As most Kimberley residents are aware, there is a public hearing coming up on June 27 to deal with rezoning lands in Marysville for a potential restaurant/service station.
Council had quite a discussion while setting a date for the meeting, and Coun. Sue Cairns contacted the Bulletin after the meeting so she could more fully explain her position.
“I want to explain my interests more fully in follow up to May 29 Council Meeting. I voted against the rezoning proposal going to public hearing because I’m opposed to it advancing further through the rezoning process on the basis of the information we have now.
Given that Council is in support of it advancing I am glad to see that the public hearing will be proceeding at McKim Theatre which should be large enough to accommodate those who want to come out in person, and that there is an online option too on the following day. Public input needs to be fully heard, comprehended and considered. I’m open to hearing all sides and encourage people to reach out to the Mayor and Council to share interests and perspectives and to attend the Public Hearings.
By way of a quick update, what we know (as of May 29, 2023):
-Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure requires a traffic light, hwy widening or a possible roundabout. This will change traffic flow, sets a new retail area before Marysville; and
does not increase safety for school and daycare.
-Interior Health (IH) is “strongly” against, noting:
-large amounts of wastewater and potential contamination of an aquifer identified as being highly vulnerable to contamination from these uses. Gas stations emit toxic fumes and contaminate the site.
-IH recommends retaining current zoning to support community health.
-City of Kimberley Staff have done their due diligence as experienced professionals and can’t support a recommendation for any further readings of the bylaws.
-Business owners are telling me that this is undermining their confidence in further investing here. Businesses who provide services in our community have also expressed more generally that they are not being considered in decision-making and their investment isn’t acknowledged. An economic impact assessment should be done. This is what I am hearing.
-Residents have already indicated unequivocal opposition. Thoughtful input in well over 80 letters now from over 110 people and a petition with 424 signatures as of May 29 and increasing daily. Of this, 3 letters (2 from the same person) are in support of rezoning and the rest are opposed.
- Impacts associated with this proposal that are highly likely to detract from our community, are related to: sustainability, local entrepreneurship, pollution, air quality, wastestream, wellbeing, diverting market away from our downtowns, highway changes which aren’t in the right location to help our school crossing.
-And why would we take scarce uncontaminated industrial and rezone it for these uses, when we need these lands to build a sustainable economy so that we are not only a bedroom community?
It’s been said that our industrial park is broken. Adding restaurants, gas station and car wash will simply break it more. We need to fix this properly with servicing as industrial lands instead of compromising it. Let’s use the grant we have that’s specifically for servicing this area for industry, and then see what unfolds. Let’s retain limited usable industrial for uses that are sustainable and draw $’s into our economy rather than sending them out
Let’s not trade off what we need for the long term. This will continue to affect our community spirit and attractiveness to investment, if it’s allowed to drag on.
It’s our job as council to use zoning to shape our future in keeping with the spirit and intent of the OCP. We are accountable to community for this.
And we aren’t able to “grow” forever, so let’s choose carefully.
(for reference, please see the City Staff Reports - May 29, 2023 & Feb 13, 2023)
I support recommendation (Feb 13, 2023 Staff Report) asking for Council direction to develop policy and regulations for new drive-through and gas stations in advance of putting them through a rezoning or permitting process due to their impacts. The Feb 13 Staff Report notes that these types of applications are increasing here.
I’d also like to note that I’m open to hearing from all sides. I started in this process seeking arguments on the merits because hearing all sides is extremely important to me and because I know I have an aversion to this type of strip mall development due to community impacts and opportunity costs. The arguments didn’t consider the impacts of the development, and inferred that a city councillor’s scope should be on the tax base and not consider the connections between economy, community and environment. This doesn’t align with my values. I invite constituents to connect.
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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