Regional District Highlights

Highlights of the Regional Board Meeting – May 30, 2005

• Gellatly Nut Farm Landscaping Contract - The Regional Board has awarded a contract for landscaping and other park services at the Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park. Two companies submitted bids and Sierra Landscaping Ltd was awarded a contract based on a bid of $495,039.10. Work should be substantially completed by the end of August.
  
  
• Falconridge Water System Fee Changes - The Regional Board has adopted amendments to the Central Okanagan Water Systems Bylaw. The changes will affect property owners in the Falconridge Water System. The monthly user fee will increase from $30 to $31.65 this year and $33.35 next year. Starting in 2007, the monthly user fee will increase 2.5% each year. In addition, in order to provide for future capital spending, a maintenance fee of $300 per year will be levied starting in 2012. Property owners within the Falconridge Water System Service Area pay approximately $621 a year toward the debt incurred in constructing the system in 1989 and 1990. This is due to expire in 2011.
  
  
• Crown Land Communication Site Referral - The Regional Board has supported a Land and Water BC Inc. referral application from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It wants to establish a transmitter location in the vicinity of the Roman Catholic gravel pit and the Gillard Forest Service Road to provide English TV service. The Board support asks that activities in and around a wetland in the area be avoided and that no access roads be constructed to protect the hydrology and wildlife in the wetland.
  
  
• Okanagan Basin Water Board Proposal - The Regional Board has unanimously supported a proposal from the Okanagan Basin Water Board to enhance its effectiveness. The improvements would add three non-voting members to the Water Board and allow it to approve its own capital and operating budgets for five years starting in 2006. The Water Board proposes collecting an additional two cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value to fund approved water conservation and quality improvement projects for local governments and water purveyors. This would raise an additional $245,000 from the Central Okanagan and the region would be eligible for almost $175,000 in grants for water program initiatives. The proposal requires the support of the valley’s three regional districts.
  
  
• Westside Parks Maintenance Contract - The Regional Board has awarded a contract for mowing and other maintenance services in a number of developed small parks in fringe areas of the Westside Electoral Area. O.H.H.C. Holdings Ltd. total bid of $69,610 plus taxes was the lowest of three qualified firms that bid on the three-year contract. This contract allows Regional District staff to maintain other larger parks and sports fields in a more efficient and cost effective manner without purchasing additional vehicles or equipment.
  
  
• Limestone/Dolomite Mine Referral - The Regional Board has conditionally supported a Land and Water BC Inc. application for a 30-year lease to permit expansion of an existing limestone/dolomite quarry off the Bald Range Creek Forest Service Road. Western Canada Limestone Ltd. operates a small-scale quarry on the site, northwest of Blue Grouse Mountain, but would like to expand to approximately 38-hectares. The Board support is contingent on all road issues being resolved if required, completion of a traffic impact assessment to determine the impact of additional heavy trucks along Westside Road submission of a drainage management plan creation of a buffer zone and submission of an adequate security deposit to ensure reclamation of the site based on plans approved by the Provincial Ministry of Energy and Mines.
  
  
• Grants-in-Aid - The Regional Board has approved the following Westside Electoral Area grants-in-aid: Westside Masters Swim Club- $400, Friends of Fintry- $200
  
  
• Proclamation - The Regional Board has proclaimed Saturday June 4th as Access Awareness Day in the Central Okanagan to encourage individuals and groups to provide equitable opportunities and an accessible community for all citizens.

Next Regional Board Meeting - The next regular meeting of the Regional Board will be Monday June 13th, 2005 at 7:00 pm in the Woodhaven Room at the Regional District office, 1450 KLO Road, Kelowna.