The regional district has taken a step back from a controversial re-zoning application near Cranbrook.

The Summit West proposal to subdivide into 78 residential lots on Cranbrook's East Hill did not receive a second reading as planned at the Friday, December 9 meeting of the Regional District of East Kootenay board.

Instead, the subdivision and rezoning application was referred back to staff to continue consulting with the applicant, after the regional district received negative feedback on the development from Interior Health.

Developer Sheldon Isaman was in the audience to hear the board vote 11 in favour and four against the decision.

Wayne Stetski and Bob Whetham from the City of Cranbrook, Ute Juras from Canal Flats and Gerry Wilkie from Area G (north of Radium) all voted against sending the application back to staff.

"I appreciate the fact that it will go back to staff for review. One thing I would ask is that in the review you would be looking at the entire Cranbrook east-south area and not just a portion of it," said Whetham.

"If we are looking at something we should be looking at the overall context of the development as expressed in the regional growth strategy."

As is regular practice, the regional district asked Interior Health for its position on the development last month but some of the directors were surprised at the response they got.

"This proposal create s a type of urban sprawl which is associated with negative public health outcomes. Research has shown the negative impact of urban sprawl on physical activity opportunities. Physical inactivity often leads to obesity which is directly related to chronic diseases such as: type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers," wrote Pam Moore, who works for Interior Health out of Kelowna.

"Interior Health endorses the concept that the built environment influences transportation choices and by association, population health. This proposal specifically ? is too remote from any transit route for transit to be a viable option, is too remote from any amenities such as schools or food stores to encourage physical activities such as walking or cycling, (and) its remote location depends on vehicle use and will result in increased vehicle emissions."

Director Gerry Taft brought the board's attention to the letter.

"It's an interesting new stance from Interior Health to be commenting beyond sewer and water and to be expressing philosophies on land use and planning and healthy living and childhood obesity and all kinds of things," he said.

Andrew McLeod, manager of planning and development services for the regional district, said Interior Health has recently changed its policy in commenting on developments.

"Interior Health are trying to take a holistic view and they are trying to link public health to the built environments and that is one of their public health goals. You can probably expect to see future comments like this on future bylaws," said McLeod.