Jamie Bisset and her fellow strata residents across the street aren’t opposed to the City of Vernon allowing two, triplex townhomes (six total units) to be built on the steep slope on the east side of Kalamalka Lake Road across from their homes.
The city needs the housing, said Bisset.
But what concerns her and her neighbours is that slope across the way.
Before Vernon council Monday, March 28, was a development variance permit asking the city to allow construction of buildings, structures and swimming pools on slopes greater than 30 per cent, and to increase the maximum height of a retaining wall from 1.2 to four metres at a property at 117 Kalamalka Lake Road.
“We watch daily as the rocks on the hillside crumble down to Kal Lake Road,” said Bisset, saying it’s sometimes deer walking above the slope that trigger the debris coming down.
“When they blasted a couple of years ago, they didn’t net and we ended up with massive boulders destroying our parking lot and just missing our cars. It’s significant. If they start carving out that bank soon, it’s just a disaster waiting to happen.”
City current planner Matt Faucher told council the proposed plan calls for a “typical townhouse design” that will be built into the hillside.
“Everything will be done hand-in-hand with the geotechnical engineer who will be on-site,” said Faucher, and who said when asked if blasting would be required that “it likely would,” but no blasting details have been discussed at this point.
A report from geotechnical engineering firm Interior Testing Services was attached to the council agenda, and Coun. Akbal Mund pointed out the report said there was a “two per cent probability of failure occurring over a 50-year-period.
Coun. Scott Anderson said Bisset’s concerns were valid, but that he would be supporting the permit.
“The geotechnical report and the stringency in this variance is sufficient to protect you,” he said.
Council unanimously passed the staff recommendation and issued the permit.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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