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Letter: Talk about a city over-build, Kelowna

We have an increasing larger population, all centered in a desert, with limited water resources
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ELLA is targeting LEED®-Certified concrete construction – a first in Kelowna for market condominiums. (Image credit: Mission Group.)

To the editor:

I am not a citizen opposed to growth and construction. I am opposed to council allowing special privilege with variances in density and construction design without regard to our over-taxed resources and infrastructure. The pressures of any urban over-build amounts to a future economic burden on taxpayers of tsunami-like proportions.

We have an increasing larger population, all centered in a desert. With limited water resources, we live in danger of upsetting the water/sewage balance in our basin that is critical to our existence. Rapid construction growth has already taxed our infrastructure to the max.

Our present system is not designed for the mega development projects now pressed upon our community. Our water, sewer and electrical services are in need of a near total rebuild to accommodate normal expansion; never mind mega projects. Our fire protection services are not designed for buildings over eight stories. The traffic volume demands for parking and emergency travel will soon exceed the safety margins of normal urban requirements. Parks and greenspace needs are already ignored.

City council should realize that each variance granted to a mega project adds to infrastructure overload. Maintaining clean air and clean water in a larger urban centre has its own justifiable cost. Let’s not over burden taxpayers with the unjustifiable costs of poorly planned allowance of over-build. Let’s not try to live beyond the limits of our resources, water or otherwise.

Ian Royce Sisett, Kelowna