Councillors in Gibsons have told Calvary Baptist Church to change its plan for an affordable housing project on Venture Way in order to preserve some of the land for future industrial use.
The property on Venture Way, which borders on the church’s existing property at 711 Park Road, as well as an existing strata development, is zoned for industrial/commercial use.
Brian Wiebe, the administrative officer for Calvary Baptist Church, appeared at the Feb. 7 committee of the whole meeting to outline the proposal to use the lot for a 55-plus housing project with anywhere from 60 to 100 units. Wiebe told the committee that the site meets a lot of criteria for a development geared at older adults, including being within 500 to 750 metres from shopping and banking, recreation facilities, churches, and medical/dental offices.
Wiebe also said the church has done some preliminary work and created a draft design, but “reached the stage at this point that we need some direction as to the possibility of having that [lot] rezoned for middle-density housing. If there is some acceptance for that idea, we’ll proceed. If not, we’ll move on to something else.”
A report from Town planning staff recommended against a rezoning because of “the need to protect the lands on Venture Way for future economic development.”
Mayor Wayne Rowe said at first he was inclined to agree with the report, but was also open to the compromise solution of finding a way to allow housing, but keep the industrial/commercial zoning for the part of the property fronting on Venture Way.
Rowe also floated the idea of making a trail network a condition of any rezoning to create links with the Parkland neighbourhood, Sunnycrest Mall and the Gibsons and Area Community Centre.
Coun. Stafford Lumley, on the other hand, said he isn’t sure there’s any pressing need to preserve undeveloped industrial land in the area. “The Industrial Revolution is over,” he quipped. “I know that land’s been available for so many years … I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”
Coun. Silas White said the Town needs to think “long term” and even if the land has attracted an industrial buyer, it’s in one of the only areas left where appropriately zoned land will be available in the future.
“This [proposal] looks great in the short term. It meets a need that we have right now for affordable housing, but we also really have to think long term. I’ve been thoroughly convinced by watching other communities in my time as a councillor … Don’t give up your industrial land for residential,” White said.
Rowe and Coun. Charlene SanJenko also spoke about the need for some public input on the proposal, while Coun. Jeremy Valeriote said the Town should also seek an opinion from economic development specialists.
In the end, the committee voted 4-1 to have the church “explore a site plan where Venture Way maintains a business use frontage and only a remainder to the back is made available for housing,” with White opposed.
“The message to take [from this motion],” Rowe told the church representatives, “is there’s reluctance to just turn this over from potential commercial/light industrial to residential, but there is a door open here. Whether or not it makes any sense to your project, you’ll have to decide.”
The committee also heard an update on another development proposal that could increase the affordable housing stock in Gibsons.
During a review of the draft plans for 464 Eaglecrest Drive, architect Tim Ankeman told the committee the developers are considering an affordable housing component in cooperation with the Sunshine Coast Housing Society that could be at least 8 to 10 units. He also said the company is looking at other sites around Gibsons that might be suitable for a rental project.
