Councillors in Sechelt have approved a plan to end access concerns for the owners of a series of water-access-only lots in the Sandy Hook neighbourhood, but they’re still waiting to see if the landowners will agree.
An informal trail has been used by people to get to and from their properties, but it doesn’t follow the right of way set out as an “undeveloped” trail by the district.
A group of property owners went to council in May asking for a land-swap after the owners of the lot at the trailhead said they would have to block it off because of the liability risk.
The swap would have made the existing trail the new district right of way.
In a motion, passed at a July 24 in-camera meeting and released to the public Sept. 18, council stopped short of a formal land swap.
It encourages the property owners along the Sandy Hook Trail “to enter into a reciprocal access easement” and declares that the district will cancel the dedicated trail registered across the lots known collectively as DL 4679 and return the property to the owners of sections of DL 4679.
Council also approved having the property owners register a covenant to ensure the easement agreement cannot be cancelled without the district’s consent.
“Residents have contacted Council asking for more time for them to explore other options before we release the dedicated trail,” district communications manager Julie Rogers told Coast Reporter after the motion’s release.
