Director Riley Gettens RDOS 101 Martin Street , Be V2A 5J9

Dear Director Gettens,

Re: SicKle Point sfiolila De ftinaed thfu ROOS Environmental Levy

We would be grateful if you, as the Chair of the Environmental Committee, would consider forwarding to the Board, your support for funding the Sickle Point acquisition thru the RODSwide Environmental levy. Please see the enclosed Penticton Herald article which confirms that this property is only being purchased for nature conservation. It should not be charged to Recreation.

If you have been following the issue, the community is very outraged that the RODSis proposing that the purchase of this property be funded thru the small communities of Kaleden, Twin Lakes and St. Andrews. We believe that the borrowing bylaw will be turned down by the taxpayers under the Alternate Assent Process, however, the Area I Director, Subrina Monteith has been saying she will then take it immediately to Referendum.

Please see the attached newsletter of the Kaleden Taxpayers Association. It states: liThe stated objectives of the Kaleden Community Association, which is the group leading the charge, is to purchase Sickle Point as a conservation area. People are generally not going to be welcome at Sickle Point. So why are only people from Kaleden, st. Andrews, Twin Lakes and Yellow Lake only expected to pay for Sickle Point? Why are the communities of Falls, Heritage Hills and Skaha Estates not participating? They are all closer to Sickle Point than st. Andrews, Twin Lakes and Yellow Lake.

It is not that buying a conservation area is a bad thing. The problem is that the RDOS is just trying to charge a very expensive piece of property to a very small area. The cost is way too high per household. The environment is in the first instance the responsibility of the Province. If the RDOS wants to protect this property for Wildlife, the ROGSin its entirety should pay for it through the district wide environmental levy it instituted a few years ago. This hasn't happened though, as it is easier for the Kaleden Community group to slip it thru Kaleden Recreation than it is to convince the RDOSboard that the whole District should fund buying a piece of conservation property. If the Environmental levy bylaw were instead amended to fund this property via and Alternate Approval Process. it could result in a reasonable charge per household and might be acceptable to the community. /I

Please help correct the flawed process that is dividing our community and put the funding in the right place - the Environmental Fund. If there is not enough money in that fund, change the funding authority thru an APP just like the RODSis trying to do with Kaleden Recreation.

Thank you. http://www.pentictonherald.ca/news/article_36de112c-fOb7-11ea-9170-bf0906022eOa.html

I FEATURED I Saving Sickle Point

KEITH LACEY/Special to The Herald Sep 7, 2020

Skaha wetlands shows Sickle Point in Kaleden looking from the north from the KVR trail. This photo by naturist Bob Handfield was taken in 2005, just prior to a developer bulldozing part of the area. BOB HANDFIELD/Special to The Herald

Kaleden residents are willing to put their money where the collective mouths are as they work towards trying to turn a gorgeous piece of into a nature conservatory.

The piece of real estate in question is called Sickle Point, a pristine 4.8-acre slice of vacant beachfront on the south end of Skaha Lake. Various owners have been discussing developing Sickle Point as a small subdivision dating back 30 years. The property is currently listed for sale on a local real estate site for just over $3.1 million.

A large contingent of neighbours has formed ad hoc committee supported by the Kaleden Community Association and members of that group have committed $80,000 in pledges in just over two weeks.

The committee has also arranged upcoming meetings with numerous organizations to try and form a partnership to purchase the land and turn it into a nature conservancy, which would protect it from any future development, said Randy Cranston, chair of the ad hoc committee and Kaleden Community Association.

The committee has outlined its concerns and plans relating to Sickle Point in a lengthy letter sent late last week to various provincial government departments, including Premier John Horgan, said Cranston.

Supporters have also drafted a "vision statement" detailing their goals and objectives to turn Sickle Point into a nature and wildlife sanctuary, hopefully in conjunction with an established nature trust organization, said Cranston.

"One of the first questions any trust organization is going to ask us is who is going to own Sickle Point," he said in an interview. "My response to that is that is still a work in progress. It may be a trust organization, it may be decided in ongoing negotiations with the Regional District (Okanagan-Similkameen.)

"The dream we have, the vision is to the greatest extent possible is just let it be ... and that means keeping this land as is in a nature reserve."

With a huge number of birds, animals and rare species gathered at and near the site, Sickle Point would make an ideal nature conservation area, said Cranston.

Developing a small housing project would destroy the natural beauty of the area and doesn't make sense as there is no road access available and would upset the thousands of people who walk or cycle along the nearby Kettle Valley Railway trail every day, he said.

"The goal is to maintain and restore Sickle Point as an enduring nature community supporting wildlife and aquatic species," he said. "We remain very much against any kind of development."

The property is currently zoned to build only one home, but there have been amendments by various owners to develop a five-lot subdivision in the past.

