Members of Tuwanek Rate-payers Association are continuing to voice their objection to a District of Sechelt zoning bylaw amendment that council adopted this month after waiving a public hearing on the issue.
Staff presented the bylaw change as a minor text amendment that would reduce front and rear building setbacks from 7.5 metres to five metres for properties under 2,000 sq. metres (half an acre) located within the RR-1 zone.
The 18 properties in West Sechelt that would be affected by the change are all situated in an area designated for residential use under the official community plan and already have lot coverage and sideyard setbacks similar to residential zones, staff reported.
In late January, both the Tuwanek Ratepayers Association and West Sechelt Community Asso-ciation submitted letters of concern over the proposed change, both calling for a more complete assessment to be carried out as part of the upcoming zoning bylaw review.
Speaking at the Jan. 21 council meeting, Lynne Forrest, president of the Tuwanek group, warned that reduced setbacks would potentially not be confined to the 18 West Sechelt properties.
“There are large parcels in Wilson Creek, Tuwanek and East Porpoise Bay currently zoned RR-1, but they have not yet been subdivided,” Forrest told council. “The change, in our mind, would allow the subdivision to occur with the reduced setbacks. There is the issue.”
In response, Mayor Bruce Milne said both groups “have a strong commitment” from council that reduced setbacks would not be extended to other properties.
“You can have my word that the approving officer won’t approve subdivisions that allow for that,” Milne said, adding the groups’ concerns were “well noted.”
On Feb. 4, however, before council adopted the bylaw amendment, Milne pointed out that further correspondence from the Tuwanek group “indicates to me the community doesn’t quite agree with our comfort with this.”
Milne said council felt the bylaw change “will be OK … but I can assure you that if we need to rescind it, we will.”
Despite those assurances, Forrest wrote council on Feb. 13, saying the issues raised in regard to the bylaw “have not been fully discussed or understood by some council and staff prior to the making of definitive decisions.”
The letter reiterated the group’s concern that “our issues have the potential to impact additional areas of Sechelt.”
Forrest also cited a Jan. 27 B.C. Supreme Court ruling in favour of the Community Association of New Yaletown against the City of Vancouver, which found “the public hearing and development processes were flawed” for a land swap deal and rezoning for a high-density tower.
“We believe this decision illustrates why council should proceed with caution until all information is clearly and thoroughly discussed in public,” Forrest wrote.
Asked Tuesday if the association was considering taking the District to court over the bylaw amendment, Forrest said: “It is too soon to discuss that possibility. The mayor and council do have options to rescind the bylaw if they feel it is required.”
Forrest said Milne had responded to the Feb. 13 letter and was attempting to schedule a meeting with the group in early March.
