Due to a procedural error by the District of Sechelt, the Wesbrooke by the Sea seniors’ development will have to head back to public hearing for a third time.
Council was made aware of the problem at its Feb. 1 regular meeting when staff explained council should have considered the Official Community Plan amendment needed for the Wesbrooke plan in conjunction with the district’s financial plan and any adopted waste management plans.
Council failed to do that when it gave first reading to Wesbrooke by the Sea in its new form on Dec. 21.
It’s not the first time council has made the error. In March of last year, council made the same mistake with the Rockwood Ocean Stories development pitched by Doug Spani for West Sechelt, which necessitated a second public hearing.
Wesbrooke by the Sea has already had two public hearings – one last April and then another one on Jan. 11, after the plan changed to include a 12-unit affordable housing building on the site.
The most recent public hearing for Wesbrooke saw speakers evenly split for and against the 124-unit assisted and supported living seniors’ development, which is slated for a 1.46-hectare site above Chatelech Secondary School in the Clayton Family Lands development.
Council didn’t speak to why the procedural error reoccurred with Wesbrooke on Feb. 1, but acting mayor Alice Lutes made a point to note all of the submissions from the past two public hearings would be carried over and included with information that comes from the next public hearing.
“So that people, unless they have more to add, wouldn’t need to resubmit,” Lutes said.
The date for a third public hearing for Wesbrooke by the Sea has been set for Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at the District of Sechelt municipal building.
