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Kirksland Restoration Society
ACTION ALERT
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Please Write the Agricultural Land Reserve Commision!
Dear Members and Supporters,
The Land Reserve Commission (LRC) met with the Shickedanz Bros. developers on October 23, 2000 to hear their proposed development plans for the area north of Radium Hot Springs. This hearing was in response to the application of the developer to have over 800 acres removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
The Commission is accepting written submissions post-marked no later than November 6, 2000. Your input would be taken into account by the Commission in making their decision whether to grant this application.
The Radium Council fully endorses the release of 500 acres from Area G which they plan to incorporate into their village boundaries pending the decision of the LRC.
The Kirksland Restoration Society (KRS) urges you to voice your concerns to the Commission. To assist you the following points are issues that have been raised by the KRS:
- Initially 13,000 acres of agricultural and forest lands were purchased by the Shickedanz Bros. in 1997. Six thousand acres were sold and divided up into recreational property.
- Livestock grazing is being compromised making farming less viable.
- Consolidation of about 18 remaining parcels into 3 parcels, without legally binding covenants, does not protect these lands from future development.
- Upgrades to ‘The Elk Park Ranch’ are not a trade-off for removal from the ALR..
- The proposed development would create increased conflict with agriculture on the remaining lands by bringing urbanization closer to established farming areas.
- This application for exclusion sets a precedent as the Columbia Valley has many properties of similar agricultural and forest potential that urban developers would like released from the ALR.
- Christmas tree production has been reduced substantially by dividing up this land.
- Before expanding to incorporate 500 acres into their boundaries, Radium Village should expand within their existing boundaries as it has not yet reached its full build out capacity.
- This development proposal is not designed to accommodate local growth. The demand for local accommodation is nowhere near the scale required to justify this size of expansion. With 8 units/acre developed on 235 acres, over 1800 units would create a greater residential capacity than is currently found in the village of Radium.
- Tourism and agriculture need to be balanced. An 18 hole golf course is slated to be developed on 173 acres. Our valley already has numerous golf courses.
- The proposed location for the golf course is an established major animal corridor.
- Valuable grassland historically utilized by wildlife is being threatened. This area, situated in a region once known as the Serengeti of North America because of its diverse, rich natural and wildlife resources, contains values found nowhere else in the province. These lands are sandwiched between a national park and heritage status wetlands. Wildlife depend on this habitat for their survival.
Other concerns that the KRS has regarding the proposed development are: loss of rural values and an increase in residential density and traffic.
Please address your correspondence to: Mr. A. Chambers, Chair
#133 – 4940 Canada Way
Burnaby, BC V5G 4K6
Fax: (604) 660- 7033
If you have questions or concerns please contact the following KRS directors:
Doug Goodwin @ 347-9048, Loni Funnell @347-9882, Donna-Lynne Leslie @ 342-3381, Anne Jardine @ 347-9860, Gerry Wilkie @ 347-9841, or Barry Moore 347-9668.
If you are not already a member of the Kirksland Restoration Society and would like to support our efforts a fee of $10.00 gives you a lifetime membership or a donation would assist us to offset our costs. Please send your contribution to: KRS, Box 158, Edgewater, B.C. V0A 1E0.
Thank you.
P.S. Please refer to: Exclusion Application: Shickedanz
Ref: L – 33456
on your correspondence.
ACTION ALERT
- Kirksland Restoration Society
- October 31, 2000
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