Kelowna mayor flexes muscles, brings back dead development

KELOWNA – A development that was recently turned down at a public hearing was given new life because Kelowna mayor Colin Basran leveraged a rarely used power to bring it back to the table.

An application by Abbott Park Holdings for a six-storey housing development on Groves Avenue in South Pandosy went to public hearing April 23 and was defeated by a 4-4 vote with Coun. Ryan Donn being absent.

As mayor, Basran has the right to bring items back to council for reconsideration within 30 days. At Monday’s meeting he said he rarely exercises that prerogative, thinking he only did it once last term.

“It's not a major departure from the Official Community Plan,” he said today, May 14. “It had the planning department’s support. I thought it should have a second look.”

All four councillors who originally voted against it – Charlie Hodge, Mohini Singh, Maxine DeHart and Luke Stack – voted no again.

Donn said he listened to the tapes of the public hearing so he was fully informed of all the issues and concerns and cast the deciding vote in favour.

Craig Mohr, the developer who spoke at the public hearing, was a supporter of Basran’s re-election campaign last fall. He made the maximum contribution allowed by law of $1,200, as did more than 40 other contributors.

Basran said he was not aware of Mohr’s contribution or the amount donated, noting he has voted against other campaign contributors.

He also said he did not know whether Donn would support the application or not.

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