The property has been giving rezoning approval so a new elementary school proposed for the District of Coldstream remains on the table.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Kamloops is the registered owner of 10050 Middleton Dr., which houses Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, and the church is looking to build and open a new elementary school on the site.
First two readings for Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Amendments have been given for the proposal, which would amend the property designation from Residential to Civic, and from R2 Urban Large Lot to P1 (Civic One) to allow for the new school.
As a result of the two readings, a public hearing on the zoning amendments was held Monday, May 26, which drew a large crowd to Coldstream council chambers with concerns about traffic and parking along the narrow stretch of Middleton Drive.
"If we allow the rezoning, that would give us the opportunity to address some of those things and potentially alleviate some of those concerns," said Coldstream Mayor Ruth Hoyte. "If the proposal goes completely through, we can get everything together and have the opportunity to apply for funding and address the concerns."
Council approved the rezoning by a margin of 4-0 with councillors Stephanie Hoffman and Doug Dirk absent from the hearing and council meeting. Hoyte did not vote but said she would have voted in the affirmative if required.
"Some people are very passionate against it (new school)," said the mayor. "They like their neighbourhood as it is, and are very saddened and upset about this going through."
Council received eight written replies to the rezoning application with most heavily concerned about traffic and parking issues.
Brian Lutz felt adding a school would be a "very poor use of the property, mainly because of the access and the traffic pattern changes to safely accommodate it."
"We walk on Middleton Way several times per day, and the existing traffic is dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists," said Lutz. "There are no sidewalks or bike lanes, and the blind corners are a hazard."
Kristina and Dustin Gordon feel traffic will likely double at the eastern end of Middleton Way if the school is built. The Gordons believe that area was not built to handle school traffic.
"This is a stretch of road that appears to have been designed for vehicle use only," they said. "Conflicts between various users of the roadway will occur."
Had council voted against rezoning, said Hoyte, the alternative was the land remaining for housing, and that "a significant amount of housing onto that property would be more problematic than an actual school."
"That was in the discussion," said Hoyte of the public hearing. "That was one of the factors."
Council's affirmative vote to the rezoning means the church can now begin to fundraise for a new school, and Hoyte said the number is in the $20 million range.
Coldstream currently has three other elementary schools: Coldstream, Kidston and Lavington.
