Skip to content

Sechelt Briefs

Council
housing
Architect Peter Treuheit’s rendering of the proposed BC Housing building on Hightide Avenue.

Brewery/distillery zoning

Sechelt council’s planning and community development committee is recommending a zoning amendment that would make microbreweries and micro-distilleries with tasting lounges allowed uses in the C-2 (Commercial) zone, which would allow them to set up downtown.

According to a report from the planning department for the committee’s July 25 meeting, the district has received inquiries from people interested in establishing that type of business in the C-2 area.

Coun. Alice Lutes wondered whether the bylaw should include references to water use. “It’s my understanding that microbreweries use an awful lot of water. Does that come into this part of the zoning or will it be up to the regional district to approve the use?” she asked.

Planner Angela Letman said any applications would be referred to the Sunshine Coast Regional District, which would be able to comment on any concerns around water.

The committee also recommended a provision that would restrict the brewing or distilling to an area that does not exceed 50 per cent of the gross floor area or 110 sq. metres, whichever is less.

And the public works department has recommended the bylaw ensure that any effluent from brewing and distilling is pre-treated before going into the sewer system.

The recommendations were expected to go to council Aug. 1.

BC Housing development permit

The planning committee also voted at its July 25 meeting to recommend council approve the development permit for the proposed BC Housing supportive housing complex at 5656 Hightide Ave.

The building will be three storeys with 40 units of supportive housing in studio apartments of about 32 sq. metres (344 sq. ft.) each. There will also be offices for staff and the support and counselling services and areas for meal preparation, a laundry room and common areas located on the ground floor.

The conditions include requiring a landscape bond of $24,993.75 and retention of a mature fir tree located in the southwest corner of the property.

The permit cannot be issued until council adopts the zoning and Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments and the partial road closure of Hightide Avenue.

Habitat strata conversion

The July 25 planning committee meeting also saw passage of a recommendation to approve a strata title conversion for Habitat for Humanity’s Sunshine Coast Village project in Wilson Creek.

Laurie Vance of Habitat for Humanity told the committee that when the existing homes were first built the Habitat board did not want to delay getting people into their new houses and allowed people to move in before registering a strata with the province.

The result was that, from a strictly legal perspective, the Habitat families have been renting – although Habitat is putting that money toward the mortgages.

The strata conversion will allow ownership of the units in line with the Habitat model.