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Waterfront landing has moved a few steps closer to becoming a reality, after council passed the first two readings of the project's development bylaw amendment.
The motion moved ahead following lengthy discussion at both the evening council meeting and the strategy session earlier in the day on Tuesday (April 3), after councillors voted 5-2 for both first and second readings. Councillors Greg Gardner and Raj Kahlon both opposed the motion.
"This is a bit of a momentous occasion," said Cameron Chalmers, director of planning for the district. "We have been working on this plan for a year. It's a lengthy and in-depth document, on the scale of an Official Community Plan.
"Squamish has never seen a development of this scope before."
The site, along the west shore of the Mamquam Blind Channel, would be able to accommodate upwards of 3,500 residents, and in Chalmers estimation take at least 15 years to complete.
The site would also include commercial spaces, and nearly 50 per cent of the area would be set aside for public spaces.
However, Kahlon did not feel that the proposal would have enough commercial or light industrial spaces.
"I have said before that I would not support this bylaw change unless it created a substantial amount of new job spaces," said Kahlon. "Where is the light industrial? Where are the marine based jobs?"
Gardner echoed Kahlon's concerns about job creation, stating that he had hoped that the site plan would include more light industrial spaces as well as hotel space.
However, council was by and large supportive of the bylaw proceeding ahead to the public hearing stage.
"I think with this I am looking forward to hearing from the public," said Mayor Ian Sutherland. "There will definitely be different opinions around this, from whether we want residential towers in our community to what it means for the future. It will be interesting."
The date for a public hearing was not set at the meeting, as the planning department first wishes to do referral notices, to inform and get feedback from interested parties.
"We should be able to get through that process in four to six weeks, and then council will be able to move ahead with scheduling a public hearing," said Chalmers.
Council encouraged to participate in climate campaign
A delegation from the Squamish Environmental Conservation Society (SECS) and the Howe Sound Youth Action Committee (YAC) came to address council on their upcoming Cool Climate Campaign Information Series.
"The information series will include showings of The Inconvenient Truth and other climate change related movies, presentations of green school projects and the Light Bulb Campaign initiated by the YAC," Catherine Jackson of the SECS.
The Light Bulb Campaign provides an opportunity to trade in old light bulbs for more energy efficient ones, reducing energy use up to 80 per cent, at a discounted rate.
All events will take place at the Adventure Centre, and run from April 18 until May 3.
"The climax of the series, is on May 3," said Jackson. "Guy Dauncey, President of the BC Sustainable Energy Association and author of Stormy Weather, 101 Solutions to Climate Change will offer a wealth of practical examples and best practices that individuals, communities, and elected representatives are currently doing that address climate change."
