A:
Council should manage growth in a common sense prudent manner, recognizing that the tax base does need to grow to accommodate the costs of improving the district (sidewalks, sewer etc.) but also growth and development must be sensitive as much as possible to the neighbourhood where they are constructed. Form, character, and density are important as well as setbacks. Balanced growth is the way to go.
In your view, what is council’s responsibility in helping to provide affordable housing for Peachland residents?
B:
I think council bears a significant responsibility to help provide affordable housing, there has never been a greater need for affordable housing and rental units. Our housing costs are out of whack for a good portion of the population, who struggle to make ends meet while working more modest jobs. Those jobs and workers are just as important to a healthy economy.
The district can work with a developer on a designated affordable housing project. Waiving DCCs on that particular project to incentivize lower-cost units.
Council can also recommend working with the province and federal government for grant funding for an affordable housing project and doing their part by donating a piece of land for the project. Finally, streamlining bylaws to make secondary suites and carriage homes easier to provide on large lot single family residential is worthy of discussion.
What steps do you think council could take to improve traffic flows on Highway 97 and road infrastructure in Peachland?
C:
We need to press the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) for lights at the bottom of Trepanier Bench Road for safety reasons. Those residents have a tough time turning left onto Highway 97. Right now it could be beneficial to coordinate the traffic lights better for more efficient traffic flow during peak hours. Two of the lights are triggered by vehicles waiting to access Highway 97, which should only be motion activated during non-peak hours. We also need to plan for a future bypass, although being 20 years away or more, will eventually be needed. Coordinating with the cities of West Kelowna and Kelowna for the route to tie into a second crossing to Kelowna is prudent. A unified approach holds more weight with the province.
Who is your favourite Okanagan celebrity and why?
D:
Ryan Reynolds. He’s a cool, funny guy. I heard he bought a house here. Shhhhhh!