"That would simply wreak havoc ... with multiple vehicles, destroying parts of the KVR trail," he said.

It is frustrating that proponents of the development don't have to talk to the RDOS or neighbours, but can deal directly with the provincial government for approval, he said.

"There has been no community engagement here at ali," he said. "That's why a petition was started and now has hundreds of names on it against any development of this area."

Sickle Point remains the last untouched area of Skaha Lake, he said. "This is the last area on Skaha Lake for fish, wildlife, migratory birds and too many other species to mention," he said.

Supporters are willing to work with any nature-based conservancy organization, the provincial government and RDOS to ensure the proposed development is rejected and the goal of establishing a nature park is realized, he said.

"Either or, any of the above," he said.

The fact more that $80,000 has been pledged in two weeks shows how passionate neighbours are about preserving Sickle Point, he said.

"The goal of the pledges is when we meet with the trust organizations, they can clearly see the people in this community clearly see this as very important," he said. "This is right adjacent to the KVR Trail, where thousands of people walk and bike every year from all over the place."

It is time to end any discussion of allowing development at Sickle Point, said Cranston.

"In my opinion, this is probably the last chance," he said. "This has gone on for years and years and years. We needed people to step up and they have."

Former MP, federal Department of Fisheries minister and former RDOS board member Tom Siddon has never supported development at Sickle Point and said he's thrilled so many neighbours are working together to try and turn the area into a nature reserve.

The property has been listed in a court-ordered sale at just over $3 million, but the provincial assessment office has assessed it at just over $1.2 million, which means any purchase to turn it into a nature park is much more affordable than many might think, said Siddon, who represented Kaleden residents on the ROOS board from 2011-2018. (Siddon recused himself from any RDOS matters dealing with Sickle Point.)

Opposition to development at Sickle Point dates back more than 25 years, Siddon confirmed.

Allowing one or five homes in an area with no road access or services doesn"t make a lot of sense now or ever in his mind, the retired politican said.

"We're not opponents to development, but more proponents of saving Sickle Point because it is one of the last remaining environmental wetlands along the shoreline of Skaha Lake," Siddon said. "There are several species of migratory birds that come from as far as the Yukon and southern United States and Mexico every year to settle in this area. There are also many four-legged critters living there."

The fact Sickle Point has been rejected for development on numerous occasions over the past three decades is encouraging, but the time has come to purchase the land and turn it into a nature park and protect it forever, said Siddon.

"With the support of the provincial government, we would hope to be able to reserve it as a wildlife sanctuary and nature park, not an extension of the parks in the area," he said. "The community is largely not supportive of any kind of development down there and never has been. There is strong support to protect it in perpetuity." Residents of the Okanagan are blessed to call this area home, but "we don't have to use up every square foot of waterfront to build more big houses when Kaleden taxpayers are generally not in support of this."

Subrina Monteith, the current RDOS director representing Kaleden, said she is strongly supportive of actions to purchase Sickle Point and turn it into a nature park.

Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the KVR Trail. She said it makes little sense to damage a trail that's utilized by tens of thousands of locals and visitors each year for the sake of building five new houses.

"This is a piece of Kaleden that should have been purchased many years ago when they first had the chance, but that didn't happen unfortunately," she said. "Now we're back to the same fight again over a piece of land that should never have been sold in the first place, but turned over to the Regional District.

"Now somebody owns it and we're stuck in a position of trying to right the wrongs. The people I have spoken to want to protect this property and the lake. There are so few shoreline properties on Skaha Lake that are not developed. This is a perfect piece of shoreline and it's an opportunity for the entire community to come together to protect it. There is nothing like it left on Skaha Lake. To see it gone to develop one or five homes .. is heartbreaking. It should be left as natural land."

Keith Lacey is a freelance writer based in Penticton.

To report any typos, please email: [email protected]. URGENT FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION PROPOSED TAX INCREASE PURCHASE OF SICKLE POINT FOR A NATURE PARK

The ROOS has published public notice on its website that it is going to increase your property taxes shown as "Kaleden Recreation" by more than double for the next 25 years if the ROOS does not receive from you you an objection form before February 8th. The ROOS fact sheet shows that your taxes can be increased as follows if Sickle Point is purchased:

If your property is valued at: Annual increase Over 25 years: starting 2021: $500,000 $195 $4,885 $750,000 $293 $7,327 $1,000,000 $391 $9,770

The ROOS needs to receive 182 objections in order to not automatically increase your taxes, without a referendum. A copy of the objection form is attached. Every eligible voter in your household that is at least 18 years of age can sign a form and be counted. The ROOS has to receive this form before February 8th. Please sign and drop off at ROOS office, or mail to: Manager of Legislative Services, ROOS, 101 Martin Street, Penticton, BC V2A5J9 POSTMARKS NOT ACCEPTED

Two objection forms are attached. More can be found at: https://www.rdos.bc.caJassets/LEGISLATIVE-SERVICES/Alternative-Approval-Process/Sickle-Point- Elector-Response-Form.pdf

ROOS staff promised the Board in the report of November 19th,that it would advertise the public notice regarding the $3.5 million Sickle Point Borrowing Bylaw and Alternate Assent Process in Skaha Matters. It was not in the January issue as promised. We all need to spread the word.

