Letter to the Editor

According to some Cranbrook residents and most of those in the affected area, the decision by city council on March 14, to give third reading to the Parnaby Road, Lot 5 zoning and OCP amendment, was unpopular.

Those folks, including myself, should have known better than attempting to stymie the city council from encouraging rural high density “cluster-type” property development.  This move by the council reminds one of a determined previous council a decade ago to push through the development of the ‘Mansions on the east hill’ project. That one was barely defeated by the negative Nellies.

To compensate for that failure this council should be congratulated for passing and popularizing this amendment, in spite of the pervading opposition, to promote the “high density cluster” housing concept, and modifying the OCP to allow termination of quiet neighbourhoods popular with residents in that area.

If these developments occur, they will encourage more road building emanating from Cranbrook centre to the high density “clusters” so that eventually Cranbrook will truly be a “hub” city with eight to 10 km roads fanning out like spokes on a wheel. This housing pattern will increase traffic, allowing air pollution to be more concentrated in rural areas away from the city centre, once residents are squeezed in.

The increasing road traffic and noise between the city’s hub and the clusters though the remaining forest will also reduce the obnoxious presence of ever encroaching wildlife and burrowing varmints.

Further, according to council’s comments, Cranbrook residents need not concern themselves about increased taxes as water, sewer and fire protection will be totally paid for by the developers’ (whoever they are) deep pockets.

The revised Cranbrook and cluster OCP plan will encourage the now ubiquitous and popular urban sprawl and put Cranbrook on the map because: what is open land for, but to develop and occupy it to fulfil our manifest destiny?

Another stated advantage of this “develop clusters and they will come” philosophy is that it will boost and “finish off” the beleaguered Shadow Mountain development.  I cannot understand why that development has stalled after many attempts as it was also conceived within the “semi cluster” model” outside of the city’s amenities.

In summary, I encourage the city council to sit firm on this decision and not be detracted by attempts by those objecting to this inspired model for Cranbrook areas future development.

Jack Loeppky,

Cranbrook

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