Sechelt council has delayed a vote on a waterfront development proposal that’s already gone through three revisions and two public hearings.
RTC Developments is looking to rezone property at the corner of Shorncliffe Avenue and the Sunshine Coast Highway.
Council voted Dec. 6 to defer a vote on third reading for the project, which had been reduced to 20 units in a 4-2 vote at second reading Nov. 15.
Reducing the density to 20 units meant the district could not ask for amenities through “density bonusing,” including a contribution of more than $400,000 for affordable housing.
A report from the planning department said the developer had “confirmed his wish to proceed with the bylaw as amended.”
Coun. Darren Inkster, who was absent for the Nov. 15 meeting, said the way the amendment was structured would allow for fewer units, but the same lot coverage, so they could just end up being bigger homes with more residents and no less dense than the previous 31-unit plan.
While Coun. Noel Muller defended the 20-unit limit, Coun. Darnelda Siegers reiterated her support for a 31-unit development. “I think we came up with a proposal that everyone could live with. I’m not in favour of the reduction to 20 units and the loss of amenities that would come with it,” she said.
The push to defer came from Coun. Doug Wright, who had made similar arguments Nov. 15 against “playing planner” at the council table. “I don’t think 20 units is the right number. Nor do I think 31 units is the right number,” Wright said. “I believe if we could have come down somewhere in the middle we would have made the community happy and we could have had the amenities we needed. At some point we are very likely going to be asked to provide some of those amenities, and I know where I’m going to have to go to get that money.”
Wright said he would rather see the rezoning deferred to the next council meeting (Dec. 20) than see it fail on a tied vote given that Mayor Bruce Milne was absent, leaving only six people at the table.
