Photo: Lark Group

The Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. remains opposed to the controversial Banks Crescent housing development in Summerland, while the developer said there is new information that supports it.

Kyle Girgan, manager of the Summerland Trout Hatchery, reasserted the hatchery's stance to Summerland council in response to a third-party study done by Golder Associates on the Lark Group's aquifer protection plan.

Lark agreed to adhere to recommendations made by Golder, as outlined in a letter to Summerland council, but the hatchery still believes key protection measures are lacking.

Girgan said there were no "contingencies" outlined in the study about how Lark would respond if Shaughnessy Springs — the trout hatchery's water source — were negatively impacted. 

"The society’s review... confirmed that the aquifer protection strategy does not address the society’s long-held and consistently stated concerns and requirements related to Shaughnessy Spring water quality," Girgan wrote in his letter.

Council in Summerland will receive the hatchery's letter during Monday's council meeting, as well as a pair of letters from Lark project manager Malek Tawashy which indicate support.

In a petition against the development that garnered 2,690 signatures, Tawashy claimed that only 1,724 were valid.

Tawashy also stated that staff went door-to-door to answer questions from those who signed the petition, and said only 99 out 284 signees they spoke to "remained opposed" to the project. By extrapolation, he claimed only 603 residents are really opposed to the development.

In a separate petition done by Lark between July and November of 2017, Tawashy said 1,526 people were in favour of their project compared to only 163 who were opposed.

During Monday's meeting, council will also hear the final report Lark has tailored on the 415-unit development, which will include apartment and townhouse housing and a group home with assisted living. 

District staff have also laid out rules of the public hearing in a report — schedule for Feb. 5 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. — which show speakers will be allowed to speak once and will be limited to five minutes. 

The 285-seat Arena Banquet Room will be on a first-come, first-serve basis during the first session, and seating priority afterwards will be for those who have not yet spoken.

Staff also said in the report that expressions of emotion, inappropriate language and criticism will not be tolerated — noting, in all capital letters, "this will be strictly enforced."