A controversial development in the North Shuswap has come under scrutiny from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District board over their failure to post a re-zoning notice on the subject property and their plan for sewage disposal.
The Gateway Lakeview Resort,which has been a contentious issue in the area for years, has had several other land use and rezoning issues ruled on by the CSRD in the past.
The developers are seeking rezoning from Rural Residential Secondary Settlement Area to Comprehensive Development Secondary Settlement Area.
The plan submitted to CSRD would see the approximately 72-acre property go from housing 22 single-family cabins and 113 RV sites to as many as 292 lots for a mixture of detached single family dwellings, duplexes, accessory upper-floor dwelling units and resort residential spaces.
Small-scale neighbourhood commercial uses and more moorage slips and buoys on the lakefront would also be permitted by re-zoning.
The board’s decision rescinded the first two readings of the application, but the developer is still able to reconsider portions of their application, including the sewage treatment scheme and resubmit.
“There was a very strong message from the board that the lake discharge scenario was just not acceptable. It wouldn’t be acceptable with all the public opposition to that and the fact that it’s contrary to the liquid management plan, and the board generally didn’t feel that it was something to be supported in the long run,” said CSRD chief administrative officer Charles Hamilton.
The development had a permit before a provincial government moratorium on sewage systems that discharge in the lake came into effect, Hamilton said.
According to a CSRD report, the board has heard more opposition to the development than support.
The report says 17 members of the public spoke up against the development at a March 30 public hearing held at the Scotch Creek Community Hall and 74 pieces of correspondence opposed to re-zoning the development were also received. Nine speakers and 32 pieces of correspondence were in favour of the re-zoning.
“I can’t help but be suspicious of Gateway’s motives in neglecting to put up the proper signage,” said Lee Creek resident Varya Lutjen.
The Shuswap Environmental Action Society (SEAS) names the sewage treatment plan among their concerns with the proposed development expansion.
A letter submitted to the CSRD by SEAS recommends dividing the upper bench area of the development into one-hectare lots serviced by septic systems.
The proximity of the moorage facilities to the mouth of the Adams River, fire safety concerns related to developing the area more densely and access to the beach adjacent to the development are just a few of the other concerns raised by SEAS.