; and the list goes on. In addition, as the Chief Administrative Officer of a municipal corporation I have the blessing (or for some the curse) of two main responsibilities: first to advise Council to the best of my ability on the options they have in order to make an informed decision; and second, to carry out those decisions with the assistance of staff. It takes an entire organization to do that.


In my life experience, I have worked in many jobs. I sold computers, I reported for newspapers, I served in the military, I practised law, I consulted private corporations on management and business plans, I taught, and finally I worked (and work) in local government. I believe that my variety of experiences has provided me with good common sense and decent business practices. I have to say that, in all honesty, working for local government is not for the faint of heart. You have to keep motivated all the time and you have to fight constant misinformation on what staff do and how we are organized and operate. Notwithstanding all that, my job is a constant inspiration to me and to the majority of our staff. I remember a few years ago I hired a new Director of Finance for a municipality from the private sector. She had never worked in local government but she was the best fit for the job and I was right. She did a wonderful job and she earned the respect of many colleagues who have never worked in the private sector. She used to tell me that she had never been so busy in her entire career. Indeed her job with that municipality was very demanding on her. Just a couple of years ago she left that local government and is now working for a progressive, rapid growing private company expanding its business throughout BC and Alberta. In fact, she has become a partner in the company. One day we were having a conversation about differences in work environments and she said to me: "I never thought working in local government would be so hard, busy and demanding. Compared to the work I did in private corporations, some of them very big, local government is the most challenging and demanding." I believe so too.


Lake Country as a community will face hard times and the new Council will have to meet new and old challenges, especially doing more for less. So, if working in a municipality was busy and demanding in the past, it is even more so today. In thinking of these challenges, may I suggest that it is our responsibility, collectively, individually and in all of our respective roles to do the following:

1. Be informed. Get to know your local government by approaching staff and asking questions on how things work and what we do. Try to understand the demands of your community and how we are trying to meet them. Finally, approach your elected officials and ask them good questions about the goals and objectives of your municipality.
2. Be connected. In a society where social networks are the norm of communication now, the District has a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a You Tube account. Subscribe and keep informed on what's happening in your community. Our Parks & Recreation department also has a Facebook page. Visit our new beautiful website at www.okanaganway.ca and the information in it. You will find useful stuff that will help you explore our community in more depth.
3. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Your feedback is important to us and we understand that sometimes you can be frustrated by the bureaucracy imposed by the many laws that regulate us. Sometimes even staff scratch their heads at some of the legislation they have to deal with. The reality is that local governments have a very limited autonomy and it all comes from the provincial government. They pretty much decide what we do and how we do it. In addition, they are downloading more and more responsibilities to local governments without giving them the resources to do it. It is as frustrating for us as it is for you.
4. Be positive. Recently, I received an e-mail from one of my staff who also has had a long experience in the private sector. In a nutshell, he was concerned at the tone of some election campaigning, not just in Lake Country but everywhere else in BC. He commented: "... I've been thinking a bit about working in local government lately, with the election coming and some candidates, journalists, and forum respondents passing various types of comments about municipal staff being lazy, incompetent, etc. While I know it is a common misconception for people to think that public servants are lazy, incompetent, etc. due to the bureaucracy, it concerns me how advocating and voicing these misconceptions can affect the entire organization [and the community] in the long term… I don't believe they consider how attacking the reputation of the municipality has many unintended impacts. .. I'm sure these claims do not help how employees see themselves. Worse yet, they will no doubt affect our ability to attract the bright talent that we need to develop and improve as an organization, or to retain the talent that we have already. I believe that while we do have areas to improve upon as an organization, we have taken many steps lately to get better and we have many highly qualified and talented professionals working [in local government]. As someone who has worked in the private sector and in various municipalities, and is committed to working in the local government field, I find it troubling that public service … seems to be valued less [than other services]."

