To the editor:
West Kelowna is proposing to substantially reduce development cost charges for developers willing to build in downtown Westbank.
Council says Westbank Centre already has significant urban infrastructure so DCCs are not as greatly required. This infrastructure, such as the expensive Brown Road work, cost millions of dollars. Developers should pay full DCCs to reimburse taxpayers.
Council says this development would create a more sustainable community reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Actually, more cars would produce more air polution. Also, there would be more highway congestion resulting in slower moving traffic and a lot more air polution {smog}. This affects people throughout the valley.
More people mean more sewage polution going into the lake and more sewage sludge being trucked to Merritt where the residents don’t want it.
There is already too much development in the West Kelowna area with many vacant buildings. Developers say more construction is not viable without a subsidy.
West Kelowna council should not be reducing DCCs or giving tax holidays to developers to promote its pet projects. When some people get special tax concessions everyone else has to pay more.
Clyde Jones, Kelowna
