Pictured is Desert Hills land

 

Mayor Hovanes has agreed to work with the Communities in Bloom committee members in finding a new location for a marker near the cenotaph. Some concern expressed that the present location was inappropriate and council has decided it should be moved to another location in the same civic garden area or across the street in Triangle Park.

Council has authorized staff to bring forward drawings for selection of a space near the Fairview Bridge for a fourth corner public park. This would be an area across from the spray park that would add to parkland in perpetuity coupled with all other parkland near the river. (Previously – the land at Centennial Park has been zoned commercial and is up for sale.)

This move by council will see a separate legal entity and zoning in the future. The immediate decision is to the size the property and get a legal survey paid for by land reserve funds.

Council will write to MP Alex Atamanenko stating the new changes adding Penticton to the federal riding could be beneficial to the local area and Oliver would support the changes.

One amendment to the Official Community Plan has been given first and second reading and heading to a public hearing sometime this fall. Desert Hills area was brought into the town in past years and now the owners want to move forward with their development on the side of the hill west of the cemetery. Council will move forward with this change, rezoning the land but all residents of the Rockcliffe area will be notified of public consultation by mail.  Desert Hills plans about 150 housing units and a commercial area once all approvals are in place.