Except for a minor name change in the official community plan (OCP) amendment bylaw, Target Marine Hatcheries' proposal to process sturgeon onsite passed the required readings to get underway without any discussion Wednesday night.
A full audience of people in favour and opposed to the plan demanded more seating to hear Sechelt council's final decision, yet it passed without even a whisper from those gathered Jan. 18.
The only discussion was about a swap of the name Target Marine Hatcheries Ltd. for the address of the property.
"The bylaw right now makes reference to Target Marine Hatcheries Ltd. because it's referring to the OCP bylaw, which also used those words. What we would like to do is amend that, and so in doing we will also be amending the source OCP bylaw," director of corporate services Jo-Anne Frank said.
Council moved the change unanimously. It was the first of a series of unanimous votes to pass both the required OCP amendment and bylaw amendment to allow Target to start processing sturgeon and producing caviar on site.
Following the final vote, Mayor John Henderson felt compelled to say a few words.
"I just want to take a minute because I think this is a pretty significant event in Sechelt's history, and I just wanted to acknowledge first of all the contributions from everybody in the community," Henderson said. "Thank you, Target Marine for your willingness to locate in Sechelt, and be an innovative and creative business, and I thank you for your patience in pursuing a due process."
Henderson then addressed the crowd that came to hear the final decision on the proposal, which has been before the District multiple times since 2008.
"I also, on behalf of the councils, thank all of you. There's been a lot of energy and a lot of commitment and a lot of dedication shown by many people both in favour and opposed, and I think the challenge now is for us moving forward to take that same energy and put it into forward looking things," Henderson said. "Let's get past this. I know it's created a rift in some parts of our community, but now it's done. The decision is made, and I really hope we can get on with making Sechelt even better than it is already."
In a follow-up interview with Target Marine Hatcheries manager Justin Henry on Thursday morning, he thanked the community and council for their support of the plan.
"I feel grateful to the people of Sechelt for their support and for electing a council that's in touch with the people, a council that can see this as a great opportunity for Sechelt," Henry said. "Also it's a relief to be able to focus on our business instead of politics. As our business is evolving and developing here, it needs a lot of focus. And we've got, I think, a really exciting future ahead of us."
Currently Target is building a storage shed on site that Henry said will be converted to house the sturgeon processing operation.
"Hopefully that building will be completed in the late spring or early summer, and we'll be able to process our first caviar at that time," Henry said.
