Traffic Concerns

Some Penticton residents are concerned about the effects a rezoning amendment and development permit will have on parking and traffic in their area.

At Monday evening's City Council meeting, residents from Wilson to Yorkton Avenues brought their concerns over the parking space increase to council.

The developer of a proposed five star resort on Yorkton Avenue wants to change the city's parking bylaw to increase the amount of spaces available to each unit in the new building.

Jean Granger of Yorkton and Wilson Avenues says she had a hard time understanding the 27-page public notice document that the city sent out to residents.

“This document uses a lot of technical terms, it seems to have been made to intimidate and confuse residents. I spoke with several residents after the document was received and was met with a 'we don't understand this' attitude,” says Granger.

Mayor Jack Kimberley responded to this by saying the city has a legal obligation to provide all the information to residents who would be affected by the rezoning.

Susan MacKay of Wilson Street says she is concerned about safety because the area has several blind corners.

“I've seen numerous people almost get hit because of these corners and with all the new traffic this would bring to the area, I really believe this is an accident waiting to happen,” says Mackay.

Councillor Dan Ashton says that this kind of change is inevitable.

“Densification is a word we are going to have to get used to, traffic comes with densification. A development like this is long over due, we need those better hotel rooms to take over for ones that have become a little more run-down. Penticton years ago made a decision to go the route of conventions and stay as a tourism city and with that comes some peak pressure times,” says Ashton.

Kimberley says the project is an example of creative density.

“It will be a benefit to that part of the community and is quality construction as I see it. I'm going to endorse it because I see it as a quality project, a great use of that property and I see it as the only way we can address population and growth in this community,” says Kimberley.

The application was approved unanimously by council.