Ken Dahlen's presentation to Coldstream Council March 26/12

Ken Dahlen's comments:

"Topic:  Coldstream Subdivision and Development Bylaw

 

As you are all aware I have attended several council meetings in regards to this bylaw: To date I have not heard any public support to this change you are about to vote on tonight.

I would like to be clear once again on my concerns:

1. Standard building permits were never to have the subdivision and development bylaw applied to them.

2. The approving officer does not have the right to ask or demand road upgrades, gifting, drainage upgrades as a condition of a standard building permit that meets all regulations.

3. You now say you can change the bylaws on our land we own without our consent! You also say you can charge what ever you want for these new regulations again without our consent.

4. Please let me ask this question: If I wanted to change the rules on my bylaws that apply to my property how would this work? I know I would have to make an application to The District of Coldstream, then post a sign on my property and inform all affected property owners in my area. But you don't have to do this? This is not right. So do we have two sets or rules? This is not fair!

5. You have now identified 15 different roads that will now be subject to a drainage charge when a building permit is applied too. So how do people know or do they just find out when they come for a building permit? Should they not be now called (R-1a) because they are special?

6. I find this very offensive that you feel you can change the rules on land we own without our consent! This is not the Canada I know and love.

7. So in the end lets just take the pig out of the dress and call it what it really is! You need money and you need new tax revenue. This should not be placed on the backs of 15 roads in our community. This is a community issue and should be identified on a OCP and budgeted for appropriately. Possibly we can only do 5 road repairs a year but let's have a plan and do this right. This way it is open, transparent and honest! The roads, drainage, curbs and gutters are to be maintained by the District's annual budgets on a on-going basis.

8. I am not sure you are aware that in Friday's paper Vernon has now dropped from 20th in Canada to 175th and major issues identified are affordable housing, lack of jobs, and low household incomes. I am only one company and I have informed you in the past I have lost well over a million dollars of work that has been frustrated at the Building permit stage by excessive demands! I am only one company and the loss of these jobs would employ several people and increase our tax base

9. I would ask this council to be aware they need to help the community and support it, versus  making new bylaws or laws that get in the way. The only Answer I have to date is for some reason you have a plan to run us over a cliff.

10. In closing I want to be clear that you have said to the tax payers the following:

You can change bylaws without our approval

You can charge what you want for the new drainage fee and change the price at any time without the taxpayer's approval.

I also assume you can add to this list and change this from drainage to bike paths, or curb and gutter again without our approval.

So in the end you own the land and we don't!

Sorry to say we own the land and we are Coldstream, you were voted in, but not to take our rights away and treat us like mushrooms.

Last meeting in Lavinton you only had time to listen to 5 or 6 people, and you cut off anyone else that wanted to express concern on this bylaw. If you are not going to allow more people to speak please look at the crowd and understand clearly we do not want any new bylaw that will add cost to a standard building permit! 

No to the Bylaw."

"...and Council voted YES to the Bylaw," offers Kia.

Yes.

Unanimous.