The owner of two large mountain side lots east of Twin Lakes Golf course had their hopes dashed for a quick approval of a development variance permit that would limit their use of water but speed the process of getting something built.

The Twin Lakes Golf Course Resort, the applicant, wants to build up to 208 homes and promised to minimize outdoor water and limit indoor use – all in an effort to calm the fears of neighbours who showed up today at a Regional District board meeting today in Penticton.

The story is complicated but early assessment of the amount of water available for the future is not well known. There have been several engineering reports but each one seems to indicate that more time and information is needed to determine the median between dry years and wet years – on a long term basis.

The owners says they have limited the use of water on the golf course and want the RDOS to run a community water system with meters.

Directors opted to defer any decision until completion of a report from Golder and Associates (Engineers) on the size of the aquifer and its capacity to fuel more development.