qathet Regional District directors were provided an overview of a proposed supportive seniors housing project on Texada Island.
At the September 6 committee of the whole meeting, Cathy Brown, a representative of the Texada Island Nonprofit Seniors Housing Society, said her organization is trying to go through the process of creating seniors housing on the island. She said the property identified as the ticking off the most checkmarks is a parcel of land between Gillies Bay and Airport Road.
She said she did not know if property owner Selkirk Mountain Forest had sent an amended 5.2-hectare map, for the regional district’s perusal. Manager of planning services Laura Roddan indicated the regional district had the most recent documentation.
Brown said the housing society is hoping the regional district can expedite Selkirk applying for exclusion from the agricultural land reserve for that parcel.
She said the society had looked at 14 sites, including a crown site on Gillies Bay Road. She said neighbours, for the most part, were happy, but they could not get water to the property. Other properties were in a flood zone and were not insurable or financeable.
“We have looked at parcels that are too small – one acre does not give us enough,” said Brown. “We’ve looked at the old Elks Hall, and the asbestos remediation was going to be $100,000 more, and we couldn’t take on the white elephant to fix that. We had been offered a property up Shelter Point Road but it was out of the water district and far from municipal services.”
Brown said the society had been in negotiation for more than a year for a property within the water district, close to the store and Gillies Bay Road, but the property owner decided to put it out to fair market value, which was beyond what the society could afford.
She said choosing the Selkirk property is bridging a gap between industry and the public.
“Their contribution as a donation of the value of the land is considerable,” said Brown.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne asked about the status of an agricultural capability study for the property in question.
Brown said the society has been given permission from Selkirk to do that study. She said the society is trying to find out if the technician that is going to do the job can do the proper soil sampling. She said the question of a land survey has come up and the society is trying to see if the people doing the agricultural capability study will accept the drawn map as being suitable for the area they can survey.
Gisborne said a staff report outlines the process for exclusion from the agricultural land reserve registration.
“It is not a quick or painless process and the final decision lies with the Agricultural Land Commission,” said Gisborne. “Does your organization have backup plans?”
Brown said backup plans are in place but it would mean construction in Van Anda rather than Gillies Bay and it would be pending the supply of water. She said the society does not want to lose the grant funding that is pending.
“I don’t think we’ll get that chance again in a long time,” said Brown.
Electoral Area D (Texada) director and committee of the whole chair Sandy McCormick, said for the site in question, which is in the agricultural land reserve, the society was planning on honouring the agricultural nature and character of the property with the community garden and a nature trail.
“How much of that property do you intend to clear for those purposes?” asked McCormick.
Brown said it depends on what trees are viable and how the housing could fit into the property. The original plan was for upwards of 40 units, she added.
“We know we won’t be able to do it in one shot, so we are doing it in stages,” said Brown. “The first is to be between eight and 15 units, depending on the grant from our partners. We are crossing our fingers for a larger amount. It’s the best location imaginable.”
According to a staff report, the proposed seniors housing project will include studio, one- and two-bedroom units, shared amenity space, administrative space and common areas including forest walking trails and a community garden.
Selkirk and the housing society is requesting that the regional district make application for exclusion of five hectares of land from the agricultural land reserve to accommodate the project.
Join the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