BACKGROUND:

The RDOS has given 3 readings to a bylaw to borrow $3.5 million to purchase Sickle Point for a conservation area, and expects only residents from Kaleden, St. Andrews, Twin Lakes and Yellow Lake to pay for it through increased Kal Rec taxes. Attached is a copy of the RDOS public notice and the map showing the area to be taxed. To fund the $3.5 million borrowing for Sickle POint, an additional $195,403 will have to be raised by your taxes each year for 25 years to cover the debt payments.

The ROOS is not holding a referendum or public meetings to discuss whether it makes sense for to purchase Sickle Point or what that means to our taxes. The ROOS is trying to sneak it through via an "Alternate Approval Process". If you do not want these increased taxes, you have to send in a special "Elector Response Form" that is difficult to find on the ROOS website. If you don't send it in, you will automatically end up with a tax bill that has more than doubled for recreation. It is hard to think that a nature park is so important to avoid public scrutiny.

The stated objectives of the Kaleden Community Association, which is the group leading the charge, is to purchase Sickle Point as a conservation area. People are generally not going to be welcome at Sickle Point. So why are only people from Kaleden, S1.Andrews, Twin Lakes and Yellow Lake only expected to pay for Sickle Point? Why are the communities of , Heritage Hills and Skaha Estates not participating? They are all closer to Sickle Point than St. Andrews, Twin Lakes and Yellow Lake.

It is not that buying a conservation area is a bad thing. The problem is that the RDOS is just trying to charge a very expensive piece of property to a very small area. The cost is way too high per household. The environment is in the first instance the responsibility of the Province. If the RDOS wants to protect this property for wildlife, the RDOS in its entirety should pay for it through the district wide environmental levy it instituted a few years ago. This hasn't happened though, as it is easier for the Kaleden Community group to slip it thru Kaleden Recreation than it is to convince the RDOS board that the whole District should fund buying a piece of conservation property. If the Environmental levy bylaw were instead amended to fund this property via and Alternate Approval Process, it could result in a reasonable charge per household and might be acceptable to the community.

Kaleden Recreation was set up as a service called "Kaleden Recreation Programing and Facilities Maintenance" and was only established to look after Pioneer Park and the Community Hall in Kaleden. How is it even legal for a piece of property that is being acquired outside of this area for nature conservation to be charged to this recreation service?

What is most concerning is that Sickle Point has been for sale for probably 12 years. The Official Community Plan was updated about 4 years ago, and Sickle Point was not reclassified as park or conservation land. The Kaleden Parks Plan was also done a few years ago, and Sickle Point was not identified as a priority. Suddenly acquiring Sickle Point is of such urgency, that taxpayers are not given enough time to discuss whether it makes sense or to vote whether they want this huge tax increase.

Other concerns: -How is this going to affect taxpayer approval of the Kaleden sewer referendum? -Kaleden is going to have a huge increase in water rates in 2025 when it has to either build a filtration plant or drill wells under Ministry of Health orders that we cannot drink water direc~y from Skaha Lake. There will be no choice with that fee increase. -Where does this tax increase fit into our personal pocketbooks? Most area residents are retirees on fixed incomes. -What other tax increases are coming? Canada's national debt just hit $1 trillion in December. -Are there any better ways to spend $3.5 million? (Perhaps a community pool? Replace the aged community center? Rebuild the 1912 structure? Maybe build some recreation infrastructure at Twin Lakes, St. Andrews and Yellow Lakes which also pay taxes to Kaleden Recreation?) -What additional costs will be associated with Sickle Point that no one has thought of? (boardwalks, washrooms, paved parking lot at the KVR trailhead, policing, maintenance)

If we don't buy Sickle Point, the birds and marsh will still be protected by the province's Riparian Regulations. Any new owner has to respect those setbacks. The property is limited to only one home as a condition of the province's access licence for only a single driveway to share the KVR trail. Sickle Point will probably be better off environmentally as a private property with only one home as its keeper, rather than a park with dogs chaSing wildlife, a piece of property for vagrants to tent on, or a bush party place like it was before it was fenced.

Can you afford Sickle Point?

