The Lighthouse Pub development was given a stamp of approval by the District of Sechelt this week after the developer scaled back his expansion to meet parking requirements for the area.
Owner Ron Davis originally planned to increase the seating at the pub from 85 to 200 seats, which would require 133 parking stalls according to District of Sechelt figures.
Currently there are 77 stalls available at the site. In his latest plan, Davis has reduced the seating at the pub from 200 to 162 seats, which meets a 77-stall parking requirement, according to district planner Ray Parfitt.
"This satisfies the requirements for the zoning bylaw," Parfitt said.
Davis has already changed his plan several times to meet resident concerns, including eliminating a helicopter pad, scaling back the marina from 66 berths to 32 berths, incorporating a laundry/washroom facility for boaters and agreeing to possibly install speed bumps in the area along Wharf Road.
At the Jan. 17 planning meeting, Davis also agreed to enclose the proposed upper deck at the pub should noise become a problem for residents, but council took a second look at the issue of noise coming from the upper deck and decided not to allow it at their Jan. 18 council meeting.
"We had agreed that if there was a problem with noise from that upper deck it would be enclosed, but I have reconsidered that and I don't think it will work," said Mayor Cam Reid. "Even with all the great intentions of the developer, I think noise from the deck will be a problem I'd like to ask council to readdress the upper deck issue and not permit it to be constructed."
Councillors agreed and axed the upper deck from the proposal when approving the development permit at Wednesday's council meeting.
Reid suggested the developer work with the community through developing an ongoing committee with affected residents and district staff to assess other neighbourhood concerns in the future and address them.
Davis agreed to that stipulation, and council authorized staff to issue a development permit to the Lighthouse Pub.
"I'd like to thank the residents in this community for speaking with us and sharing their concerns and also for helping work with us to find a win-win solution," Reid added.
