Dear Editor:
Before rewriting our zoning bylaws why are we not discussing some of the more fundamental issues like what kind of city do we want, and how big?
Bigger does not necessarily mean better and growth does not produce a better quality of life.
We have about 500 serviced lots within city limits. When they are filled our population could be around 13,000.
Should we cap the population at 13,000?
We are surrounded by literally millions of acres of land, why in the world do we need to build high rises?
Three stories for Summerland is plenty high, seven is totally out of character, and it will be very costly for the city to provide emergency services, including fire protection, for the additional four floors.
Summerland is a bedroom community surrounded by farms. That is not likely to change for a long time.
Penticton is the industrial center in this part of the Okanagan, and as the number and size of box stores continue to increase, so will the attraction for shoppers to go there.
Those box stores will continue to suck the life blood out of the Summerland retail stores, and nothing will stop that.
Instead of trying to change Summerland into something it is not, why not accept what it is and then try and preserve that.
Summerland is today the most desirable city in the Okanagan to live in. Why are we so determined to destroy that?
Only developers and realtors benefit from higher densities, everybody else loses, so why would we offer bonuses to increase densities?
Why are we in such a rush to rewrite our zoning by-laws?
Would it make sense to table those proposals till after the fall election?
Andy Thomsen
Summerland