-Kaleden Taxpayers Association REGIONAL DISTRICT KALEDEN PARKLAND ACQUISITION LOAN AUTHORIZATION BYLAW No. 2915, 2020

OKANAGAN· fl· IP SIMIL.KAMEEN Notice 0 A ternative Approva rocess

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 86 of the Community Charter, that the Board of Directors of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen seek the approval of the electors with the boundaries of Kaleden Recreation Programming and Facility Maintenance Local Service Area of the Regional District for the adoption of Kaleden Parkland Acquisition Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 2915, 2020.

In general terms, the bylaw would authorize the Regional Board to borrow a sum not more than three million, five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) to purchase a parcel for parkland purposes at Sickle Point, legally described as Lot A, Plan KAP55255, DL 1035, Land District 54.

The a:teriiat1vE approval j..1iOC€55 appnE5 to quanfted e:€ctors vvithiii the Kaledeil REcreation Programming and Facility Maintenance Service Area.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT the Regional District may proceed with the approval of Kaleden Parkland Acquisition Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 2915, 2020 unless at least ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors (those meeting the criteria below) within the Kaleden Recreation Programming and Facility Maintenance Service Area indicate their opposition by signing the Elector Response Form.

The Regional District has estimated the total number of qualified electors in the service area to be 1816 and that 10% of that number, or 182 qualified electors, must submit signed Elector Response Forms to prevent the Regional District from adopting the bylaw without the full assent of the electors by referendum.

An elector response form must be in the form established by the Regional District. Elector Response Forms are available from the Regional District office, including by mail, fax, or email, on request or on the Regional District website at www.rdos.-bc.ca ..

The deadline for delivering the original signed Elector Response Form to the Regional District is 4:30 pm on Monday February 8: 2021.

The only persons entitled to sign an Elector Response Form are those who meet the following criteria: Resident electors must: (a) be 18 years of age or older; (b) be a Canadian citizen; (c) be a resident of , for at least 6 months; (d) be a resident of the Kaleden Recreation Programming and Facility Maintenance Service Area for at least 30 days: and (e) not be disqualified by an Provincial enactment, or otherwise disqualified by law, from voting in an election. Non-Resident property electors must: (a) not be entitled to register as a resident elector of the Kaleden Recreation Programming and Facility Maintenance Service Area; (b) be 18 years of age or older; (c) be a Canadian citizen; (d) be a resident of British Columbia, for at least 6 months; (e) be a registered owner of real property in the jurisdiction for at least 30 days; (f) not be disqualified by any Provincial enactment or otherwise disqualified by law, from voting in an election; and (g) only register as a non-resident property elector in relation to one parcel of real property in a jurisdiction.

The bylaw is available for public inspection at the Regional District Office, 101 Martin Street, Penticton, BC, weekdays (excluding statutory holidays) between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or alternatively, on our website at www.rdos.bc.ca. For more information on the alternative approval process please contact: Christy Malden, Manager of Legislative Services 101 Martin Street, Penticton, BC V2A 5J9 250-490-4146 1-877-610-3737 [toll freel [email protected]

REGIONAL. OISTRICT Fact Sheet Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Electoral Area "I" Sickle Point Kaleden Parkland Acquisition Loan Authorization Bylaw Bylaw No. 2915, 2020 OKANAGAN· SIMILKAMEEN

The issue: • The community wishes to preserve the property known as Sickle Point as an outdoor community recreation and beachfront amenity. The property has been identified as having significant conservation values.

The solution: • Authorize the Regional District to borrow up to $3,500,000 to acquire the property for parkland. • The property would become part of the Kaleden Parks and Recreation Service.

The cost: • This is what you are paying now for the Kaleden Parks and Recreation Service: If your property is valued at: Your current annual cost for the Service is approximately: $500,000 $164.35 $750,000 $246.53 1,000,000 $328.70

Scenario 1: Borrowing $3,500,000 (borrowing the full amount; no donations received) • It is important to note that the figure of 3.5 million is the maximum that the Regional District may borrow under the bylaw. It does not mean that this amount is the confirmed amount to be borrowed, rather it is the top limit of what might be borrowed. • If the Loan Authorization bylaw to acquire the parkland is adopted and the RODSneeds to borrow $3,500,000 to purchase the parkland, this is an estimate of what you would be paying for the new parkland parcel only, in 2021:

If your property is valued at: Your annual cost for the new parkland parcel would be approximately: $500,000 $174.25 $750,000 $261.38 1,000,000 $348.50

• Proposed cost per household for the Parks and Recreation service including the new parkland parcel in 2021:

If your property is valued at: Your annual cost for the Service would be approximately: $500,000 $359.75 $750,000 $539.63 1,000,000 $719.50

Scenario 2: Borrowing a lesser amount • As with any property acquisition, negotiation is required at the time of purchase, so presently the actual amount has not been confirmed. (Please turn over)

FindusonlJyOU I

Serving the citizens of the Okanagan-Similkameen since 1966. www.rdos.bc.ca