Rick Ingram
6536 Bulyea Ave.

General

The 2018 draft OCP represents a significant effort by Peachland’s Planning staff, and it is long overdue. Future thorough reviews, with public information sessions collecting input and to review proposed changes, should happen on no more than 5 year intervals. This will ensure that each new Council has an appropriate shared vision with the citizenry.

Small Town Feel and Character

The “small town feel and character” of Beach Ave. in the Downtown Character Area is widely recognized as one of the primary draws for both new residents and tourists to Peachland. It is also expressed as one of the most important features of the town by its existing residents as seen by some of these quotations from the “Community Input Summary: Visioning” document:

• “Most are content with the small town feel but recognize the need to grow in a sustainable manner.”
• “The downtown character and availability of unique shops and restaurants were also identified as things that make Peachland a great place to live, work and play.”
• “Other popular themes included:”…”Small town feel and friendly people”
• “Issues of high importance to Peachland citizens”…”Ensuring new development fits with the form and character of Peachland”

The population projections show that Peachland could grow from 5,428 inhabitants in 2016 to somewhere between 6,663 and 11,011 in 2036. By any measure, Peachland will continue to be a small town for a very long time and we should ensure to capitalize on this important feature in our development strategy.

While this critical feature does get mentioned in several places in the narrative of the draft OCP (in section 2.3.1, Community Context -> Neighbourhoods & Character Areas -> Beach Avenue Neighbourhood, it appears under Values, “Downtown: Village Character”; and it is part of Objective .1 in section 3.2 Growth Management -> Managing Growth & Risk, “Peachland retains its small town character”) it does not make it into many of the objectives, policies and guidelines of the Community Context or Form & Character Development Permit Areas sections.

Further, in the many images of the draft OCP (each of which was carefully selected to support a specific document point) the only ones which display “small town feel and character” are those of Peachland today; all the other images show 4 – 6 storey buildings (or taller) that while they illustrate their points, they do not contribute to the critical “small town feel”.

The draft OCP should be modified to ensure that:

• “small town feel” makes it into many of the objectives, policies and guidelines
• any current objectives, policies and guidelines that are counter to this concept are corrected
• images portraying development that is respectful of a “small town feel” are added

Suggested changes:

• pg 22, section 2.3.1 Beach Avenue Neighbourhood -> Neighbourhood-specific Policies -> 1^st bullet
  “Encourage taller buildings and landmark structures” should be changed to “Encourage landmark structures” and “Downtown” should be changed to “Downtown (while ensuring the small town feel of Beach Ave is maintained)”
• pg 23, section 2.3.1 Beach Avenue Neighbourhood–Gateway -> Neighbourhood-specific Policies -> 1^st bullet
  “Introduce additional height to create” should be changed to “Create”, height is not the only way to create a landmark structure.
• pg 24, section 2.3.1 Beach Avenue Neighbourhood–Resort -> Neighbourhood-specific Policies -> 1^st bullet
  “Encourage taller buildings and landmark structures” should be changed to “Encourage landmark structures”, height is not the only way to create a landmark structure.
• pg 25, section 2.3.1 Beach Avenue Neighbourhood->Objectives .3->Policies .2
  Delete the 2^nd sentence, height is not the only way to create a landmark structure.
• pg 25, section 2.3.1 Beach Avenue Neighbourhood->Objectives
  Add a new .1 Objective (renumbering the others) “Retain Peachland’s small town feel” and add appropriate Policies.
• pg 34, section 2.3.4 Downtown Neighbourhood->Neighbourhood-specific Policies->1^st bullet
  Change “Allow taller buildings” to “Allow taller buildings closer to Hwy 97”. Add “, while ensuring the small town character of Beach Avenue is maintained”
• pg 36, section 2.3.4 Downtown->Objectives .1->Policies .1
  Add “, building heights should slope to match the hillside from maximums close to Hwy 97 down to minimums by Beach Avenue.”
• pg 83, section 5.2 Objectives & Policies of Council->Economic Development->Policies .1
  Add “, particularly building on the small town feel of Beach Avenue in the Downtown Character Area”
• pg 171, section 6.5.1 .1 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Respect Local Context->Guidelines
  Add #12, “Buildings on Beach Avenue in the Downtown Character Area should reflect and enhance the small town feel of Peachland.” Include the attached image of Fort Langley as an example of a town that has achieved economic development while celebrating its small town historic character.
• pg 186, section 6.5.1 .16 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Optimize Amenity->Best Practices->2^nd sentence
  Change “and the views” to “, the small town character of Beach Avenue and the views”

The important realization needs to be that not only is economic development possible while celebrating the small town character and feel of Peachland, but the key to our economic prosperity is likely the capitalization of our small town character. In other words, development should not only protect the small town character of Downtown Beach Avenue but should seek to enhance it.

