PACKINGHOUSE PROJECT TOO IMPORTANT TO RUSH THROUGH

(OSOYOOS TIMES — July 26, 2006)

Last week's special Council meeting that passed second and third readings for the proposed major resort development on the packinghouse land generated more heat than any Town meeting for many months “ perhaps even years.
That's not surprising.
The resort's site, in the heart of Osoyoos, is arguably the key development property in town.
And this project has a history “ “ with a proposed 12-storey tower being turned back by public outcry just a year ago.
So, when you add to these ingredients an apparent new rush to push approval through Council, it's no wonder that tempers got a bit frayed and councillors split over whether to move forward with the development.
It does seem odd that just days after a regular Council meeting at which the development could have been debated “ but wasn't “ a special meeting had to be called.
And it seems odd, too, that, as Councillor Allan Carswell points out, Council does not appear to be following its own rules on how to proceed with information at the various stages of a propoal.
These things are off-putting, and citizens can't help but wonder why the process surrounding such a key property in town doesn't appear to be rolling out more smoothly.
But the key question that should matter to everyone in Osoyoos is whether or not this large downtown/beach project will satisfy the important criteria of storm-water management, traffic flow, and beach access.
The developer has done much good work in bringing forward an impressive plan.
We can only hope that the process leading to fourth reading by Council will be totally open and will satisfy everyone that the critical issues are being dealt with before the project is finally approved.