A public hearing was held June 13 as planners with the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) sought to gather public comment on a highly controversial subdivision in Halfmoon Bay.
Property owners Lynne and Ron Brown have applied to have their property subdivided, requiring amendments to the Halfmoon Bay official community plan and zoning bylaws.
Each lot would be allowed to have one house.
Bylaw 325.20 would introduce a new residential land use designation, residential C1. This designation would restrict the number of dwellings to one per minimum lot size, or 8,000 square metres (0.8 ha).
A number of covenants have also been proposed that deal with access to the property, including protection from tree removal of an outlying panhandle that wraps around the property.
Height and area restrictions have also been proposed for a house in the proposed lot, of 8.5 metres and 2,000 square feet (610 square metres).
A tally of general comments made by residents to planning staff before the hearing showed 72 had logged their support, 20 their opposition, and a further three showed mixed or conditional support.
Many of the letters echoed a similar sentiment, that "the Browns have met all statutory requirements, and a majority of residents are in support."
"Assuming all of the rigorous subdivision protocols have been successfully met, I have no concerns," wrote one neighbour.
But other neighbours are less convinced, including Ed and Sylvia Fockler, who claimed to represent nine properties and their owners immediately adjacent to the Brown lot.
"These changes to our district bylaws are apparently being sought to accommodate short-term personal financial interests," their letter read. "No reason has been given by the applicant except personal gain for requesting approval for amending OCP and SCRD zoning rules."