Sustainable Downtown Peachland Plan

The Sustainable Downtown Peachland Plan was included in its entirety as an Appendix to the current OCP. Key concepts and phrases from it have been included in the 2018 draft OCP.

What may be most important to bring forward from that document is the vision provided by the “Concept sketch of Sustainable Downtown Peachland” from pg. 20 of the document, as well as this quotation from its introduction

“While the resulting neighbourhood may not look exactly like the one depicted herein, by seeking to achieve the spirit of the vision outlined in this report, it will meet the downtown vision, principles, goals and targets of the citizens of Peachland.”

Other

The following are my comments on other areas of the draft OCP:

• section 2.2 Population -> Community Profile: Age Characteristics
  The Population By Age Group chart should split the 15 – 64 group into 15 – 54 and 55 – 64 as the 55 – 64 group (particularly new residents) are more likely to represent young retirees than working age people.
• pg 22, section 2.3.1 , Beach Avenue Neighbourhood -> Preferred Future Land Uses
  “Tourist commercial-only uses concentrated in the Resort Area” should be changed to “Resort and Downtown Areas” to reflect that Downtown is an ideal location for a hotel.
• pg 76, section 4.9 Land Use Strategy->Recreation, Parks and Trails
  Add something to specifically mention the Trails of the Okanagans Society and their effort to create a continuous bike path from Osoyoos to Sicamous. Such a trail would draw international visitors and we should ensure Peachland is a preferred stop for all travellers.
• pg 127, section 5.6.7 Objectives & Policies of Council->Climate Action->Policies .4
  Add “Update the Plan from time to time as needed.”
• pg 171, section 6.5.1 .1 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Respect Local Context->Examples of How->3^rd bullet
  In a town where one of the primary design goals for any building would be to maximize the view, is a restriction on large expanses of glass reasonable?
• pg 172, section 6.5.1 .2 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Respect Local Context->Attention to Quality->2^nd bullet
  Add “except when the exposed concrete is itself a design element of the architecture”

Typos, Etc.

• pg 85, section 5.4.1 , Objectives & Policies of Council->Asset Management->Policies .1
  Change “Update the” to “The”
• pg 128, section 5.6.7 Objectives & Policies of Council->Climate Action->Policies .19
  Change “filer” to “filter”
• pg 129, section 5.7 Objectives & Policies of Council->Transportation->2^nd paragraph->2^nd sentence
  Change “the need safety” to “the needed safety”
• pg 136, section 6.0 Development Permit Area Guidelines->Table 6
  Intent for “Optimize Amenity” is a duplicate of that for “Vibrant Neighbourhoods” and not its own content.
• pg 138, section 6.1 Development Permit Atrea Guidelines->All Development Permit Areas->Objectives .4
  Change “incorporated” to “incorporates”
• pg 139, section 6.2 Development Permt Area Guidelines->Permit Exceptions .5
  Change “the natural featured” to “the natural feature”
• pg 172, section 6.5.1 .2 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Respect Local Context->Examples of How->Guidelines-Colours->4->2^nd sentence
  Change “at if” to “if”
• pg 178, section 6.5.1 .8 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Livable Neighbourhoods->Guidelines – Landscaping->6
  Change “too” to “to”
• pg 179, section 6.5.1 .9 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Harmonious Neighbourhoods->Guidelines – Buildings & Structures->8
  Change “of from” to “of”
• pg 180, section 6.5.1 .10 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Harmonious Neighbourhoods->Guidelines – Site Design->8
  Change “be either be” to “be either”
• pg 182, section 6.5.1 .12 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Healthy Neighbourhoods->Target
  Change “environments” to “environment”
• pg 187, section 6.5.1 .17 Development Permit Areas->Form & Character Development Permit Areas->Comprehensive DPA->Optimize Amenity->Parking Areas->2
  Change “area” to “areas”