The balancing act between attracting new business and improving the infrastructure in Lake Country was centre stage at Lake Country council last week as a developer was sent back to the drawing board after a heated discussion amongst Lake County politicians.
At issue was the development of a new drive thru oil change business, proposed for the same lot as the current 7-11, along Highway 97 through Lake Country.
According to Lake Country’s bylaws, developers are tasked with paying for and installing proper infrastructure when they develop in the area, things like sidewalks, gutters and sewer. The lot in question sits at the corner of Highway 97 and Okanagan Centre Road.
With plans to add a new Great Canadian Oil Change business as well as renovate another building on the lot and open a tire store, the developer was required to build a 130 metre sidewalk along his property, fronting Okanagan Centre Road. He was before council asking if he could install just 59 metres due to the rising costs of meeting the Lake Country provisions.
“When I got into this I was a little bit naive about the requirements,” Brian Casavants, the owner of the lot, told Lake Country council. “The first thing I was told was I needed to put sewer across highway 97 and that was $110,000. (Lake Country) has form and character requirements and I had to redesign the building, approximately a $30,000 retrofit. There are retaining walls needed and the (municipality) has certain requirements. There is a lot of extra costs coming into this community. This is quickly getting out of budget.”
Casavants said relief on the length of the sidewalk being required would save him about $75,000 and allow for the new building to be constructed and the new business to open.
The request by Casavants sparked a debate at Lake Country council with the majority of councilors sticking with the staff recommendation to deny the variance request and make the developer pay for the improvements.
“I think those are fair comments but this is happening around the province when you look at construction,” said Coun. Jamie McEwan, commenting on the fact that developers pay to improve infrastructure rather than rely on individual taxpayers. “We have to have a long term vision in this regard. If we say yes to get this development now, we will have that for 50 years. If we don’t get it now, we will never have a sidewalk there.”
Coun. Penny Gambell was the lone member of council leaning towards the developer and she asked for some give and take in the rules, to help attract business to Lake Country.
“I am very sorry to see again we are going to be somewhat negative about economic investment in this community,” said Gambell. “What we will do is discourage this person from proceeding with development. If you look in other parts of the community you will see that commercial business has been leaving. I am keen to see business come to the community and I think we have to be somewhat cognizant of the economic conditions.”
In the end council denied the request for relief of the requirement to put in a full sidewalk to run the entire length of the developers lot. After the meeting Casavants said he wasn’t sure what he would do with the proposed oil change business but said it would not go ahead as planned as he would have to find more money to continue with the development.
