Well over 100 people came out to have their say on the 400-acre Silverback residential/golf resort proposal Wednesday night, and only a couple of the comments were favourable.
The District of Sechelt requested the meeting after community groups asked the District to slow down the approval process for Silverback and allow for more public consultation.
The proposal calls for the development of the former gravel pit and dry land storage site between Porpoise Bay Provincial Park and Sandy Hook. The development would include an 18-hole golf course, 1,600 single and multiple family units, a seaside shopping facility complete with artist live/work studios, a 120-room lodge and conference centre and a waterfront park.
Residents again brought up issues over increased traffic on Sechelt Inlet Road, a limited affordable housing designation, the possibility of short-term rental suites on site, water servicing and full-time occupancy loads.
The Sechelt Community Association handed out six pages of their concerns with the project to those in attendance, and after a short presentation by developers, the public instantly started questioning the figures provided.
One of the main issues centred around the developer's use of a 25 per cent occupancy figure, saying most of the residents at Silverback will be seasonal.
"This development will have 1,600 units, but we project 25 per cent occupancy or 400 residents year round," lead consultant on the project Art Phillips said, noting Silverback would be marketed to people off Coast throughout Canada and the U.S.
Many said they doubted the 25 per cent figure given.
"I fear that 25 per cent figure is too low, and if you're wrong, we pay the price," one man said to applause, noting the traffic assessment for Silverback was done based on that figure, so traffic on Sechelt Inlet Road could be much heavier than expected.
Phillips noted the District of Sechelt also had issue with the 25 per cent figure for the traffic analysis, so it was done with a 50 per cent occupancy figure.
The traffic analysis states that Sechelt Inlet Road would be able to handle the added traffic in the initial stages of the project and later a connector road between the highway and Sechelt Inlet Road would be constructed through Sechelt Indian Band lands.
"We are very confident with our trip generation numbers we represented different trip rates for different user groups, and we distributed the traffic we think as well as possible," said the project's traffic consultant.
The 25 per cent figure also brought up issues with seasonal residents being able to vote in the District of Sechelt.
"You could end up with eight owners for each unit and if they could all vote then they could reasonably hijack any referendum in Sechelt," one woman noted.
Phillips said the owner of the property could limit the voting to one vote per unit and noted that would be done if the community wished.
Issues around water servicing of the site came up and Phillips noted Silverback would be on its own internal sewer system. Three deep wells on the property would service the development with water; however, there would be the opportunity to tie in to the Sunshine Coast Regional District's system in the future if needed.
"If that happened, then we would use the wells for irrigation purposes only," Phillips said.
The issue of one per cent of the total area being designated to affordable housing was raised. Phillips noted there may be an option to give cash in lieu to the District so that they can build their own affordable housing units in the core of Sechelt instead. That comment was booed by many who said more land should be designated at the Silverback site.
Concerns were also raised over the possibility of Silverback getting approval for 12-storey towers on the waterfront, which Phillips admitted the proponent wants.
"At this time we can not do that because 12-storey units can not be serviced by the Sechelt Fire Department. But if we can meet regulations in the future, we want to have that option open," Phillips said, explaining why the 12-storey option is still part of the plan before the District of Sechelt.
Council members and District staff sat amidst the audience listening to comments and occasionally talking to residents during the meeting.
On Thursday morning, Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid told Coast Reporter he thought the meeting was well attended and there were some good questions brought forward by the public.
He noted the consultants appeared to be very helpful, responding to questions and clarifying issues.
"Silverback has agreed to be available to meet with the District and respond to any questions that developed as a result of the meeting. This will be back to council next week. This is just the start of the process. At next week's council meeting, it could receive first reading and referral to a public hearing," Reid said.
