By Mayor Julius Bloomfield
Council measures the success of our collective priorities through two avenues: regular analysis and public feedback. Each is important and provides us with the necessary information to make sure we are delivering on our commitments.
The quarterly reports provide a detailed analysis of our progress, offering vital statistics that help us identify trends and gauge the impact of our decisions. These reports, while they can be dry, are instrumental in keeping us on track. Feedback from the public however, through a variety of means, plays an equally important role, as numbers alone cannot capture the vibrancy of our community.
The second quarter reports have come out and they show encouraging progress across all priorities. Most notably, we’ve seen advancements in community safety and affordable housing.
As reported by the RCMP, property crime and violent crime both show a decline. We’ve seen the launch of the Inadmissible Patrons Program and the introduction of the Integrated Crisis Response Team (Car 40) program – which pairs a nurse and RCMP officer – are having positive impacts.
The RCMP’s strategic plan sees an increase in proactive policing in hotspots, enhanced information sharing and strengthened co-ordination with Bylaw Services including the introduction of intermittent joint patrols. The Crime Reduction Unit has also launched several new projects, including a direct partnership with the BC RCMP Integrated Municipal Auto Theft Team which, in a 5 day period, recovered multiple vehicles and resulted in the arrest of a repeat offender and continued development of the Repeat Offender Management Program which focuses on repeat property crime activities.
Bylaw Services is now fully staffed and offering service from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the camera program with Downtown Penticton has been effective and we’re continuing to work towards improved partnership with all those involved in public safety.
This summer, we’ve also received many questions about encampments and what the City can do to address them. The courts have ruled that temporary sheltering in parks overnight is legal for those unhoused. Bylaw staff continue to conduct park patrols, ensuring we are all using public spaces appropriately and asking people to pack up and move along every morning. Over the coming months we will look at our park bylaw to ensure it aligns with court rulings. We will also look at how that bylaw can be used as part of the city’s larger approach to social issues, including homelessness, and remains reflective of Penticton’s needs.
It's important to remember that being unhoused is not a crime, and it doesn't mean individuals cannot be in a park. Inappropriate use of public spaces, such as disorderly conduct, loitering, or abandoning personal items, will be addressed by Bylaw Services. We work to build relationships and connect people to support, yet when there is nowhere else for people to go, we face a significant challenge in finding appropriate solutions.
We know that we need to do more and are actively working with BC Housing, the Ministry of Housing and Interior Health to find solutions and improve the situation. Our community partners are ready and we are hopeful that together we can find solutions that support the safety and wellbeing of all residents, housed or unhoused.
On the housing front, after extensive public consultation – the City has implemented revisions to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw. These revisions, informed by the OCP Housing Task Force, are now in effect and we are looking forward to seeing the results.
In Q2, there were 53 new housing units approved, bringing the total for the year to 154 units. Some notable projects that broke ground in Q2, include the start of construction of a 40 unit rental apartment building on Rigsby Street, a 46 unit building on Front Street; new single family housing on Grandview Street; 6 new townhouse units on Conklin Street, 7 new townhouses on Green Avenue W (7 units) and 11 residential solar panel installations at various addresses.
You’ll remember Council made important changes to the Development Procedures Bylaw in late 2023 as well, streamlining the process for handling Development Variance Permits (DVPs) and similar applications. We are starting to see the impacts of these adjustments; they have empowered our staff to manage more approvals efficiently, allowing us to get shovels in the ground faster. 10 small scale residential projects were approved through this process since the beginning of the year, allowing those mostly homeowner projects proceed without the delay These are minor variances like setbacks, small height increases and signage. With the recent changes to provincial regulations that eliminate the need for public hearings on projects aligning with a community's Official Community Plan (OCP), we've swiftly advanced 11 residential projects (46 new residential units) to approval. This proactive approach supports our ongoing commitment to meeting the housing needs of our growing community.
We are also taking significant strides to address the need for affordable housing. Council designated three city-owned properties for affordable housing projects, ensuring that these valuable assets are leveraged to meet the needs of our community. We have initiated a Social Housing & Infrastructure Plan, which will work with local partners to not only identify land amongst partners and funding opportunities, but be a guide for future social housing needs and a roadmap for how to get there. Building on the success of last year’s emergency winter shelter, we are now in the planning stages for a temporary winter shelter to provide safe and warm accommodation for those in need during the colder months. These efforts reflect our commitment to creating sustainable, inclusive housing options for all residents.
With Council’s support, Penticton has become one of the first municipalities in British Columbia to implement a fully online building permit application service. For the past year, all new residential construction applications for single family dwellings, duplexes and townhouse have been processed through this online portal called Cloudpermit. By the end of summer 2024 the Cloudpermit portal will allow all types of Building Permit applications to be made online. This will allow us to keep the momentum going.
These positive developments are a testament to the hard work and efficiency of our team. Penticton continues to grow and we’re meeting those challenges head on. We are guided by our strategic priorities, data and the feedback you provide. We have another Council Open House planned for October and that will be another chance for you to ask question, provide feedback and be part of the solutions as we move forward.