Gibsons council is close to having a plan in place for Gospel Rock, but two provincial departments will have to get on board before it goes any further.
"The Ministry of Trans-portation and Infrastructure (MOTI) and the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC), for that matter, are the only two provincial authorities with which, in certain instances, we share authority over land use regulation, so we do require their approval," said Gibsons municipal planner Michael Epp, noting neither have approved the draft Gospel Rock plan yet.
Council met for a special committee of the whole meeting Oct. 12 to go over seven outstanding issues in the draft Gospel Rock neighbourhood plan. Those issues included the total amount of parkland and open space in the plan, proposed waterfront development, the heritage and cultural value of the area, the wildlife corridor on Shaw Road, drainage issues, Seward Creek protection and road access.
Despite not having approval from provincial authorities, council decided to continue with the meeting and consider the seven points, hoping that once staff meet with MOTI and the ALC, they will change their minds.
The ALC wants the plan to be changed to depict the existing Chaster Road and an extension of Kearton Road as the primary accesses to the development. The ALC does not want to see Mahon Road contemplated for vehicular access.
MOTI said they would not approve the plan until at least one east/west connection to Gibsons Landing is created.
Mayor Barry Janyk said the options provided by provincial authorities will not work and staff need to bring them up to date on the plan and all the options looked at over the years.
"I think they don't understand the real predicament we're in," Janyk said.
Staff was directed to have meetings with MOTI and the ALC to plead the Town's case.
With that issue on the back burner, council dealt with the contentious issue of waterfront development.
Coun. LeeAnn Johnson made the case to save the entire waterfront section in Gospel Rock from any development due to its "rare and endangered ecosystem."
The owners of the area want to develop the waterfront, but have agreed to cap units at 10 on either end of the waterfront strip, leaving approximately 70 per cent of the land for the Town to own.
Many councillors thought it was an area that was worth compromise.
"I think it's time to start looking at compromise. We have to start realizing in this community there are compromises required in order to go forward," said Coun. Gerry Tretick.
Janyk said he didn't feel "particularly ambivalent" to the owners of the waterfront section and he wasn't in the mood for compromise.
"Where you talk about compromise, what I'd like to talk about is integrity," Janyk said, steering the conversation towards the property owners' decision to back out of a verbal deal to pay for about $65,000 in Gospel Rock planning costs incurred so far.
Tretick rebutted by saying it was Janyk's fault there was no official contract signed committing the property owners to pay.
"I think that was your responsibility to make sure there was a contract so we could receive funds. There's no paperwork, nothing," Tretick said.
He also said the verbal agreement fell apart when Janyk requested a plebiscite on the issue.
"There was a loss of confidence in the process because they sat down for three years negotiating, I call it negotiating, and at the last minute you said, 'well, I'm not ready to make this decision,'" Tretick said.
Janyk denied the accusation and said the plebiscite was simply an idea he raised that was voted down by council.
"I think it was a convenient way for these folks to sidestep their responsibilities to the Town of Gibsons," Janyk said.
After more debate, the question was called about whether to allow the 10 units at either end of the waterfront section, and it passed, with Tretick, Coun. Wayne Rowe and Coun. Bob Curry in favour and Janyk and Johnson against.
Council decided to stick with the current provision of 3.64 hectares of community parks and 23.06 hectares of open space in the Gospel Rock draft plan, but added a stipulation that parks for young children be considered when the first application for redevelopment is approved.
They moved that consideration be given for two green belt/wildlife corridors that connect the ravine directly to the north to the southern extent of the planning area boundary.
They agreed to incorporate wording in the document that the area's heritage and cultural value be represented in any development and that a storm water management plan be created before any building takes place.
They asked for staff to come back with information about the implications of re-allocating some green space in the plan to better complement Seaward Creek.
