The land has been carved up and guidelines for future building sizes laid out. Now it's up to the District of Squamish (DOS) to decide whether the Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation's (SODC) zoning bylaw will get the rubber stamp.
If approved, it will move the corporation's plans to redevelop Squamish's waterfront into a "world-class work-live-recreate" one step closer to reality. But there are a number of hurdles that remain to be cleared.
Before the proposed zoning bylaw can go to public hearing, SODC and DOS officials must complete a Phased Development Agreement, said Bill McNeney, chair of the SODC. The agreement allows the district's engineering and planning departments to anticipate how the proposed development would affect existing infrastructure.
"Basically it is an attempt to say, 'You are going to add this number of residential units, that is going to have an impact on sewer, fire protection, those kinds of things,'" McNeney told The Chief after a public information meeting at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Company on Sept. 22.
Once that's completed, the project's zoning bylaw will head to council for first and second readings. If passed, a public hearing is held before the plan goes for its final approval. McNeney said the SODC officials expect the bylaws to go to public hearing in April.
The proposed zoning divides the 60 acres of land into thirds - green space, industrial/commercial and residential. The shoreline of the peninsula, which includes the creation of 12 acres of new land, would be zoned for parks and open space.
"The park is roughly a $5 million item," McNeney said, of the project's first phase.
The southeast corner of the property is highlighted as the "village city." Under the proposed zoning its uses would include allowances for a hotel, restaurants and arts and culture facilities. The maximum building height on the parcel of land would be set at six storeys.
SODC is proposing that a rectangular chunk of space in the middle of the property be zoned for light manufacturing. The area would accommodate business and high-tech professionals, McNeney said. Its proposed height regulation is set at three storeys.
Next to it, the project has slated 3.1 acres for educational institutions. The land was originally targeted for Capilano University, McNeney noted, adding that because of the university's recent cuts, that idea is currently not a hot item. The maximum proposed height on this plot is six storeys.
Land running adjacent to the Squamish Terminals is slated for marine-related industry. Its maximum building height is also set at three storeys.
The strip of property beside the Mamquam Blind Channel is labeled for waterfront residential. Zoning sought by the SDOC would allow for multi-family residential use and buildings up to 12 storeys high.
The northern end of the peninsula is divided into two zoning designations, both for residential use. The western portion has a maximum building height of three storeys, while the eastern portion is calling for six storeys.
When the SDOC plan was vetted, the heights for the different sections of land were considered feasible, McNeney said.
"A lot of this is trying to put down what we gained from the people who took part in all the stakeholder meetings and enter it into the realism of what we were calling a fairly conservative business plan," he said.
Westmana Development Corp. and the British Columbia Railway Properties both hold land at the entrance to the SODC's proposed project. There are rumors that Westmana's parcel, which now includes the Squamish Yacht Club, is going to a bank sale, McNeney said; however that should not affect the overall plans for the peninsula.
"If [the SODC] goes ahead, they will see value. If we don't go ahead it will be tough for them to see value," McNeney noted.
Westmana officials did not return The Chief's request for an interview.
If the rezoning is approved, the district will have to decide what kind of role it wants to play in the project, said David Greenfield, principal of GroundEffects, the consulting firm hired by SODC. The district could become more involved with the development, seek a partnership or sell the land outright, he said. The property could be sold off to many smaller construction companies or a single large business, he added.
With development comes risk, McNeney warned. If the DOS partners with a company it would lose some of its control, but also the stakes could be lowered, he noted.
"What we are finding in these negotiations is the risk aspect is a real problem if you are a community or politician," he warned.
