It became a debate about whether or not campgrounds and housing developments can be good bedfellows.
At the council meeting on Tuesday night, Jeff Kirkman, owner of the Eagle Vista RV Park objected to a 70-unit townhouse development proposed for 39548 Loggers Lane on a five-acre lot that would be his campground’s neighbour, adjacent to Brennan Park Recreation Centre.
Kirkman opposes a development so close to his campground and said it will hurt his business.
“It is one of the best places to come camping if you have an RV,” he said. “We chose to build a place where people would say, ‘Let’s come back here, this place is awesome. And no amount of theming, no amount of landscaping is going to hide a 35-foot high, 200-foot-long townhouse [building], 20 feet off our property line.”
Kirkman told council he paid $30,000 in taxes and utilities this year and asked council to decide whether or not the district truly wants to be a destination for tourists.
“What is the District of Squamish looking for? Are we a community looking to develop our tourism sector from a hiking, climbing and day-use town, or do we want to be more of a destination place?” he asked. “Are we hardwired for adventure or are we hardwired for sleeping in Squamish and commuting to Vancouver every day?”
The British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association sent a letter that was submitted to council Tuesday supporting Eagle Vista’s opposition.
Campground spots are decreasing around the province, the letter states. “Municipalities marking themselves as destinations need to ensure that they have the right mix of accommodation,” Jim Humphrey, president of the campground association, stated in the letter.
Ray Ayers, the owner of the property set for development, said the concerns of the campground were overstated.
“Not to turn this into an argument, but we are not coming into Squamish with our proposal because we think Squamish is a fragile little place that is going to be damaged,” he said. “I just don’t see how the speaker here is that concerned that our being there is going to ruin his business… I just think everything has been overstated.”
District planner Sarah McJannet told council that the proponents originally offered $140,000 toward upgrades at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre. A revised contribution currently also includes $25,000 cash-in-lieu for solar pedestrian crossing beacons at the Loggers Lane-Brennan Park crosswalk. “These are amenities that support transit access in this area and was also recommended by BC Transit,” said McJannet.
The proponents reduced the capacity of the complex from its original proposal of 100 units to 70, she said.
The rezoning and Official Community Plan amendment for the development, proposed by the Arlington Group passed first and second reading at council on Sept. 15.
