Problems with the sound system proved a major distraction to significant public input heard at Silverback's public hearing on Wednesday night.
The speakers began to buzz, chirp and squeal within the first half hour of the hearing. After switching amplifiers and microphones, council and staff finally gave up and asked speakers to sound off without the help of a public address system.
Nearly 25 people spoke over the two and a half hour session, a last chance for direct public input towards the 1,600-unit, 162 hectare residential and resort community development to be built by Por-poise Bay Developments in Sandy Hook. It's now up to Sechelt council to make the call on the project's required comprehensive development (CD-13) zoning and official community plan (OCP) bylaw amendments, which the majority of speakers were opposed to.
After attending the public information session on March 18, West Sechelt resident and retired developer Frank May told council he's changed his mind, from supporting the development to opposing it.
"Size doesn't scare me - what I saw coming out of [Silverback] was a tremendous economic benefit for the Coast. But now I've got a bad feeling we're going to end up with six to eight mid-rise buildings on the waterfront. There seems to be many unresolved issues, and looking back, I feel sheepish for being on the support side."As District staff struggled to control the maverick sound system, Sue Jackel from the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Task Force pointed out council has failed to modify the development agreement with respect to affordable housing since the last public hearing in October 2006. She hopes council can pursue it through further negotiations with the developer after fourth reading.
"It seems there's an expectation that further agreements can address deficiencies in the project," she said. Sandy Hook's Bula Hess roused the crowd with the story of Minneapolis' struggles to concentrate on downtown densification before branching out and stated her own opposition to Silverback. A handful of speakers, such as Ian Gordon, said they support the development because jobs are needed to keep young families in Sechelt.
Residents Bob D'Arcy and Ian Winn spoke about traffic concerns, and Winn noted even if a link road is built through Sechelt Indian Band land, East Porpoise Bay Road will still need significant upgrades. Rupert Clark said he'd still like to see hiking trails along the riparian and highway setbacks in the area, but Art Phillips, a consultant for the developer, said these features would be hard to build due to Department of Fisheries and Oceans erosion concerns, and liability issues.
Fred Taylor suggested council hold a referendum to gauge community support for the Silverback development before the November elections, while Joyce Fitzpatrick from Sandy Hook said she was concerned about the social effects of the development. Michael Hume also expressed skepticism about the draw for retired people to settle down at Silverback.
"People of a mature age aren't looking forward to buying a lot on a golf course and waiting for neighbours to move in," he said, before requesting the mayor and council hold another meeting with citizens immediately after the public hearing - a demand Mayor Cam Reid didn't take kindly to.
"Sit down, Mr. Hume," Reid admonished. Hume refused to comply, leading to a brief standoff.
Phillips had the final word of the night. He said the development will result in 350 jobs each year for 10 years if it gets approved, and added it will address social sustainability by setting aside 5.3 acres (2.2 hectares) for affordable housing.
He avowed the golf course is still "an integral part of this development," countering earlier suggestions that unscheduled subdivision could lead to density creep, whereby separate owners of each subdivided lot could seek increased density on their parcel before developing. It's a process through which the project's critics say the density could end up going beyond the stated maximum of 1,600 units for the entire project.
