A public hearing date has been set for Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. to bring the new harbour area master plan to the public in Gibsons.
The public consultation phase represents the last step before the plan can be given to council for its first reading on the way to being enacted.
Residents will have the chance to offer input, as the plan, several years in the making, stands poised to join the Gibsons official community plan.
Hotel/conference centre
One significant facet of the harbour plan is the zoning area designated residential or tourist accommodation, which could conceivably be host to a hotel or conference centre.
Council received a letter at Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting from Art Phillips, written on behalf of Klaus Fuerniss, eyeing the possibility of a hotel being built on the Gibsons waterfront.
Before such a development can proceed and a permit application filed, approval from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is required to first address marine issues.
"We have decided to first approach DFO regarding the future hotel/conference centre on property that currently accommodates Hyak Marine and two single family homes," wrote Phillips. "We appreciate any assistance that the Town can provide at this time."
Coun. Dan Bouman showed some apprehension at the prospect of the request during the Dec. 10 meeting. "We've all been hearing about potential projects in this nature for quite a long time," he said. "I'm a little nervous that we might create an impression of sort of pre-approval."
Mayor Wayne Rowe suggested a letter be written so long as it is made clear to not be an approval, and Coun. Gerry Tretick requested that the letter make its way to a later council meeting for further consideration.
Rezoning request
Shang Ma appeared before the committee of the whole to make her case to rezone the seniors care facility at 963 Gibsons Way.
Originally a motel, Ma said her group began operating the facility around a year ago after it had been turned into a seniors home.
The problem is competition, as more complete service facilities on the Coast have meant the home has seen an occupancy rate of between 30 and 50 per cent. Many residents are on the waiting list for other locations.
Ma hopes that a rezoning of the parcel from senior congregate care to residential will allow her to open a mid-level Best Western Hotel that caters to tourists.
With her proposal came plans to address congestion in the area and offer services to her existing clients.
Council asked Ma to work with staff on the formal permit and bylaw process required for the rezoning application.
Ancillary use bylaw
Another public hearing date has been set for Feb. 7 at 5:30 p.m. to consider input into a zoning bylaw that could see accessory uses of public spaces like churches and schools.
The legislation was born of a need for churches to find new sources of funding in times of economic difficulty. The bylaw could allow small office spaces or small commercial ventures, unrelated to the principle use of the building, to operate within the parcel.
