A Gospel Rock zoning application has forced the Town of Gibsons to consider a decision regarding the allocation of parkland in the block seven waterfront area.
Up to this point, the Town has been delaying consideration of the application under the pretense of waiting for the Gospel Rock neighbourhood plan to be completed.
"But that can only be done for so long, so that's where we're at now. We have information that we can no longer withhold the subdivision," said municipal planner Michael Epp at the Jan. 31 committee of the whole meeting, alluding to advice from the Town's lawyers.
Staff requested that a decision package be considered for either the Feb. 7 or Feb. 21 meeting of council.
Gibsons maintains a choice of acquiring ownership over five per cent of the property to be used as parkland, or taking a cash-in-lieu payment for that land's value.
As the proponent has expressed a loss of faith in the planning process and has forwarded a preliminary subdivision application to the Town, a decision will be needed that complements the Gospel Rock park objectives, with regards to areas valued for their sensitivity or public enjoyment.
"I have a very strong feeling that we need to get in touch with reality, so I would like to suggest that we convene on the site," Coun. Dan Bouman suggested. "Not to have a discussion or a debate, but to look at the parameters of development that are under consideration."
Council supported Bouman's suggestion.
The challenge for council will be deciding how they might allocate the approximately 9,500 sq. metres of parkland throughout block seven, the area that includes Gospel Rock, Cross Rock and Little Africa.
Another way the Town can set aside lands for public use is by establishing a 40-metre gap along the waterfront that stretches to the road for beach access.
This strategy could potentially be used to protect Gospel Rock while allowing the five per cent to be used wholly on Cross Rock and Little Africa.
Biodiversty
Following news that the Ruby Lake Lagoon Nature Reserve society had successfully obtained funding to develop a biodiversity strategy for the Sunshine Coast, Cynthia Bendickson came to the committee to provide an update on the group's activities.
Developing a Coastal framework will include several initiatives, she said, including a biodiversity assessment, public workshops, a biodiversity summit that includes local stakeholders and promotion of biodiversity through parklands.
"Sometimes you can find species that you didn't even know existed here, and that would be great too," Bendickson said.
The group hopes to extend its workshops down to the Gibsons area.
For more information, see www.lagoonsociety.com.
SARP
The Sunshine Coast Regional District forwarded an update on the source assessment response plan (SARP) to the Town for information.
The plan is part of an effort to identify risk factors affecting the Coastal watershed and potential strategies for a response.
"The onerous obligations [to protect the water] are here with the Town," Bouman said. "The SARP is kind of an attempt to make some progress here I really do hope that people go to the public open houses about SARP."
