Ecovillage plans in British Columbia
https://www.pentictonherald.ca/news/article_9c54d688-a4a9-11ec-b571-cfb7ba9f9c04.html
(Penticton is east of Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Public input is now being solicited on a cutting-edge plan to develop an eco-village at the site of Summerland’s flagship solar project.
The 38-page plan includes everything from proposed site layouts and architectural designs to landscaping guidelines and regulatory amendments required to make it all work.
Included in the plan are two concepts for residential development within the eco-village: a medium-density proposal with 96 townhomes and a high-density version with 152 apartments.
Besides homes, the plan also contemplates amenities like a community hub, interpretive centre, trail infrastructure and more.
“This draft concept plan has been developed through engagement with adjacent landowners, recreational trail group stakeholders, the Penticton Indian Band, and through technical assessments on environmentally-sensitive habitat, geotechnical constraints, and significant cultural and heritage values,” the district said in a press release.
“Council’s goal of this project was to create a proposed concept for a low-impact, environmentally sensitive residential development in the vicinity of the planned construction of a solar array generation facility while promoting active living through connection to naturalized trails and transportation linkages to Summerland’s downtown.”
You can view the plan and fill out an online survey by visiting: www.summerland.ca/planning-building/planning-development/current-projects/eco-village-concept-plan.
Shortly after the eco-village was proposed in 2021, the Summerland Chamber of Commerce penned a letter to council suggesting the district is getting in over its head.
“Local government sets the rules and ensures compliance. When it comes to market housing, it should not plan, design, build, or operate, and these limitations are there for good reason,” stated the letter.
The eco-village is also meant to showcase the Solar + Solar project, which is slated for a district-owned lot on Prairie Valley Road at the base of Cartwright Mountain.
While the $7-million project was originally planned to feature a one-megawatt solar array and batteries — enough to power approximately 100 homes — its scope was cut in half last year due to rising costs. A federal grant will cover $6 million of the total cost, while local taxpayers are on the hook for the balance.
