RDEK Board narrowly defeats rural subdivision in Fernie

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors August 5 shot down, by the slimmest of margins, a proposed 55 lot subdivision for a rural property northeast of Fernie.

After hearing another impassioned plea from City of Fernie Mayor Cindy Corrigan, to not support Bylaw No. 2307 – Elk Valley Zoning Bylaw Amendment (Dicken / 0516595 BC Ltd.), and an urging to support it from Electoral Area A director Mike Sosnowski, regional board members voted eight to seven against the third reading of the bylaw.

“I stand on the public hearing and the overwhelming support,” for the proposal said Sosnowski. “I think it will be a great development.”

Corrigan said she was representing the city, which is on record opposing the proposal. However, she also told the board that voting in support of the proposal would be a vote against the region’s own growth strategy “which very clearly states” that development should be directed into established areas.