Telus is proposing to construct a wireless telecommunication tower at Coast Gravity Park, on the east side of Sechelt Inlet.
At an Oct. 21 committee meeting, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) moved to grant concurrence for the proposal, which is slated to be approved at the Oct. 28 board meeting.
The location is about 1.5 kilometres up the hillside within Coast Gravity Park, a low-elevation mountain bike park in the Halfmoon Bay electoral area. The proposal situates the tower on a large, forested property on undeveloped land and away from residential areas. The 60-metre-high tower will be surrounded by mature trees, which will screen a portion of it, the staff report reads. An emergency generator will be included at the base of the tower.
Approval of such telecommunications facilities is under the exclusive jurisdiction of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which requires consultation with local governments and the public. Telus has been working with shíshálh Nation to address requirements, including archeological work.
No comments from the public were received during the comment period about this proposal, and the Halfmoon Bay Advisory Planning Commission has recommended support, SCRD senior planner Yuli Siao told directors. Notices were sent out to properties in a range of three times the height of the tower.
Sechelt director Alton Toth said the East Porpoise Bay Community Association directors were all in favour of supporting the tower.
The tower’s proposed location is about four kilometres away from the Sechelt Airport.
“The Airport did not have concerns with the proposal but has asked Telus to develop a tower lighting maintenance plan to ensure any tower lighting is replaced should it fail. Telus and the Airport are in discussion to ensure this is undertaken,” the Oct. 21 staff report said.
Staff recommended granting concurrence to the proposal. The SCRD rural directors for areas A, B, D, E and F (Pender Harbour, Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone and West Howe Sound) voted in favour and referred the motion to the upcoming board meeting. Halfmoon Bay director Lori Pratt was not present at the meeting.
