Coldstream's OCP Never Gathers Dust

It's always open, yet officials say the last review was 7 years ago.
They're always reviewing it (checking for rules requirements/infractions).

Seven years is as though it were yesterday to residents who are constantly bombarded by stories of what Council is contemplating and doing.  As in perhaps a roundabout on Kal Lake Road (loud groans), or maybe traffic lights (groan, groan).  Many people I've spoken with simply groan, "plus a provincial election".

Written 20 years ago, Coldstream's Official Community Plan is being opened up (again for public input) at a time when the public remains distracted by a poor economy, lack of new employers and the jobs they would bring, not to mention their own family's focus on increasing property taxes, water rates, and hydro/gas rates.

Add up all the Variances (to the rules) that people apply for, you'd be correct in thinking nobody ever puts the Official Community Plan for Coldstream back on the shelf.  It's always open.

Several open houses are planned for the public to provide input:
May 6th Coldstream Women's Institute 3-5 p.m., reconvening at 6:30-8:30 p.m.
May 8th Lavington Fire Hall, 3-5 p.m., and 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The Mayor states "We're looking at densities, agricultural lands and the uses that occur on them."
Several Coldstream Acreage Owner Association members quickly quipped "they'd better leave last year's RU10/RU30 plan buried, or we'll have to jump all over 'em again."

Other topics that Coldstream Council's review will consider in the Official Community Plan are listed below--followed by responses from Kia and our group:

* residential housing demands (single family, multi-family, retirement).  Leave this to the private sector, as they know what they're doing, and whether it's viable.

* future community growth areas.  Gawd, here we go again.  After this same council has vehemently vetoed "mile long subdivisions", etc. etc.  Unless the good Lord has granted Coldstream some new land, nothing has changed from the last time they studied it.

* residential/rural land-use interface planning.  The Agricultural Land Commission has created details on a buffer zone for such an interface, so that's what will be applied.  No point in reinventing the wheel unless you're Councillor Richard Enns, who is concerned riding arenas--if setback is reduced to 30 metres--will create a lot of dust.  Jeezzuzz!  Buy 'em a sprinkler.

*agricultural land use planning and farming viability.  Yeah, sure, a bunch of bureaucrats and councillors (most of whom are decidedly left-of-center) are going to find the magic formula for farm viability.
As indicated during last year's RU10/RU30 debacle--this Council doesn't have a clue about farming the East Coldstream valley--yes, it's suitable chiefly for forage crops.  Even apples (and certainly stone-fruit crops) don't work in the valley bottom where frost settles late winter/early spring from cold outflow winds from the Monashees. 

* hillsides' long-term land-use planning.  Reiterate Maria Besso's comment from last year: "We don't want mile long subdivisions".  And presto, you won't get them...or their tax dollars. 

* commercial neighbourhood centres.  Ah...my favourite thing to hate.  What merchant in his right mind is going to fly in the face of demographics--and revenue--and build a shop in Coldstream's proposed Town Centre?  Not many.  Not when every fifth retail space in Vernon has For Lease on the window.  Oh, they'll get the odd dentist or chiropractor...

*industrial land availability.  It was the Mayor who stated a year or two ago--after he had been asked if the former Consumers Glass Plant might be subdivided into smaller industrial parcels--that he preferred it to remain in one piece.  Seems a film might be produced there.  (Sigh).  

*municipal parks and trails strategy.  Needed for people who don't have acreage.

*sensitive ecosystems policy strategy.  These rules will continue to arise in Victoria (where they should originate).  Our Mayor should be focusing on a sensitive taxpayer's system policy.

*hazardous lands identification.  TerraSoft, Google Earth and Google Maps = done!  Like dinner!
Haven't seen any new Coldstream lands created recently, but the mountain opposite does look a bit taller.

*infrastructure planning (transportation, utilities, services).  Even local MLA Eric Foster recently admitted that a community "can't do water separation/twinning alone", taxpayers don't want to ask for more services because of the cost.

*interjurisdictional land-use planning.   Coldstream Council is a signatory to the Regional Growth Management Strategy, so they're bound by that, not by what we want to see.  Plus we've stopped telling them what we want.

"Maybe we should tell DoC that many Japanese companies have 300 year plans," offers Kia, "and they stick to them."