The Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society’s proposal to build new rental apartments on Shaw Road in partnership with the Town of Gibsons has been given final zoning approval.
Councillors voted unanimously Nov. 19 in favour of adoption of both zoning and Official Community Plan amendments for the Town-owned lot at 571 Shaw, beside Christenson Village.
When the project went to public hearing in September, about 30 people attended and all those who chose to speak supported the project.
The Affordable Housing Society is hoping to secure provincial or federal grants for the development, which would start with a first phase of 40 units. A second phase would add 30 units.
The plan also calls for setting aside half of the 1.56-hectare lot for “future community use or park.”
An earlier version of the proposal called for the project to go on another piece of Town-owned property in the same neighbourhood, known as the Charman Creek Lands.
That idea met with opposition from community members who want the green space preserved. There’s now a petition underway to convince the Town to designate the area as a park.
