The Squamish Oceanfront Development Coporation (SODC) announced the resignation of its chair Larry Murray yesterday and the election of his successor, former Squamish Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) chair and current director John Turner.
"It has been a wonderful and exciting experience guiding the community's company and administering its asset on the Oceanfront," said Murray in a press release. "John is a founding member of the SODC Board of Directors, and I have absolute confidence in him to lead the SODC successfully through the next chapter.""There is much hard work ahead," said Turner, "but I am confident that, with everyone working together, we can realize the potential of this exceptional community asset."
The announcement came just as District of Squamish council sat down to a strategy meeting to review a planning process for the entire downtown peninsula presented by municipal staff.
The municipal Oceanfront land is again undergoing a planning strategy following the demise of a proposed partnership with a private developer last fall, and this time community and neighbouring landowner engagement is a top priority.Council reviewed a management framework yesterday led by planning staff and driven by the newly formed Peninsula Landowners Collaborative (PLC), which includes neighbouring landowners Westmana, BC Rail Properties and the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC).
"Staff are firmly of the position that the Peninsula lands planning area, which at this point has been loosely defined as those lands south of Vancouver Street and east of Cattermole Slough, must be considered one planning cell and be covered by one comprehensive Sub-Area Plan," states the staff report.
It states step one of the planning process places public engagement as a top priority.
"A public event has been scheduled for Sept. 22, to engage the public in a celebration of the Oceanfront and as a kick-off to the community planning process."
