River Landing: Embarrassment continues as city makes mockery of Parcel Y process; Lake Placid asks for amendments, still no “destination attraction”

River Landing Parcel Y

River Landing Parcel Y EOI (May 2007)

Excerpt from Sec. 19.2.3.1 Development Plan Bylaw No. 7799

The following letter to the editor was submitted to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix on June 8, 2008.

Dear Editor:

When will city council be taken to task for making a complete mockery of its planning and development process on Parcel Y at River Landing?

Mayor Don Atchison said recently that the direct control district guidelines for the area are just guidelines, and not laws, suggesting they don’t really mean anything.

The DCD1 are contained within the city’s Development Plan Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw. Aren’t these laws? While they can be amended a legal process must be followed to do that.

Atchison sees no problem in giving Lake Placid Investments owner Michael Lobsinger the amendments he wants so his company can build a hotel-office-residential complex.

This is despite the fact that Lobsinger knew what the restrictions were when he submitted his expressions of interest last year.

Nowhere in the EOI does it say that the DCD1 are just guidelines and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

When the city revised the DCD1 in 2004 city administration said this was done so developers would have clarity and certainty.

The only certainty council has shown in the south downtown since then is that the rules can and will be changed at any time and that it will play favourites by making special deals with some people while ignoring others.

Still unresolved is the fact that Lake Placid’s proposal does not appear to include the mandatory “destination attraction” defined in the EOI as a cultural facility. Furthermore, the developer’s proposal does not appear to comply with the DCD1. The proposed skating rink/reflecting pool and waterfall are not listed as permitted uses.

The city administrative committee that evaluated the EOI on June 18, 2007 did not take minutes nor kept a record of the point scoring. The city has provided no legitimate evidence to support its claim that the proposal satisfies all requirements.

Joe Kuchta


Previous River Landing Parcel Y posts:

Mar. 14, 2008
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2008/03/river-landing-parcel-y-plan-still.html

Jan. 25, 2008
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2008/01/river-landing-city-of-saskatoon-failed.html

Jan. 15, 2008
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2008/01/river-landing-saskatoon-city-council.html

Sept. 27, 2007
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2007/09/lake-placid-investments-inc-proposal_27.html

Sept. 18, 2007
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2007/09/saskatoon-city-council-backs-flawed.html

Sept. 17, 2007
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2007/09/lake-placid-investments-inc-proposal.html

Sept. 10, 2007
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2007/09/lake-placid-investments-inc-rfp-for.html

July 20, 2006
http://owlsandroosters.blogspot.com/2006/07/river-landing-spa-hotel-and-site.html