CRCP is not anti-development

[John Zeger]

Citizens for Responsible Community Planning has been taking it on the chin for sometime now having been accused repeatedly by certain members of the media and others that we are against all development. It is time to respond to these attacks. CRCP has been prominently opposed to several major development proposals in Kelowna such as Lawson Landing, the one-way couplet, the Centuria highrise, Vintage Landing at McKinley Landing, the Sarsons commercial development proposal, and the Cedar Avenue resort proposal. But to say that CRCP is opposed to all development is quite a stretch. CRCP has opposed less than 5% of all development proposal that have come before the Advisory Planning Commission. We have supported the Verve despite that fact that it exceed our density standards and the Kettle Valley development as a fine example of the new urbanism. We do not feel it is necessary to stand before the APC or City Council to argue in favour of every development proposal that we don't have a problem with because as these bodies are so predisposed to approving almost everything that we see doing this as a waste of our time. Therefore if CRCP does not publicly oppose a development proposal, it can be safely assumed that we don't have any major problems with it. John Harding, are you listening?

[John Zeger]

Another couple of projects I thought were quite acceptable (but not exceptional) are the Cannery Lofts across the street from the infamous Lofts Downtown. The Cannery Lofts is a four storey mixed use residential building with commercial on the ground floor. I was in their sales office some time ago complementing the sales person on the quality of the development. My only regret was that it didn't have any provisions for affordable housing. Another project I thought was acceptable was The Bernard across the street from the hideous Centuria. Like the Cannery Lofts it is four storey residential with commercial on the ground floor. This is how the Centuria should have been done. Until CRCP sees a project that it can really get enthusiastic about such as the one found on the following link, we see no need to spend our time speaking in favour of development proposals before city council on what we know will be approved anyway.
www.ci.vista.ca.us/gov/redev/documents/DowntownBlocRFQ-Final6-24-05_001.pdf
Or just google Vista "downtown mixed use project"