Staff are here to help and are committed to provide the best service to the public and the community. I know that, like all organizations, there is always room for improvement and we are working hard on making those improvements happen. The majority of our staff are local taxpayers and care for the community as they care for their family's and individual quality of life. Also those who don't live in our community are caring individuals that take pride in what they do. Give us the benefit of the doubt. There is much more to local government operations than meets the eye.
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The Future is Now

The municipal election is over and the dust is settling. In Lake Country, the Mayor, James Baker, was re-elected and so two of the incumbent councillors, Penny Gambell (at Large) and Barbara Leamont (Carr's Landing). We also have four new councillors: Jamie McEwan (at Large), Rob Geier (Winfield), Owen Dickie (Oyama), and Lisa Cameron (Okanagan Centre). I congratulate the new elected Council and I am looking forward to the new term with them. I also wish to thank those who were not elected for their dedication and hard work. Each one of them brought a unique set of skills that provided good leadership and vision for the community.

What now? I would say: the future is now. There is much that needs to be done and the new Council will begin working immediately to understand their role, their function, and their responsibilities and to set the priorities for the next three years. On December 6^th, the new Council will be sworn in and a number of orientation sessions will be held beginning next week. We will also hold a priority setting session at the beginning of December and an initial budget session. We do not waste our time at the District but we work hard to get things going.

One of the things we are working on is a business systems review with the purpose of streamlining our organization and operations and alleviate potential tax increases in the future. In addition, there are critical capital projects and plans that need to continue to be pursued. We have not heard from the province yet regarding our grant submission for the expansion of our sewer plant. The Regional District is contributing to the project but we cannot proceed without the bulk of the funds that could come only through a grant. Lodge Road design is near completion and we should be able to start the work in the spring of 2012. This is a much needed improvement that will benefit both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, especially the many students that walk that road during the school year. The province will contribute to the funding of the project and we made an application to ICBC for some money as well. The Water Master Plan will be discussed as part of the budget process as the model calls for fee increases in the next two years.

Then there is some important stuff that will need to be addressed. Boundary readjustments with the City of Kelowna and possibly more collaboration at the political and administrative levels between the City and the District; increase partnership opportunities with the Okanagan Indian Band through the provision of services and the implementation of economic and tourism development projects; and of course our Town Centre and the District economic development strategy.

On top of all of this, there are many other projects that are in progress and there is the day-to-day operational load. It is good to be busy and we welcome opportunities. Definitely, we will not be idle and the new Council will begin its work at a rapid pace. Again, the future is now for Lake Country.

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Lake Country Endorses Progressive Plan to Reduce Municipal Carbon Footprint

Lake Country, BC – In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of their municipal operations and meet the terms of the provincial Climate Action Charter, the District of Lake Country Council recently developed and endorsed a new Carbon Neutral Operations Plan. Lake Country signed the province’s Climate Action Charter in 2007, requiring them to become carbon neutral in their municipal operations by the end of 2012.

By reducing or offsetting their municipal carbon emissions, Lake Country intends to provide an example of how municipal carbon neutrality can become a reality, and by doing the right thing can also position themselves for continued senior government grants. “This plan has allowed us to inventory all aspects of the municipal operation over time, identify cost saving areas and historic trends, as well as narrow in on those facilities needing the most attention” says Mayor, James Baker.

Development Services Manager, Mark Koch, explains that “the different energy sources used by the municipality over the past three years were tabulated, and converted into tons of carbon equivalent, allowing the municipality to understand the true carbon footprint of the District’s water system, sewer infrastructure, arena, works facilities as well as other District functions”. While not tying the District to any one solution, the plan provides a framework for future green technology investment decisions to be made in the most impactful areas, favoring local reduction solutions over offsetting, where possible.

While the District believes that reducing their consumption of electricity, gasoline, natural gas, and all other fuel sources simply makes good business sense, they also plan on using revenue from the award winning Lake Country Hydroelectric Generating Station to help offset costs associated with becoming carbon neutral.  

For more information, contact:

Mark Koch, Development Services Manager

250 766 6674 mkoch@lakecountry.bc.ca

Alberto De Feo, Chief Administrative Officer

250  766 6671 administrator@lakecountry.bc.ca

November 1st Council Meeting Highlights

Due to the upcoming election, Regular Council meetings will not be televised on Shaw Cable until after the General Voting Day on November 19^th. In addition, there will be no Public Comment or Councillor Comment periods during Regular Council meetings until after the Election.

Lodge Pine Estates Bylaw 675, 2008
Bylaw 675 rezones a narrow strip of land from Rural Residential to Direct Control and Park to construct 4 duplexes has been on the District’s books for several years because of outstanding issues.  The applicant has dedicated the required park land to the District and Council gave final reading and adopted the bylaw.

Carbon Neutral Operations Plan

In 2010 the District signed the Climate Action Charter and made a commitment, along with all BC municipalities, to achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2012.  Staff presented an operational plan to inventory District emissions and establish broad principles for reductions opportunities. The inventory will help calculate carbon-offsets that may be needed to achieve carbon neutrality but does not commit the District to anything. The emissions inventory will be reviewed and updated annually to provide up-to-date information on the amount of carbon being emitted by the District. See the complete Carbon Neutral Operations Plan that was endorsed by Council.

Shanks Road Development Variance Permit

Council approved the application to vary the floor area of a number of accessory buildings at 8051 Shanks Road from 100m2 to 460m2.  The applicants would like to build a new residence on a farm property and convert the old residence into a storage building.  The total floor area of the old residence and a variety of storage buildings on the property used for farming purposes exceeds the total allowable floor area for accessory buildings on property zoned Agriculture 1 which does not have farm assessment.  The approval of DVP2011-009 will allow the applicant to build a new single family dwelling and keep the existing accessory buildings for storage and farm use.

Whiskey Cove Road Development Variance Permit

The applicant applied for a variance to construct a new pool and outdoor lounge area on the property at 15510 Whiskey Cove Road.  The proposed plan requires a variance of the sight line and north and south side yard setbacks.  Staff recommended that the variance not be supported as there are opportunities for the plans to be modified to eliminate the need for both the side yard setback variances and the sightlines variance.  After a lengthy discussion Council approved the applicant’s request to vary the site line requirements and the south side yard setback although denied the request to vary the north side yard setback.

McCreight Road Development Variance Permit

The applicant for the property at 13210 McCreight Road applied to vary the sight line requirements from 120 degrees to 80 degrees to remove the exiting dwelling and construct a new single family dwelling with a pool and outdoor living area facing the lake.  Council approved the Development Variance Permit DVP2011-013 as the existing views from the neighbouring properties are skewed to the south and will not be significantly impacted.

Sawmill Road Development Variance Permit

Kon Kast Holdings Ltd. applied to relax the requirements of the District’s Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw in order to construct a 36,600 sq. ft concrete production and casting facility at 15670 Sawmill Road.  The servicing standards require sidewalks, curbs and gutter, community sewer, underground wiring and street lighting.   Staff recommended approval of the variance as none of the surrounding properties have urban services and the economic development value of the development will expand the community’s industrial base.  The applicant will be required to provide full water service and roadway improvements along Sawmill Road in order to accommodate anticipated loads.  Council approved the variance adding the requirement that a buffer be installed to shelter the neighbouring properties and also that additional lighting be installed on the existing hydro poles along Sawmill Road.

MTI & Bylaw Enforcement Amendment Bylaws

Due to a minor error the current MTI and Bylaw Enforcement bylaws do not cite the correct sections of the new Building Regulation Bylaw 709, 2011. Council gave 3 readings to Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw 805, 2011 and Municipal Ticketing Information Amendment Bylaw 804, 2011 so that the bylaws accurately cite the relevant sections of the municipal bylaws that the ticket is issued under.

Padel Licence of Occupation at Jack Seaton Park

There are two PADEL courts set up in Lake Country on the old tennis courts with a third one being planned. Mr. Thorburn operates the PADEL courts and since the sport began in Lake Country, has run camps, junior programs and ladies programs, all of which have met with great success. PADEL supports the District’s drive to increase physical activity for Lake Country citizens and Mr. Thorburn has already invested in the development of the site such as walls, fixing cracked areas of the old tennis courts and the re‐anchoring of the nets. The proposed Licence of Occupation to operate the courts at Jack Seaton Park will require the maintenance of the area, an annual fee of $500 and appropriate liability insurance. There has been great enthusiasm from the community for the sport which was showcased by CHBC and there has also been some early discussions about an interprovincial tournament that could be held in Lake Country next year. Council approved the Licence of Occupation for the period of June 2011 to December 2015.

