Developers behind a proposed golf resort that wasn’t supported by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District have asked the City of Salmon Arm to expand its boundary to include the development property.
Last week, Salmon Arm council received a one-page letter on behalf of the Canoe Creek Golf Resort from consulting firm the Focus Corporation. The letter asks that the city consider a municipal boundary extension to include the proposed golf course development – 495 residential units/lots in a mix of housing types also including a resort condo hotel and conference centre, townhouse villas, apartments and adult bungalows.
The letter states Canoe Creek’s owners envision a resort/residential community servicing the Salmon Arm/Ranchero/Deep Creek area, the first phases of which would include single family homes, duplex and triplex homes as well as a small townhouse phase.
“The economic spin-offs and associated job creation directly associated with this development will provide Salmon Arm with a kick-start of economic activity,” the letter states.
City administrator Carl Bannister explained the request would involve a complicated and lengthy process. He recommended before council make a decision, the applicant invest in providing a more extensive background report.
Council agreed that more information is needed. Coun. Alan Harrison also noted that the development did not proceed to rezoning at the regional district level. This was confirmed by Mayor Marty Bootsma who, with Coun. Kevin Flynn, sits on the CSRD board as regional directors.
“One of the readings was rescinded and the public hearing was cancelled,” commented Bootsma.
The development proposal was previously referred to Salmon Arm council for comment in December.
At that time, staff provided council with a long list of reasons of why the development should not be supported. These included: potential pressure for changing land uses in the city’s industrial area; additional traffic on the city’s road network; uncertainty about servicing; and competition for residential land development in the city’s urban containment boundary.
“I am not against the principle of allowing residential around this golf course,” Flynn said at that time. “I am against the scope, the size, the lack of phasing and a lot of the concerns that staff’s very detailed and very good report makes very clear. So I will support the motion, but I do want to make it clear that I’m not opposed to some form of residential and hotel development.”
Coun. Ken Jamieson called proposed boundary expansion an intriguing idea, and said he would be interested in the consultation process with Salmon Arm residents, as well as residents in the effected area.
“I guess the focus is why they think it would be good for them and why they think it would be good for the City of Salmon Arm, and I look forward to reading that in their report,” said Jamieson.