Kelowna’s rabbits just refuse to quit proliferating.

Despite an edgy advertising campaign, efforts to kill them and, finally, attempts to save the critters by The Responsible Animal Care Society, there are still rabbits roaming the hills of Kelowna.

Monday afternoon Kelowna city council was told it would be looking at coming up with another $12,000 to $15,000 to support TRACS’ efforts to capture, spay and neuter the remaining animals, an effort which occurs at a rate of about one per day.

The non-profit organization was commended for its commitment to the cause, which is entirely voluntary, and Coun. Charlie Hodge gave city staffer Ian Wilson a pat on the back for taking the heat during the city’s rabbit wars last spring.

Wilson became the front man for the municipality’s efforts to get the population explosion under control after streets like Enterprise Way became riddled with bunny burrows.

At one point, estimates of 1,000 rabbit kills/captures were talked about just as Kelowna city council found itself in hot water for employing EBB Consulting, the company whose employee was caught stomping a rabbit to death by a city-paid security guard.

“I know you did not get the proper attention you should have got. You got a lot of negative attention,” said Hodge as he addressed Wilson, acknowledging his calm throughout the storm.

Wilson himself suggested the program the city and TRACS have worked out is going remarkably well considering the uphill battle they faced at the outset and suggested it won’t be long until the matter has been fully dealt with.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said. “The numbers show we’re doing very well, but knowing what rabbits do, we feel it would be prudent to continue for at least one more year.”

Some 234 animals have been spayed or neutered, though Wilson noted there are a few more who are waiting for the operation. At times there is a lag in funding that leaves some of the critters on a waitlist, he said.

Vacancy

beside motel

A hotel on Highway 97 will have to go without its sister strip mall.

City council turned down an application from a development consultant speaking on behalf of his un-named client Monday afternoon as the client tried to add a commercial complex to the area beside the Comfort Inn.

The move would have seen agriculturally-zoned land become commercial-retail space in an area where a car dealership and the hotel have recently gone in.

Braemar Holdings, which developed the Comfort Inn, and a numbered company represented by consultant Andrew Bruce of Olive Tree Holdings, wanted to develop the property between Commercial Avenue and Highway 97 for an undefined retail space with a restaurant.

“There’s a very high level of transient traffic at these hotels and there’s a lot of employment traffic going by,” said Bruce, as he tried to argue the market for the shops already exists.

Given the new development surrounding the land and the ready-made clientele, Bruce said his client felt it was just as appropriate to continue the development line and put in some shops.

The council felt differently.

“I think we were taught in planning school that car lots are considered a temporary use until something better comes along,” said Hobson.

To which Bruce conceded the statement was “entirely possible.”

The strip mall failed to catch the imagination of anyone on council, who turned the use down.

Cop cost spells double trouble

Provincial police services could cost significantly more money next year as the price of their computer service is about to double.

Access to the PRIME system, a database used by police to maintain their records, will go from a $500-per-officer access fee to a $1,000-per-officer access fee next year, city council has learned.

With 140 officers on staff that’s going to mean a $70,000 budget increase during a year when the police will also be asking for more officers, Mayor Sharon Shepherd said, noting she’s very concerned about the increase.

The issue was brought to the mayor’s attention by the mayor of Merritt and has municipalities throughout the province looking for answers this week.

Covenant

answer for club-row

Kelowna city staff have an answer for Habitat owners Quinn and Katrina Best as to whether the city could add a covenant to their property to protect Kelowna from seeing another bar added to Leon Avenue, should the couple ever decide to sell.

Monday afternoon council was told a rezoning for the Habitat property will return to their table mid-November, just before the city’s by-election, so city staff can explain what they’ve found.

They will provide more information on the liquor licence a consultant hired by the couple recommended they try to secure—it is one designed for the Squamish Events Centre’s participation in the 2010 Olympic Games—and an explanation of whether a covenant could be placed on the property.

The couple are trying to have their establishment rezoned to a bar-friendly designation to support the liquor licence. Their current liquor licence they are operating under does not give the business the flexibility needed to hold all ages events, at all times of the day and host nightclub-style events and concerts.

Development facing uphill battle

Kelowna city council is hesitant, but still considering, another hillside development for the Upper Mission.

Monday afternoon council deferred an application from Protech Consultants asking for better illustrations to show what a 16-single-family house development on Cavell Place would look like after hearing their staff were less than thrilled with the concept.

Planning head Shelley Gambacourt suggested the developer wanted the project to move along, though they had not really addressed city staff’s issues with their plans adequately.

“We know we have to come forward to council with something,” she said. “It’s just that we still have the same issues we’ve had all along.”

The issue for council prove a lack of definition as to what they were looking at and Coun. Robert Hobson noted he was not sure developer recognized the steepness of the property and was concerned the project might require sheering the cliff.

The consultants have been asked to return with cluster housing options as well for council to consider.

jsmith@kelownacapnews.com

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