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Proposed Parnaby Road development is premature
Letter to the Editor
The following letter has also been sent to City of Cranbrook council.
Re: Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 4080, 2022 – Parnaby Road
Dear Mayor Pratt & Members of City Council:
The City of Cranbrook already has experience with premature developments. At the February 7 council meeting, some members of council suggested that the proposed Parnaby Road development will “jumpstart” Shadow Mountain.
Comparison was made to Wildstone’s development being rejuvenated.
Wildstone is connected to city water and sewer and is closer to city amenities. The proposed Parnaby Road development is separated from Shadow Mountain by a highway, is not close to city amenities and has no city water or sanitary sewer. Two very different scenarios.
Shadow Mountain is a twice failed leapfrog development, which has been underdeveloped for 13 years.
There is a lot of undeveloped land between the city proper and Shadow Mountain. Another isolated development would just add to residential sprawl.
Further development of this type is not supported by our population growth. In the last five years Cranbrook only grew by 2.3%, the least of the RDEK municipalities. The city’s population has only increased by 2,232 in 15 years.
The proposed Parnaby Road development is premature.
Some outstanding questions:
Are the DCC’s sufficient to cover the public cost of this development? When would another multi-million dollar fire hall be needed?
The city has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45% by 2030. How would the lack of public transport in this area contribute to meeting this target?
This area is prime habitat for several species including endangered badgers, the blue listed Lewis Woodpecker, and a large ungulate population. How will the city address these issues?
I would ask that city council not proceed with the proposed OCP amendment at this time.
Sharon Cross,
Cranbrook
