B.C.’s Ombudsperson investigates Penticton city hall

The property adjacent to the Cherry Lane Towers in Penticton will soon be home to a pair of six-storey rental apartment buildings and neighbours aren’t thrilled.

“Basically because of the traffic,” Ron Kulyk said.

With nearly 120 new units, he is also worried about parking, public safety with a school nearby and property values.

Those concerns are shared by some homeowners who live in the Cherry Lane Towers, many of them seniors.

But what’s caught the attention of B.C.’s civic affairs watchdog is the process used to permit the development at 175 Kinney Avenue.

Bob Sumner filed a complaint with BC’s Ombudsperson who is now investigating.

Last July city council adopted changes to now permit six-storey medium-density residential properties.

That’s up from the previous limit of four storeys and the buildings will have more units.

At the time city staff said it was at the request of developers to reflect changes to the BC Building Code.

The move paved the way for the development in question– and concerned residents claim they were left in the dark.

“The notice that was put in the paper was not adequate. It didn’t identify the property as Kinney Avenue,” Sumner said.

The public didn’t get a chance to weigh in on the development proposal until November of last year, four months later.

Sumner said nearby residents support a scaled-down version.

“We’re not objecting to any development, just not this particular one here,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We're not objecting to any development, just not this particular one here," he said.

Lance Johnston is the son-in-law of the property owner who sold the land to the developer last year.

He said the public was properly notified.

“I can appreciate that people who have lived next door have their concerns but Broadstreet and Seymour Pacific have done a very good job going through the proper steps. This process has taken almost one year, nine to ten months to complete,” he told Global News.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I can appreciate that people who have lived next door have their concerns but Broadstreet and Seymour Pacific have done a very good job going through the proper steps. This process has taken almost one year, nine to ten months to complete," he told Global News.

Johnston said the city chose the area for higher density development given its proximity to the Cherry Lane Shopping Centre and other amenities.

“There has been a lot of people in support. You can imagine Cherry Lane is very much in support, the business community is in support, people looking for residences to live in this community have had a hard time finding quality apartment properties.”

Penticton City Manager Peter Weeber declined an on-camera interview but said in a statement to Global News:

“Notification for OCP and Zoning Amendment applications are completed in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act and Penticton’s Development Procedures and Delegation Bylaw. The City is working with the ombudsperson on this matter and we will await their response once we have had an opportunity to respond.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Notification for OCP and Zoning Amendment applications are completed in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act and Penticton's Development Procedures and Delegation Bylaw. The City is working with the ombudsperson on this matter and we will await their response once we have had an opportunity to respond."

The Office of the Ombudsperson declined to comment.