To the editor:
Please vote no to the proposed rezoning of the Barnes Avenue field.
What legitimate reason does the city have to change the Official Community Plan—which was paid for, developed and implemented with the long range goals of the community in mind—when it will obviously negatively impact the lifestyle and community environment of the surrounding residents?
What ethical reason does the city have for withholding purchase and traffic reports from the residents who oppose the rezoning so we are not able to review the data or challenge the findings?
How can a traffic survey undertaken in the summer when school is not in session, provide an accurate representation of traffic volume and patterns?
If this proposed amendment passes, it simply negates the purpose of the OCP in the first place. This means that any developer can purchase a piece of property and then pursue rezoning. If one is allowed to do this, then all could justifiably be allowed.
And, if the city changes the zoning when there isn’t a sound reason to do so, why shouldn’t everyone be able to get rezoning?
The result would be that developers would probably cease entirely to consult the OCP before making a purchase because it no longer has any value.
This process would simply waste a lot of extra time and cost the city a lot of money.
I simply do not think this method of operation, resulting costs to the taxpayers and deviation willy nilly from the OCP is a responsible avenue to take.
Please take note of the strong objections of the residents who live in the surrounding area. We want to keep our neighborhood the way the city promised it would be.
Colleen Dickson,
Kelowna
