Elimination of public hearings drawing very little pushback

Kelowna residents don’t seem bothered by the elimination of public hearings for new residential projects that conform to the city’s official community plan.

Only three pieces of correspondence have been received in response to comprehensive changes being made by the city, at the direction of the provincial government, to the way in which many new developments are approved.

The government says the elimination of public hearings will fast-track the construction of new housing but local councillors have expressed indignation over the changes, particularly the elimination of public hearings that gave community members the opportunity to express concerns about new developments in their neighborhood.

“This is a matter of principle for me. This is a loss of the public’s voice at the table, and it’s simply wrong,” West Kelowna Coun. Rick de Jong said when that municipal council considered same issue late last month.

Kelowna Coun. Charlie Hodge has been equally vehement in his opposition to depriving the public of the ability to address council on new developments. “This legislation, in my mind, smashes one of the toes on our feet. . . I feel very hindered by this and I take exception to it as a councillor,” he said in early January.

Other councillors in both cities have expressed similar reservations but nevertheless voted in favour of making the necessary procedural changes because to do otherwise, they said, would simply result in the province appointing an administrator to do the paperwork at the municipal level.

At Monday’s meeting, Kelowna councillors will continue making the necessary changes to procedures and regulations to comply with the provincial directive. The information on the scant public response to the changes is contained in a report to council. the