Resident voices ‘outrage’ at lots proposal

One local resident is voicing her "outrage" at the latest proposal that would add five more residential properties next to the Meadow Lakes Golf Course.

One local resident is voicing her “outrage” at the latest proposal that would add five more residential properties next to the Meadow Lakes Golf Course.

Carole Bookless appeared at the public hearing on the proposal during Monday night’s city council meeting.

She spoke out against the rezoning of 3.8 hectares next to the golf course from Commercial Recreation to Country Residential 2 (restricted), which would allow for the five additional lots proposed.

“Being away for a while, this is kind of like a flashback,“ Bookless told council.

She pointed to the original proposal which saw the development of homes next to the golf course, which sits off the Alaska Highway.

Originally, the nine-hole golf course had planned to use the land to expand into an 18-hole course along with a hotel, but without the market for that there, Meadow Lakes opted to pursue a residential development.

Similar situations around the city have also occurred, Bookless said, noting her anger at the situation.

“I’ve seen this happen over and over again,“ she said. “Somebody acquires land at a cheap price and then immediately goes into rezoning.

“What really outrages me is, basically, we have a process where, as a community, we develop an Official Community Plan ... and everyone gets their say at that point as to what that land is going to be.“

That should give residents a sense of what will happen on the land, but it doesn’t seem too long before rezoning applications come forward for entirely different uses, she said.

While Bookless acknowledged the rezoning at the golf course would likely go through, she added: “I’m not going to let it without saying it’s not right.“

Though the city is dealing with the rezoning of the land now, an amendment to the land use designation was approved in May, which saw it go from Outdoor Recreation to Residential Country under the Official Community Plan (OCP).

Meadow Lakes co-owner Jeff Leuhmann took issue with Bookless’ presentation, arguing he paid $454,000 for the property that makes up both the golf course and residential area.

“I think she’s wrong in saying that we’ve taken advantage of the situation of land grab and turned around and developed it,“ he said.

From the beginning, the proposal was for commercial recreation with the possibility of a hotel, but there was no market for it.

Without the market, the plan turned into a plan for country residential homes.

“As you’re quite aware, we went through all the due process,“ Leuhmann said.

He pointed to the numerous public hearings for rezoning and OCP amendments at the city level along with territorial approval required for the residential development.

“It’s very compatible with what’s there now,“ he said of the five new lots proposed.

The 26 other lots for the site are “virtually” sold out, he told council after Coun. Dave Stockdale asked how the sales were.

The city received no written submission on the proposed rezoning.

After last night’s hearing, city staff will prepare a report for council before members vote on second and third readings.

Councillors Dave Austin and Florence Roberts were absent from last night’s meeting.