Gibsons hot tub
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) is moving forward with replacement of the hot tub at the Gibsons Aquatic Centre.
The project was slowed by an at times contentious debate over costs, but a budget of just under $300,000 was agreed on by the SCRD board and the request for proposals from companies interested in doing to the work was issued April 7.
In his quarterly report, SCRD manager of planning and community development Ian Hall said staff is hoping to take advantage of the facility’s regular maintenance shutdown to limit impacts on programs at the Aquatic Centre.
“Staff are pleased to be moving forward on this and looking forward, as I know the community is, to the hot tub reopening late this summer or early this fall,” Hall told the April 13 planning and community development committee meeting. An information board is being installed at the Aquatic Centre.
Ruby Lake expansion
The expansion plan for Ruby Lake Resort is going forward to third reading after a public hearing in February.
The hearing submissions along with OCP and zoning amendment details were presented at the April 13 planning and community development committee meeting.
The proposed bylaws also include a covenant meant to address some concerns.
“I’m satisfied that all parties have had the opportunity to engage, and I think that everyone’s worked hard to find a balanced solution,” said Area A director Frank Mauro. “I think the required covenant covers a lot of the concerns that I heard.”
The covenant would require a drainage plan to be implemented/installed and maintained by the resort owner, a limit on the total combined occupancy of the site and the seating capacity of the amphitheatre to 200 to ensure that the parking supply is sufficient, no hard surfacing on the parking areas, a limit on the size of the amphitheatre to its existing area plus 10 per cent to allow for a modest alteration, and a series of remediation options to address noise complaints.
Private campground proposed in Roberts Creek
The owners of a property at 2089 Lockyer Road, in the area where Lockyer changes to the East Wilson Forest Service Road, are looking for a partial rezoning to allow them to establish a campground.
The campground proposal calls for 10 sleeping cabins as opposed to the typical tent sites or RV parking.
According to a report from SCRD staff, the Roberts Creek Official Com-munity Plan Committee reviewed the application and supports zoning and OCP amendments “as they fit within the OCP for promoting tourism and agri-tourism.”
The property has split zoning, and only part of it is in the RU-2 zone where campgrounds are allowed. The rest is RU-1. SCRD staff told the April 13 planning and community development committee meeting that the unusual situation was created by a mapping error several years ago.
There was a concern raised by the Roberts Creek Volunteer Fire Department, which noted that although the lot is within the fire protection district, it’s approximately 4.8 km from the fire hall and the nearest fire hydrant, and accessible only via a gravel road.
The property owners have agreed to install water tanks on site to be used in the event of a fire.
The committee voted unanimously to forward the zoning bylaw to the SCRD board for first reading.
Advisory committees
After approving new terms of reference in February, the SCRD is recruiting new members for its agriculture advisory committee (AAC).
The new AAC can have up to 10 members, who will be appointed by the SCRD board and offer “diverse representation from each electoral area and municipality.”
The board is looking for members “who have knowledge and/or experience in agriculture, agri-tourism, soils, processing and distribution, and/or water management.”
