The Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association has submitted the following letter to the City of West Kelowna with regards to File Number Z 20-04 “Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 100.61 and Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 154.94”.
May 21, 2021
Attention: City Clerk
via Email (submissions@westkelownacity.ca)Re: FILE NUMBER Z 20-04 (Notice of Public Hearing to be held on May 25, 2021) Goats Peak development
To Whom This May Concern,Please accept this submission for the above noted public hearing regarding the present and urgent concerns of the Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association (GBGPCA) regarding the proposed Goats Peak Development Proposal.
Background
At the Council Meeting of December 8, 2020, Council gave first and second reading to a development proposal and directed the staff to schedule the matter for public hearing (Item 8.2.1 of Council Minutes). The addendum to Council Minutes (at page 27) contains the Council Report with disclosure of the proposal for this development.
The first phase of Goat’s Peak Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) proposes “to amend the official community plan land use designations and concurrently rezone the subject properties.” The plan (and this is the first phase of future proposed development at Goats Peak) is to create approximately 60 family residential lots and 82 single family or duplex lots and, 42 townhouse units in the Goats Peak/Gellatly Bay Area.
Membership Concern #1 Trail Preservation
The proposed development area encompasses portions of historic trails, now in use by the community and formally mapped out and accepted as such originally by the City of West Kelowna and then by the Regional District. This mapping was completed by the Gellatly Bay Trails and Park Society, volunteers who with community partnerships and government assistance have dedicated consideration time and labour to the mapping, maintenance, and preservation of these trails.
The GBGPCA members have indicated a strong interest in the preservation of these trails during the Goats Peak Development. The CDP addended to the minutes of the December 8 Council Meeting indicates at page 33, under the title “Trails and Connectivity”, “a change to the previously identified trail plan.” It states the revisions are minor and that the updated plan “provides a clear indication for the expectation that the developer provides a variety of connectivity options for existing and future residents.” The CDP goes onto say that “While the plan will likely be refined during subsequent development, it is important to highlight that the applicant shares the recognition that these trails are a key amenity to existing and future residents. These works will be secured through a covenant and statutory right of way that ensure the works or a portion of the works occur with subsequent phases of subdivision.”
While the intention to preserve the current trails with only minor revisions is admirable and applauded by the GBGPCA there is concern as to a lack of detail on the issues of what the minor revisions will be, how this undertaking from the applicant will be legally secured and assurance that future refinement(s) of the plan will not further impact these trails.
Concern #2 Storm Water
The only information contained in the OCP with regard to servicing of stormwater is contained at page 33 of the proposal. It proposes a “temporary detention pond on a flat bench in Block D with an overland overflow ditch to Gellatly Road. These off-site works may include improvements to Gellatly Road (ditching, erosion, control, curbing, and a piped system) downstream of the proposed development. These works will be secured through a “covenant” as part of the rezoning”.
The GBGPCA is genuinely concerned about the enormity of the potential problems without a proper water drainage and storm waters systems being put into place prior (or at least concurrent) to the development proceeding. The development overlooks Canyon Ridge Strata and the new Kerr Properties directly in front of Canyon Ridge. The existence of a “pond” without proper consideration of the issue of drainage and overflow could have catastrophic consequences to surrounding properties, only a few of which have been mentioned.
Submission Request
The Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association requests proper and due consideration and response to these urgent issues from the developer and the City of West Kelowna prior to proceeding further with this development.
We thank you in advance for your attention to this matter and look forward to sharing the City’s response with our 160+ GBGPCA members – all of whom live in close proximity to this development.
Sincerely,
The Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association
gellatlybaycommunity@gmail.com www.gellatlybaycommunity.com
Please see the City of West Kelowna’s website for further details on this upcoming public hearing including instructions on how to submit make a submission on page 3 of this document. Please note the submission deadline is 5/21/2021 at 4pm.
Gellatly Bay Goats Peak Community Association 