Details surrounding the Banks Crescent development proposal have changed, according to the latest development highlights from the developer.
The plan now calls for 424 units, an increase from the 380 units discussed earlier.
Yvonne Chiang, public relations consultant for the project, said the Lark Group has purchased an additional neighbouring property, which allows for the additional units.
Chiang added that the traffic study conducted earlier also accounts for up to 424 units.
The $125 million project is described by the developers as a world class design to allow aging in place.
The facility is three to four minutes by car from downtown Summerland, and a private bus will be available for residents to travel to town and other popular destinations.
The change in numbers is the second time this month that the number of units in the proposed development has increased.
In the past two weeks, a development highlights document called for 404 units for the iCasa Resort Living proposal.
The short document, with one page of text and an artist’s rendering of the completed facility, represented a change from the proposal iCasa Resort Living has presented since November.
Dean Strachan, director of development services for the municipality, said the concept details are still changing. This often happens with large-scale developments, he told council on Monday evening.
“They’re refining their development prior to rezoning being granted,” he said. “Once that rezoning is completed, it can no longer be changed.”
Gary Tamblyn, chief executive officer and owner of New Essence Healthcare Management, the company behind the proposal, said the additional units do not represent a significant change to the proposed development.
“It’s still a concept that has yet to be finalized,” he said. “The numbers will fluctuate.”
He added that the changes come because of rearrangements within the buildings.
To keep the prices competitive, the sizes of the units have been adjusted, Tamblyn said. But the size of the buildings and the total capacity of the development remain unchanged.
“We’re not talking about adding more people,” Tamblyn said.
However, opponents of the proposed development are concerned with the changes in the latest information.
Diana Smith, one of the members of Summerlanders for Sensible Development, referred to the latest information package as “new propaganda.”
She said the flyer claims the development will generate an estimated $400,000 in revenue for the municipality, but statistics from the municipality place that number at $200,000.
She also wonders how members of council will be able to make a wise decision on the proposal with the new information.
“It’s like shifting sand,” she said. “Does council really understand what they are voting for if it keeps changing?”
While the details have changed, proponents of the development continue to state that the project, if approved, would generate between 200 and 300 local construction job and 75 to 100 permanent jobs, providing up to $5 million a year in salaries.
A public hearing is still required on the development proposal, but before this hearing can occur, the municipality is awaiting additional reports and studies.
A resolution to direct staff to present options for a public hearing date was carried, with Coun. Toni Boot and Coun. Doug Holmes opposed.
The public hearing would be necessary in order for council to approve the bylaws necessary for the proposal, but Holmes said the motion on a public hearing was “presumptuous.” He said council could opt to rescind second reading of the bylaw once the additional reports are received, thus eliminating the need for the hearing.