The District of 100 Mile House voted against approving a rezoning amendment for 721 Cariboo Trail for Children Matter Community Services.
During the regular council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10 council acknowledged there was a need for the service in 100 Mile House and that there are concerns about where it should go in the community. This meeting came a week after close to 90 people attended a public hearing on the issue at the 100 Mile House Community Hall, with most in attendance voicing their opposition. During the meeting council leaned towards voting against the amendment.
District of 100 Mile House Mayor Maureen Pinkney thanked Children Matter Community Services, who were represented by Shawn Enns, who had joined virtually.
"A bit of miscommunication gets out and certainly it helps to hear exactly what's being proposed, and then we know what we are dealing with," Pinkney stated. Coun. Donna Barnett said that this had been about zoning, not people.
"We all care about people. We all care for children, and we have to separate the zoning and emotions," Barnett explained.
Coun. Jenni Guimond read from a prepared statement outlining her opposition against the rezoning amendment but said it was a "very difficult decision" stating that she believes such a service is greatly needed in the community. She added she does not believe that such a service would be a greater burden to the 100 Mile Hospital, or would pose any problem with criminality, as some had insinuated at the public meeting.
"I also have a hard time believing that this home would be any more disruptive than any family home that's raising youth at various ages. Any of us who have raised children and teenagers, and I currently am, can attest to the disruptions that can exist in a home in regular day-to-day life," Guimond said.
She also said she found it disappointing to hear youth being called criminals, drug addicts and rapists.
"While this home may offer support to youth with a troubled background, it may also just provide support for those with a higher level of specialized needs that their family is unable to provide and support. It doesn't necessarily have to do with criminal behaviour," Guimond noted.
Her opposition to the rezoning is because she had considered what she had been elected to the district council to do, which is to represent her constituents. Guimond said without a doubt that the majority of Cariboo Trail residents do not want a specialized care facility in the neighbourhood.
She added that it is a service the community needs and that the solution is not to ship children outside of the community to a rural area.
Coun. Marty Norgren, in contrast to Guimond, said he was in support of the proposed rezoning. He said he was not sure if there was another venue for the kids in 100 Mile House and knew of one child who needs such services and is currently living in Kamloops.
"I worked in community mental health in Vancouver for five years, and every time we did a public hearing that issue came up for property, just doesn't happen," Norgren stated, saying that it's because those groups are always under a microscope.
He also echoed Guimond's statements that the hospital would not be stretched further and that the police would not have any other issues.
Following the discussion, Pinkney said that all of council realized that the service Children Matter Community Services is looking to meet a big need in the community and that their opposition to the Cariboo Trail location is not a decision they made lightly.
"We're not saying no to your business in our community, we are just saying no to that location," Pinkney said. She then directed that they continue to work with their staff and possibly some local realtors in the room to find a more appropriate location.
District of 100 Mile House Council voted to pass a motion of receipt for the bylaw.
A Feb. 14 memo to the district from Tammy Boulanger, the chief administrative officer of the District of 100 Mile House, stated that "it would have been appropriate to interject and request Council vote on the main question of the third reading." During the Feb. 18 Special Council Meeting, the District of 100 Mile House Council voted unanimously against the rezoning application and site-specific bylaw change.
Enns, during the special council meeting's question period, asked about whether or not there was a solution in the interim, specifically whether or not council would entertain a temporary use of a property while bylaws are being reviewed. Pinkney said the staff was looking through the official community plans and looking at where zoning would allow them to set up.
She said that if Enns would work with staff to find another location that could work, council could allow them to use it temporarily until the formal rezoning was complete.