Is there Anything Happening in Lake Country? Part 3

This week I would like to continue the story of what’s happening in Lake Country with more details on infrastructure, water and the Parks and Recreation Department.  If you have read Alberto’s blogs then you are familiar with his story of the grasshopper and the ant where the grasshopper spends all summer with his feet up, relaxing while the ants run around preparing for the long, chilly winter ahead.  Of course we all know that the District’s infrastructure is vital to the wellbeing of our citizens and businesses. But did you know that much of our infrastructure will be reaching the end of its useful life over the next few decades?  The District has prepared a 20 year plan called the Integrated Asset Management Capital Plan (IAMCP), which is a really long name for a plan that tells us what needs to be replaced, when it needs to be replaced and how much it’s going to cost. The IAMCP is the District being ants. Not only are we going to be prepared for when the time comes, we are already working like little ants to get ready for the long winter ahead. Some of the things already underway are:

·         The Liquid Waste Management Plan, which is being updated with the Ministry of Environment, gives us a 20 year plan for how we collect and manage liquid waste. It is being done at the same time as the predesign for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Phase 3 Expansion to make sure we are continuing to move forward with our plans.

·         The $5 million Kal Lake Interconnect project will give us the ability to put Kal Lake Water into the Oyama Lake water source giving us more options, and more water, in times of drought and during peak seasons. It will include 1 new reservoir, a new pump station, new pipelines (already done!) and ultraviolet disinfection capabilities.

·         I’m hoping everyone has heard of our Water Master Plan project? We have done mail outs, held information sessions and done presentations to as many committees (both internal and external) that we could get to. The Water Master Plan final documents will be presented to Council in early 2012 and then water rates will be discussed by the new Council during budget time.

And where do we even begin with the Parks and Recreation Department, which is now called the Parks, Recreation and Culture Department. Their list of Capital Projects goes on for an entire page! Just look at all the great amenities we have in Lake Country: tennis courts, the Trethewey Splash Park, Padel courts and some of the most beautiful and sought after soccer fields in the entire Okanagan. 

This year the Lakes Resident Association and the District joined forces to build the Apex Drive Park project. The Association provided free pizza and masses of people (ok maybe not masses but definitely swarms) came out to help build this wonderful asset to the community.

The Winfield Recreation Centre is continuing along its expansion phases which saw new dressing rooms and door upgrades last year with refrigeration, compressors, dehumidifier upgrades and a lighting retrofit in 2011.  Not only did the lighting upgrades help us reduce our carbon footprint by replacing 35 year old light fixtures with a new, high efficiency system, we were also able to install some groovy lights that make the winter DJ skates a huge hit! Check out this video from the first skate event using the new system.

The Parks, Recreation and Culture Department also made the move of bringing contracted services in-house this year which has turned out to be a huge advantage.  Services have improved significantly with no budget impact, the parks staff are highly skilled and have the specific knowledge, equipment and training to get at the problem, get it fixed and do it quickly.

This was also the first year that Lake Country got involved in the Communities in Bloom Project with Kelowna offering to mentor us for the first go around. Everyone in Lake Country dashed around cleaning, planting and making our already beautiful community shine. On July 20^th the judges arrived and were loaded into a bus for the grand tour. And do you know what they saw? Shiny, happy people… …everywhere! A family was enjoying a beautiful afternoon at Kopje Park, the Lake Country Boys and Girls Club had the kids on a field trip at the Swalwell Park, there was a tournament being held at the tennis courts, a group of people from the Connect Brain Injury Clinic were visiting the Community Gardens, Padel was in full swing, the soccer fields were full and kids were enjoying the playground at Jack Seaton Park. Not only were the judges impressed but staff were moved by what they saw.  Sometimes just stepping back to see and appreciate what we already have in our wonderful little Lake Country can inspire us in moving forward and making it even better.

The Parks projects may be ones that are most visible in the community but there are so many other things going on behind the scenes (and under the ground) in the District.  All these projects, and the dedicated staff that are working on them, are so vitally important to the growth, sustainability and health of our community.  We are planning and working for the future so we can continue to live Life…the Okanagan Way.

Reyna