Project not approved, but planning going on – why?

Summerland resident Sandy Paulson asked Mayor Peter Waterman and councillors the question that has been on the minds of many concerned about the proposed Banks Crescent development.

“Why are we continuing to deal with other pieces of information and explorations before addressing the fundamental issue of the Summerland fish hatchery?” Paulson asked during the public comment period at Monday’s meeting.

She was referring to council’s commitment beginning early this year that the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. which operates Summerland Trout Hatchery must approve the proposed project before moving forward.

In recognition of the importance of the hatchery, council passed a resolution on Jan. 23, that issues regarding the hatchery be resolved before addressing the many other outstanding questions.

Regardless, extensive work was started shortly thereafter and has continued on issues such as roads, sewer and hydro.

“These other issues need to be investigated,” Waterman replied to Paulson.

Paulson also mentioned the mayor and council’s apparent support of the hatchery following a presentation earlier in the meeting by hatchery manager Kyle Girgan and FFSBC’s vice president of operations Tim Yesaki.

In the presentation, Girgan stated categorically that the FFSBC continues to be unable to support the project.

“Why aren’t we addressing this one pivotal piece first?” she asked.

Paulson also said that the long process of information gathering is serving to polarize the community.

“The mayor spoke about this (polarization and related harsh comments) in his report. Yet, he is responsible for much of it,” Paulson said following the meeting.

She also spoke about the substantial cost both in terms of money and time of the various ancillary investigations and reports.

The fundamental question of the fish hatchery may prove to be key to council deciding if and when a public hearing is held.

In his report to council, director of development services Dean Strachan wrote that “staff are in contact with the school district in regards to using the school gym for the public hearing, a tentative date of Oct. 26 has been requested based on the current projected infrastructure completion and reporting to Council on Oct. 10, 2017.”

“Does that date include the work required to satisfy the hatchery?” Coun. Toni Boot asked.

Strachan’s report focuses on the engineering aspects of the project and does not include consideration of the hatchery, chief administrative officer Linda Tynan told council.

“The public hearing could be held after Oct. 26. We didn’t know we’d have to keep pushing Lark (developers of proposed project) for information,” Tynan said.