Summerland farm land development proposal

[rustled]

Should public policy be determined by the people who are the most passionate, or by the people who are best informed?

IMO, everyone learns more when people sit quietly and actually listen to those with a different viewpoint than their own. A calm meeting helps those with the less popular opinion feel they can speak up, too.

[old boy]

Posted by Twobits
"The emotion needs to be removed from this debate. I am not saying that this land should be earmarked for future development, that is for Summerlander's to decide, but remember growth is going to happen and it should be logical rather than willy nilly. Also remember that even where the high school now stands was once a farm. If one could roll back the clock would this site also be rejected for the school based only on it being farmland?"

I agree with the above quote by Twobits,as well as the most recents posts of Fluffy and rustied!!
Most of Summerland was farmland in one way or another going way back, and it was a good thing that there was some fore thought given to establishing a community on some of those lands, as none of us, or very few, would be here today. So now we have a Council trying to look to the future and actually making some sustainable plans for growth, instead of continuing down the "willy nilly" way of the past, mainly because of trying to work its way around the ALR.The "willy nilly" way is not only expensive in terms of its initial development, but is very uneconomical for all of us in terms of servicing over the years.

[Captain77]

I wonder how many Summerlanders will have the courage to attend the March 3rd meeting and speak in support the growth proposal.
Densification of the downtown core, reduction of carbon footprint, planning for future growth that takes advantage of existing infrastructure - it makes sense to me, but I hear a lot more noise coming from the save the ALR camp.

[old boy]

The is coming from the ALR at all costs, supporters, no growth people, same people younger faces, that don't see it the way you(Captain 77) and the silent majority do!!! Summerland has always had this element in it, this is no different than the loud protests a few years back over the Summerland Hills Golf Resort Project.One of the arguments back then,was that the project was going to be built on good agricultural land,now they claim it is marginal land and not worthy of trading it into the ALR, for land which is close to the core of downtown.

[Anonymous123]

The is coming from the ALR at all costs, supporters, no growth people, same people younger faces, that don't see it the way you(Captain 77) and the silent majority do!!! Summerland has always had this element in it, this is no different than the loud protests a few years back over the Summerland Hills Golf Resort Project.One of the arguments back then,was that the project was going to be built on good agricultural land,now they claim it is marginal land and not worthy of trading it into the ALR, for land which is close to the core of downtown.

So why did the Summerland Golf Resort project not go through ?

[old boy]

The Golf Resort project didnt go ahead for a number of reasons,not the least ofwhich was the downturn in the world economy.

[pentona]

The Golf Resort project didnt go ahead for a number of reasons,not the least ofwhich was the downturn in the world economy.

I thought that it was because of a possible shortage of water in the area; might be incorrect on that but thought that was the main reason.

[Anonymous123]

The Golf Resort project didnt go ahead for a number of reasons,not the least ofwhich was the downturn in the world economy.

And the other reasons?

[old boy]

A couple of other reasons the project didn't happen were, the details of the high costs of servicing the lands,from the city, were never finalized, there was crown land involved and there was no agreement brought fwd with this thru the province, as they couldn't reach an agreement with the PIB .These issues could have been dealt with over a longer run, but as the world economy slowed,they just run out of time and enthusiasm to do the project.
Water was never an issue,as much as that was used as reason not to do the project from the no growth crowd.

[twobits]

I wonder how many Summerlanders will have the courage to attend the March 3rd meeting and speak in support the growth proposal.
Densification of the downtown core, reduction of carbon footprint, planning for future growth that takes advantage of existing infrastructure - it makes sense to me, but I hear a lot more noise coming from the save the ALR camp.

Speak in support.....nope, rarely happens. Peoples tendencies are to get vocal only when opposed to something. Using that rational the owners of said farm land should fence it off and raise a Cpl thousand chickens or a Cpl hundred hogs. The opposition would rise up from a mile on all sides demanding the property be removed from the ALR because of the proximity to the downtown core.

[old boy]

Most people think of the ALR as fruit trees, nice green landscape, but the uses of agricultural land is for a myriad of uses, including the uses as mentioned by twobits, which as he said would send off quite a protest in the neighbourhoods.If these people really want to feed the world,why fruit trees and not market gardens?
It's all about no growth,masked by save the ALR at all costs.

[fluffy]

Removal from the ALR does not mean that agricultural use of the land is prohibited. It merely means that the land owners would be free to decide how to use their land without interference from those with no vested interest.

[Rosie Lee]

It amazes me how the 'Growers' who contribute so little to the Municipal purse manage to convince so many people to support them in their no growth ideas, when common sense says otherwise! It seems like mass hysteria based on a misguided belief that Summerland can survive with continued lack of growth. We need to hear from the silent majority at the Public hearing.
Come on guys, seeing the Mayor crumble to intimidation at the Council table proves her need to take charge at the Public Hearing to make sure that Council gets to hear ALL those who want and should be heard and no one is intimidated into silence. It is called Democracy!

[old boy]

Removal from the ALR does not mean that agricultural use of the land is prohibited. It merely means that the land owners would be free to decide how to use their land without interference from those with no vested interest.

Absolutely right!! This growth certainly isn't going to happen overnite and I suspect that the landowners will keep doing what they are doing for quite sometime to come,whether it be farming or otherwise. So it isn't like this ALR land is all going to be paved over or built on overnite,I suspect it will be a very slow process???

[old boy]

It amazes me how the 'Growers' who contribute so little to the Municipal purse manage to convince so many people to support them in their no growth ideas, when common sense says otherwise! It seems like mass hysteria based on a misguided belief that Summerland can survive with continued lack of growth. We need to hear from the silent majority at the Public hearing.
Come on guys, seeing the Mayor crumble to intimidation at the Council table proves her need to take charge at the Public Hearing to make sure that Council gets to hear ALL those who want and should be heard and no one is intimidated into silence. It is called Democracy!

The problem is, that commonsense doesn't prevail amongst this pressure group of no growth people. It is always very hard to get the silent majority out to speak on any issue. I am sure most feel they have elected council to do the best thing for all of the community, not just a small pressure group.