A decision made more than a decade ago put Sechelt councillors in a difficult spot May 2 when they had to vote on a development permit for a multi-family project in West Sechelt.
Seaview Villas, a strata development in the area of Jasper and McCourt roads approved in the early 2000s, was never fully built out. Only eight duplexes were completed. The new owner of the undeveloped lot wants to go forward with a project called Oceanview Villas, consisting of eight “stacked” townhouses with four units in each building.
The West Sechelt Community Association objects to the project, mainly on the grounds of height and density.
In a presentation to council, association representative Bob Sangster said the project should be evaluated based on how the neighbourhood has evolved, not how it looked when Seaview Villas went forward.
“Thirteen years later, this development is the final piece to complete an existing established neighbourhood. All the adjoining homes and property values should not have to be so seriously impacted, as a result of the final piece,” Sangster’s written submission said.
“The neighbours of the Oceanview development are not opposed to the development of this property, and surely all have purchased, built, and lived in the area with the understanding that a development would be built. We would welcome the opportunity to work with the developer to help create a project that addresses the community’s concerns.”
Director of planning Tracy Corbett told council the property’s R4 zoning has been in place since 1995 and, in what she described as an “interesting” interpretation, duplexes were deemed compliant for that site when Seaview was approved, even though the R4 rules don’t allow them. “I’m not sure, and it certainly doesn’t show up in the reports I was able to access, what the thought process was [at the time].”
Corbett also pointed out that with a development permit application council cannot alter density or use.
When asked by Coun. Doug Wright if trying to retroactively lower the allowed density on the lot could put the district in legal jeopardy, Corbett said, “Yes, that is correct, and there are precedents.”
Wright said that put council in a bind. “The sad part of this is that the developer and the community association aren’t able to get together and come up with something that’s acceptable to both parties, and now we’re sitting here with a development that the community association is unhappy with, and we’re going to be caught with ‘do we want to go to court?’”
