City expansion finalized

Photo: City of Penticton

The City of Penticton has completed the process to expand its southeast boundaries near Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park by about 300 acres.

A report going before council Tuesday indicates the city’s new boundaries have now been formally accepted by the provincial government. The move was at the request of a developer who plans on building about 180 homes in the area. With the annexation, the developer has agreed to donate about 150 acres of the property to BC Parks, to be amalgamated into Skaha Bluffs.

According to Tuesday's staff report, the development will generate about $27M in municipal tax revenue over 60 years. The costs of maintaining the infrastructure and servicing the development over the same time would be just $17M.

Just 382 residents spoke out against the annexation, well short of the 2,681 (10 per cent of electors) needed to defeat the plan under the alternate approval process conducted last year.

The owners of the land are reportedly “keen” to proceed with its development and will be before council later this summer with draft plans and rezoning proposals.