Penticton City Council
Free parking getting scarce as Penticton moves to more paid lots
PENTICTON - Parking is going to get more expensive in Penticton, with parking pay machines set to be installed at several locations throughout the city and fees to rise at hourly and monthly lots. First implemented in 2012, council agreed to expand to the next phase of the parking strategy for 2016-2017. During the first...
Penticton city council gets update on energy retrofit program
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton’s Energy Retrofit Loan Program has proved to be very successful as it moves into its final year of operation. A status update on the program will be presented to Penticton City Council at tonight’smeeting, Jan. 11, with an alternative option to look at extending the program for another year....
Penticton council approves casino relocation proposal
PENTICTON - A proposal to relocate the Lakeside Casino in Penticton received approval from council this week. City council approved the relocation to a site on the South Okanagan Events Centre property following a series of open houses that followed the unveiling of the proposal in early November. A staff report to council Monday, Jan....
City hopes economic investment zone keeps casino in Penticton
PENTICTON - City hall staff hope to build on the success of Penticton’s Economic Incentive Zones with the introduction of a new city-wide tax break for developers which is aimed at keeping Gateway Casino in town. After hearing the Penticton Lakeside Resort will not renew the Lake City Casino lease when it expires in May...
Are changes coming for Penticton’s two tourism associations in 2016?
PENTICTON - The city is looking everywhere it can to find ways to cut costs and operate city interests more efficiently and that includes both city entities entrusted with promoting the region's tourism industry. Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit says the overlap in function between the Penticton Hospitality Association and Tourism Penticton could be leveraged to the...
Penticton property tax increase on the way
PENTICTON - Penticton City Council and staff are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel following a lengthy budget meeting in council chambers this week, and it could cost taxpayers upwards of $81 per year. Council took a long look at the 2016 operating budget yesterday morning, Dec. 21, followed by a longer...
Penticton council seeks clarification of fleet expense
PENTICTON - Penticton city councillors have taken exception with the name of a budget item they feel is misleading to taxpayers. City staff have a budget line called "mayor and council" worth $11,000. The expense is for the operation and maintenance of SUVs owned by the city for use by some employees and council. Chief financial...
Penticton council looking at property tax increases
PENTICTON - Minimal tax increases over the past few years have caught up with the City of Penticton as staff and council met yesterday to begin scrutinizing the 2016 budget. This was council’s first major budget session this year and they didn't get a lot off good news from staff. Chief administrative officer Eric Sorenson...
Forestbrook Drive zoning amendment going to public hearing
PENTICTON - A zoning amendment to allow low density multiple housing on Forestbrook Drive in Penticton will go to public hearing on January 11. City council voted for an amended zoning bylaw at 511 Forestbrook Dr. to allow for the construction of two duplexes along with a secondary suite for each principal unit for a...
Little enthusiasm from Penticton council to hand off grant process
PENTICTON - Penticton city council isn't enthusiastic about the idea of handing off the city’s municipal grants program to an outside enterprise. Chief financial officer Colin Fisher has asked council to enter into an agreement with the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen in order to establish a City of Penticton Community Grants Fund....
Penticton city councillors back wine bar’s application for increased capacity and longer hours
PENTICTON - Complaints over the hours of operation and parking issues failed to dampen Penticton city council’s enthusiasm for the Mile Zero Wine Bar’s application for an increase in capacity and operating hours. Council approved the request and forwarded a recommendation of support to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch for a doubling of interior...
Changes to Penticton water billing hoped to ease resident frustrations
PENTICTON - Changes are coming to the way Penticton residents pay their water bills. The city currently reads and bills for water consumption on a semi-annual basis while electricity is billed on a monthly schedule. The irregular water charges result in budget issues for residents and greater customer dissatisfaction, City Chief Financial Officer Colin Fisher...
Cart program will include yard waste pickup in Penticton
PENTICTON - Penticton's new cart-based garbage collection program will also include pick-up of yard waste when it's implemented in 2016. City staff asked council to approve the proposed cart program design at Monday’s council meeting. Public Works Manager Len Robson told council a partial cart program wouldn’t work because any manual lifting of a garbage...
Penticton council refuses to chicken out on backyard hen pilot project
PENTICTON - A plucky city council approved permits for backyard hens in the city for another six months. The pilot project began in May 2014. Twelve residents applied at the time and were given approval but those permits expired in November. Planning Manager Blake Laven gave council an update on the results of the project...
City of Penticton hopes to secure federal funding
PENTICTON - Green energy and water projects topped Penticton city council’s list of preferred projects for submission to a new round of New Building Canada funding. Penticton city staff and council discussed a number of possible projects for submission to the New Building Canada Fund, which recently opened a second intake of applications. The city...