Dear Editor:
Regarding the article published in The Pioneer of August 17th, about the rezoning applications made by FRSP Holdings Ltd. to change their land at the intersection of 2nd Street and 12 Avenue, Invermere, from single-family to multi-family zoning:
Just because we who live by or near said lot are opposed to changing the zoning classification from single-family to multi-family, does not necessarily mean that we are somehow against renters. Being opposed to a four-plex in an area that is already zoned as a single-family residential area does not constitute renter bashing.
Three of our children who live in Invermere are renters, as we were before we built our home here. We chose to build where we did because the area was zoned as it is, and figured wrongly it seems that we would be safe from future development other than single-family dwellings.
All of this fuss could have been avoided, had the developer purchased a multi-family zoned lot for their development.
For single-family property owners, it would be prudent to be aware that zoning classification can be challenged if it suits some developer, or if it falls within the scope of the Official Community Plan, the Smart Growth principles, or the Imagine Invermere 2030 plan as was the case here.
Al Tristram, Invermere
* Editors note: the zoning application mentioned in this letter was not changed to multi-family, after a tie vote at the August 14th meeting of Invermere Council caused it to be struck down.
