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Kelowna  

Cedar Ave. development shelved

 

The controversial development proposed for the foot of Cedar Avenue in the South Pandosy area is going back to the drawing board.

By a 5-2 margin Monday, Kelowna Councillors voted to implement a new area planning and public consultation process in an effort to develop an Area Redevelopment Plan for the Cedar Avenue area.

First reading given to the original development plan was also rescinded.

Work on the new redevelopment plan won't begin until at least next year once a budget can be put together and submitted for 2012.

The original plan, opposed by many area residents and neighbourhood groups around the city, called for a mixed use commercial/park development on the 2.3 acre site along the waterfront on Abbott Street between Newsom and Cedar Avenues.

Most of those opposed to the project asked that the entire piece of waterfront be dedicated to parkland.

Staff presented Councillors with four options Monday, including:

  • Option 1 - To keep the existing land use plan in place. The OCP bylaw may be amended at first reading to make reference to OCP 2030 and then forwarded to a public hearing.
  • Option 2 - To add additional parkland or change any future land uses. The OCP bylaw may be amended to first reading by changing the future land use map to include additional properties and uses and then forwarded to a public hearing.
  • Option 3 - To implement a new area planning and public consultation process. The bylaws may be rescinded at first reading and staff be instructed to implement an Area Redevelopment Plan for the Cedar Avenue.
  • Option 4 - To not proceed any further. With no changes to the OCP 2030 future land use map the bylaws may be rescinded at first reading and the file closed.

Councillors Reid-Nagy, Craig, Hodge, Rule and Stack voted in favour of Option 3. Councillors Blanleil and James, feeling it was time to get something done sooner rather than later, opted for Option 2.

Mayor Shepherd and Councillor Hobson excused themselves from the debate due to conflicts of interest.

"If we go for Option 3, we're not going to see anything happen there for years," says Councillor Blanleil in supporting Option 2.

"Back 10 or 15 years ago when we did the original plan for the area, I'm still waiting for a park there. I don't mind Option 2. It's been a big compromise and at the end of the day the parks I see people use is parks where there is something to do whether it's a restaurant or a hotel."

"I actually like Option 2. I think it's a good compromise," added Councillor James.

"It would bring people down to the lake just like the Grand did, just on a smaller scale."

Councillor Craig told his colleagues he does not believe speed should be a consideration.

"Taking this option means that we are likely a little further away from getting a park on this site or getting redevelopment on this site than had we gone with Option 2 or gone with the original plan," says Craig.

"I think that we are all elected to this council to think in the long term just as councils in the past showed immense foresight on projects such as City Park. I think if it takes an extra 10 years it's worth the wait to make the right decision because waterfront parkland, I think, is a legacy item for a council and a city."

Councillor Reid-Nagy, who moved Option 3 agreed that council has the time and should take the time.

"We don't need to building commercial on this site right away," says Reid-Nagy.

"There's no rush and I think we have time to consider our options...even if it means not having the instant gratification of a park in the meantime."

Reid-Nagy adds she would like to see a consultative process similar to one just completed for the Downtown Plan.

"We heard some awesome feedback from our downtown planning process. People who are usually not that happy with the city were extremely happy with the process for the Downtown Plan," says Reid-Nagy.

"Something similar to that would be fantastic for this area and an ideal next step to create a long-term vision and something we can be proud of in a hundred years."

In an effort to move the process along quickly, council also unanimously passed a second motion asking staff to come forth with a budget for 2012.

Meantime, Councillor Stack took a moment to commend staff for acquiring the property in the first place.

Stack says it was through a lot of hard work and a lot of creative negotiating that the city was able to acquire the properties in the first place.

"I think it's important to recognize that it took staff many, many, many years to secure these properties. That was under the concept that we were going to buy the properties, sever part of the properties and sell," says Stack.

"Through a long term creative strategy all those properties have been secured. Had that not been done, we would probably be looking at seven monster homes that the public would never have access to."



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