A pre-fabrication station will get a prime piece of water-view real estate on the Sunshine Coast in coming months – but only as the Sunshine Coast Lions’ senior housing expansion gets under way.
During its March 6 regular meeting, Sechelt council granted a temporary use permit (TUP) for the Sunshine Coast Lions Housing Society to use the property at 5845 Sunshine Coast Highway for a prefabricated wall assembly and storage operation for six months to a year.
With the owner’s permission, the property will be used to establish a site office, store materials, assemble walls and transport materials to the Lions’ Greenecourt 94-unit seniors housing expansion on Medusa Street.
A staff report states that the space on on the highway – at the corner with Shorncliffe Avenue – was chosen because the development permit for a 20-unit residential project on the property expired over a year ago and the owners are not moving forward with any other plans at this time.
Mayor John Henderson asked if the operation would create noise for surrounding neighbours.
Reiterating that the property will be used for wall assembly, storage and transport, Ian Holl, development planning manager said, “I think the amount of noise will be relatively limited.”
Highlighting that the TUP would allow the Medusa Street property to be completed sooner, Coun. Darren Inkster voiced his support, saying that it's probably the most scenic prefab plant in B.C.
Holl highlighted that a traffic management plan was part of the TUP application; it outlined the transportation routes for both bringing materials to the property and transporting the assembled walls to the development, following proper traffic management practices.
Council unanimously voted to approve the TUP for 5845 Sunshine Coast Highway for one year.
Coun. Alton Toth was absent from the meeting.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
