The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors August 5 shot down, by the slimmest of margins, a proposed 55 lot subdivision for a rural property northeast of Fernie.

After hearing another impassioned plea from City of Fernie Mayor Cindy Corrigan, to not support Bylaw No. 2307 – Elk Valley Zoning Bylaw Amendment (Dicken / 0516595 BC Ltd.), and an urging to support it from Electoral Area A director Mike Sosnowski, regional board members voted eight to seven against the third reading of the bylaw.

“I stand on the public hearing and the overwhelming support,” for the proposal said Sosnowski. “I think it will be a great development.”

Corrigan said she was representing the city, which is on record opposing the proposal. However, she also told the board that voting in support of the proposal would be a vote against the region’s own growth strategy “which very clearly states” that development should be directed into established areas.

“This was not done in isolation,” Corrigan said of the regional growth strategy. “They are documents we use to make our decisions.”

The proposed development would not fit in with Smart Growth B.C. principles, Corrigan continued, adding a B.C. Sprawl Report also discourages the establishment of urban subdivisions in rural settings outside municipalities.

Smart Growth America “says the same kinds of things,” Corrigan said.

Fernie isn’t opposed to development, “we are opposed to urban sprawl,” she added. “This development doesn’t fit with any of our land use policies.”

Corrigan also refuted claims by developer Martin Vale that the project will be about affordable housing.

Noting she’d done some research and math, she pointed out that a buyer(s) would have to earn $85,000 per year to qualify for a $301,000 mortgage and they’d be paying about $2,266 a month for that mortgage.

“I wouldn’t want to have to pay that,” she said.

She also said she doubted the ability of the developer to be able to build houses at the project for $100 to $120 a square foot, when building prices in the City of Fernie range from $175 to $200 a square foot.

District of Invermere Mayor and board member Gerry Taft said his town has faced similar situations with proposed affordable housing projects.

“There are no guarantees. Sometimes the first couple (of homes built) are affordable. I would err on the side of caution” with no guarantees of affordability, he suggested.

“I have a feeling, if this proceeds, that they’ll (buyers) be disappointed” at the eventual cost of housing at the project, Taft said, adding he wouldn’t be surprised to see $500,000 homes end up on some lots.

Canal Flats councilor and board director Ute Juras warned board members to consider the fact “it looks like the U.S. is going back into recession,” which could impact housing markets again.

And City of Kimberley Mayor and board member Jim Ogilvie said he supported Corrigan and Fernie.

“This is nothing short of an urban subdivision in a rural area,” he said.

Prior to urging directors to vote against the proposal, Corrigan stated that should the board vote in favour, it best consider having a discussion about its growth strategy as a result, to officially show the board support going to “urban sprawl.”

Sosnowski disagreed with Corrigan on the construction pricing, noting how his son had just purchased a trailer at $87.40 a square foot.

He urged the board to consider the “overwhelming” public support for the project, with regional staff compiling 177 letters of support and three of opposition. He also noted that 124 letters of support came from Fernie proper.

Letters attached to the RDEK board package showed a diverse range of people stating their support, from the usual builder/realtor types to a wide range of citizens, professionals and others, including the family for whom Kmiecik Road, which runs off Dicken Road, is so named.

The proposed development, known as the Baldrey Creek Development, was for a 56.5 acre property at 1002 Kmiecik Road.

Voting against the bylaw were: Corrigan, Ogilvie, Juras, Electoral Area G director Gerry Wilkie, District of Elkford Mayor Dean McKerracher, District of Sparwood councilor Gayle Travis, Electoral Area C director and board vice chair Rob Gay and Electoral Area E director Jane Walter.

Voting to pass the third reading of the bylaw were: Sosnowski, Taft, City of Cranbrook Mayor and board chair Scott Manjak, Village of Radium Hot Springs Mayor Dee Conklin, Electoral Area B director Heath Slee, Electoral Area F director Wendy Booth and City of Cranbrook councilor and board director Liz Schatschneider.

“It doesn’t feel like any of us are winners in this. There are going to be some hurt people,” Corrigan said after the meeting. She also noted that she’d like the board and region to take a “renewed” look at creating a proper document looking at lands around the Elk Valley’s three municipalities.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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