Sechelt council’s planning and community development committee is recommending new left turn lanes on Highway 101 in Wilson Creek to serve the Habitat for Humanity project and the proposed expansion of the Big Maples mobile home park.
When it was first approved, Habitat for Humanity’s 14-unit townhouse complex was going to be required to have a full laneway to Field Road for access. At the time, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) did not want the main access off the highway. MOTI has since changed its stance.
Habitat’s Tom Smith told the committee on Aug. 30 that allowing the left turn lanes to go ahead and dropping the requirement for a laneway connected with Field Road is the most cost-effective solution. He said building the full laneway would cost about $250,000, and building a partial laneway would be about $130,000.
Smith said with cost sharing between Habitat and Big Maples, “it will cost each party approximately $120,000 to implement the left turn lanes.”
He also said Habitat believes the laneway would never be used.
“The rear laneway does not need to extend to our site… We feel it will sit there unused and connected to nothing, in our opinion, probably forever. There are some cost-prohibitive aspects of building the lane, regarding soils and groundwater, etc.”
Coun. Darnelda Siegers summed up her willingness to support the changes simply. “It was required [by MOTI]. It’s no longer required. So I’m in favour of removing it,” she said.
Habitat was also successful in getting the committee’s support for changes to the landscaping plan.
The committee recommendation was expected to go to full council for endorsement at the Sept. 6 regular meeting.
