Council is drawing closer to finalizing its Official Community Plan, but residents upset about access to trails, a location for a new Waldorf School, or development near the Squamish Estuary still have another chance to make their case.
After agreeing on a few small wording changes, councillors unanimously passed second reading of the OCP Tuesday night. Changes made include discouraging residential building on the Garibaldi at Squamish project and an acknowledgement of the “craft beverage district” blossoming in Squamish’s light industrial area.
Residents will be able to provide final feedback at hearings on the OCP on March 12 and 13 at 6 p.m. at Brennan Park Recreation Centre – though many have already shared their thoughts on the contentious growth management portion by email and online comment.
“The comments keep coming, so that is fantastic, the public is very engaged,” said District planner Sarah McJannet.
McJannet was referring in part to a barrage of correspondence from supporters of landowner Bob Cheema, who has opposed development limits based on population numbers and District policy work.
“I strongly support the revision of section 9.2.f of the OCP to remove the population
cap and proceed with development of a portion of the land so the community can capture these two huge benefits while they are still available,” wrote resident Elena Butler, echoed by many other residents who were encouraged by the Squamish Waldorf School to send comments asking to revise the policy.
The school is slated to build a new facility on the Cheema land.
Discussions on the growth management policy – including section 9.2 – will be saved for the public consultation.
The current draft before council proposes development outside of existing areas be limited until the population reaches 34,000 or 22,500 if a project offers “extraordinary community benefits.”
Even if those population numbers are reached, there are also six “precursors” that need to be fulfilled by council, including adoption of a district-wide wildfire protection plan and an affordable housing plan.
The OCP notes that the limits are meant to balance growth; making sure policy work is done and that taxes don’t need to raised in order to pay for new infrastructure.
After the public hearing, councillors will have two options: finalize the OCP at a third reading or recommend changes based on public feedback. If councillors vote to make the changes, that means the OCP will return to second reading once again and there will be an additional public hearing before the final approval process.
Both Coun. Ted Prior and Mayor Patricia Heintzman hinted that the discussion around the Cheema lands would be coming in March, and there is a possibility for change.
“For me it’s the little things in here that make me the happiest, the pollinators,” said Prior, referring to a bee-friendly mention in the document. “Some of the big meaty issues – I’m looking forward to resolving those for the proponents that are stressed by them.
I suspect we will probably go back to second reading.”
Right now Cheema has left the newly installed gate in a fence he had put up on his property at an entrance to bike trails open to allow mountain bikers access. On Tuesday night he said he would wait for the public consultation before making further decisions about allowing access to his land for recreational use.
Squamish Real Estate Developments, were also present Tuesday night and offered a preview of their ambitious plan for the 28 acres of land at the end of Bailey Street formerly owned by BC Rail.
The developers have a purchase agreement on the land that is conditional on Squamish council allowing them to build on it.
The plan includes housing, a daycare, a French school and a hotel.
The developers are asking the parcel, currently zoned as a greenway corridor, be moved into the Growth Management boundary as an extension of downtown.
