Tax rates
Sechelt council adopted the 2016 tax rates bylaw during a May 11 special council meeting.
The new municipal mill rate is set at 2.93229 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, which will equate to about $44 more for the average homeowner in 2016. That figure is based on a home worth about $412,000.
In addition to the increase in the mill rate, Sechelt homeowners can expect to pay about $5 more for garbage fees this year and about $7 more for sewer user fees.
U Brew
The Wilson Creek UBrew could be moving to a new site up Field Road if the subject property passes a needed zoning amendment.
Currently the subject property at 1680 Field Road is zoned R-3 residential and it would need to be rezoned to C-4 Commercial for the UBrew to relocate to the approximately 1,600-square-metre property.
The UBrew proposal calls for the demolition of existing structures already on site and the construction of two new buildings – a two-storey commercial building that would include a caretaker’s suite and a one-storey building.
“One building will be the location of the UBrew while the other will be used for future commercial uses,” a staff report said.
Councillors at an April 27 planning and community development meeting had no issues with the request and it passed first reading with unanimous approval at a regular council meeting on May 4.
A public hearing has been scheduled for the rezoning application on May 31 at 7 p.m. at the District of Sechelt community use room.
Wesbrooke by the Sea
Council was unclear on some aspects of the Wesbrooke By the Sea seniors’ development project and still held several concerns at the May 4 regular council meeting. In light of those concerns council sent the proposal, which has had first reading and a public hearing, back to staff for more clarification and further discussion.
“What I’ve heard this evening are concerns from a number of councillors regarding height, buffer, noise, site location,” said Mayor Bruce Milne during the May 4 meeting.
“Which tells me we probably need this to go back to staff and I’m looking for a motion to refer it back to staff for further discussion, taking into account what we’ve heard this evening.”
Coun. Darnelda Siegers also mentioned the need for further clarification on the affordable housing calculation used for the development, which would be built on a portion of the Clayton Family Lands behind the Trail Bay Estates development in West Sechelt.
“We want to make sure the public is aware of how the different calculations are made on the various developments that are coming forward so that they know that they’re being equitably treated,” Siegers said.
“So I’d like to see how this is done so it’s open and transparent to the community.”
When the question was called to send the proposal back to staff, all were in favour.
