Aug 10 Taylor's Mill Development Zoning Hearings

 Letter from Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook 

Dear Mayor Ogilvie and Kimberley City Council,
 
Wildsight had not planned to make comments on Monday regarding the proposed OCP and zoning changes for the Taylor’s Mill Development as we assumed that the hearing was only to designate the area in question as a Comprehensive Development Zone and that further public input would be solicited regarding the details of the development.  At my meeting with you on Friday afternoon I was surprised to learn that that there would be no further public input process.  If the OCP and rezoning is approved on Monday evening then the plan, as put forward by the developer, will proceed.
   
1. It is unfortunate that this meeting is occurring in the middle of the summer vacation period when many residents are not available, and that the details of the bylaws were not available on the City website. This is an important issue and deserves a better public process.
2. The zoning bylaw states a large minimum lot size but no maximum lot size.  It appears that much of the development will be sprawling low density residential with potentially very large houses and continued dependence on automobiles.  This one development will likely negate all the City efforts to mitigate climate change.  We urge City Council to reconsider the densities and make this a more efficient development.
3. We are pleased to see the zoning bylaw has excluded commercial development as a permitted use however the OCP amendment bylaw still includes “construction of a visitor oriented commercial and recreational service node near the summit of Taylor’s Mill lands”. In our view this node would be something like a second Platzl. If there is one thing we do not need in Kimberley is a public space competing with the current Platzl.  Please remove this clause from the OCP amendment and support our existing Platzl businesses.
4. We understand that the developer has proposed a major road access from the development that would join with Knighton Road between 110th and 111th Avenues.  At the time of the developer’s open house the details of this connection were not finalized so the public has not had an opportunity to consider it.   We also recall from the open house, that there was a proposal that a traffic study would be done to determine the impacts of this new route on existing traffic.   That study should be done and the public should have an opportunity to discuss it before the bylaw amendments are approved.
5. There is nothing in the proposed OCP or bylaw changes that controls the timing and phasing of the development.  Given current market conditions it is important that any development occur in a phased manner and that the ground disturbance, noxious weed spread and habitat conversion are minimized until homes are built and occupied. 
6. The OCP amendment includes the provision for an Environmental Impact Assessment to “review impacts of proposed development on the environment, identify environmentally sensitive portions of the site and recommend appropriate monitoring and mitigation measures.”  It further states that “Buildings and structures should be located on the portions of the site that are not environmentally sensitive.”  
    It is our expectation that an EIA will be carried out at the developer’s cost by an independent third party to ensure that we get the best development possible.  If there is any way that Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook can help with this process we are at your disposal.

Thank you for considering our concerns,

Kent Goodwin
President
Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook