Gibsons council has passed first reading for the first development proposal to come forward under the Gospel Rock Neighbour-hood Plan (GRNP) that was adopted in 2012.
Greenlane Homes, headed by Ji Yongqiang, purchased Block 7 at Gospel Rock in 2016, and brought forward an application for the Gospel Rock Village mixed-use development last year.
The rezoning necessary for the proposal to go forward was up for first reading April 3.
Director of planning Lesley-Ann Staats told council that subdividing the property in a way that makes the green space, which includes the entire waterfront and the Cross Rock area, a separate parcel would put other parcels over the density limit in the GRNP. She recommended density be calculated over the whole of Block 7.
Other changes made since the last review of the development include: a cap on the number of units at 360, with a maximum of 150 apartment units and 150 townhouses; a maximum floor area for commercial uses of 5,000 sq. feet (465 sq. metres); and a prohibition against secondary suites in some areas.
Sharon Danroth of For the Love of Gospel Rock Society, which has lobbied to have the entire property converted to a park, was one of two delegations that asked to speak on the issue.
“This development plan with its overwhelming traffic completely destroys our existing, beautiful, semi-rural community,” Danroth said. “Our society still has the goal of preserving all of Block 7 as a natural park.”
Danroth also read a letter from the Elphinstone Electors Community Asso-ciation to the provincial ministers of transportation and municipal affairs, highlighting concerns over the use of Pratt and Chaster roads as the main access route for the development.
Pratt Road resident Susan Rule, who led a petition drive calling for “infrastructure before development,” also spoke and presented the 233-signature petition to council. “I can’t understand how the Town thinks it’s OK to affect one community to build a whole other community,” she said, before outlining 13 reasons the petitioners want to see a second access. She concluded: “It’s not ethical for the Town to dump all its traffic on SCRD Area E, Elphinstone, and to run it all down Pratt Road without putting in another arterial road.”
Before calling for the vote, Mayor Wayne Rowe went over the history of the creation of the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan, pointing out the involvement of representatives from Elphinstone.
“There was a comment made about infrastructure first,” Rowe added. “There’s no pot of money to just go out and put in roads and sewers and water lines. It has to start with a development because the money has to be generated to do that. There has to be some development before the infrastructure takes place.”
Coun. Charlene SanJenko said she’s been impressed by the amount of public engagement Town staff and the developers have had so far, and said first reading will continue that process. “There’s going to be many more opportunities, but it starts with first reading to get us talking about it.”
Coun. Silas White supported the changes proposed by planning staff. “It does allow the preservation of 49 per cent green space, and brings the density down a significant number from 753 to 360 [units]. That can mitigate concerns,” he said.
Before setting a date for the public hearing, Town staff will draft the terms of a development agreement with provisions for affordable housing and community amenity contributions, infrastructure service requirements, and park dedication.
The investors behind Greenlane Homes also own the neighbouring property, Block 6, but have not come forward with any development plans for that land.
