I would like to address the article by Nicole Liebermann on the rural Fernie subdivision. It's actually considered part of Hosmer, not Fernie. I was at the meeting. First of all I can't believe the City council and RDEK would allow this property to be rezoned! I had witnessed at least 20 or more people that spoke against the proposed subdivision. There would have been a lot more if the meeting wasn't held on a weekday during work hours. Only about five people spoke for the proposed subdivision to be built. The people that spoke against it had concerns about the water table. Landowners that had been on Dicken Road for generations had seen the water table change in recent years. One landowner said he had to drill another well after his existing well dried up after 100 years of supplying water. There were also concerns about the stability of the hillside when the trees are removed. Anybody who lives out there knows the potential for slides during spring run off. What about White Spruces' water, what happens when there is no water left or a mudslide has come down, who is going to compensate landowners if their wells dry up because the developers are drilling 37 wells? Last but not least, what about the wildlife? The negative impact on the elk, deer, fox, eagles, bears, cougars, fish, and more? The elk have raised their babies up there for years. Ryland Nelson from Wildsight recommended that this land should not be zoned residential. The few people that spoke in support for the rezoning never once mentioned the welfare of the wildlife. The mayor and our RDEK elective was invited to go for a walk up to the proposed site by a landowner so she could show them the signs of wildlife. I bet they haven't taken her up on the offer. I think anybody who was at this meeting could tell that the RDEK and council had their minds made up already and that they were going to vote to rezone this property. I noticed the lack of interest and eye contact towards the speakers that were opposing the rezoning. Looking forward to the next RDEK election, I know how I will be voting.
Michele Pierce
Fernie