Developer Bob Cheema has made an application to change two Official Community Plan land use designations for Lot 509 and 510 in Garibaldi Highlands.
If approved, this would allow for the initiation of a neighbourhood planning process to enable future development on the property.
Disrtrict of Squamish is seeking feedback on this OCP application through an online public information meeting.
District Lots 509 and 510, known as the Cheema Lands, are located just north of the existing neighbourhood of Garibaldi Highlands in Squamish.
The Squamish Official Community Plan designates this 170-hectare parcel for future neighbourhood growth and situates the property just outside of the Squamish Growth Management Boundary.
“They are not required to meet housing needs within the next 2 years, nor are they intended to accommodate major growth until substantial completion of residential infill development opportunities has occurred,” says the district
The main conditions for expanding the boundary are the district’s population reaching 34,000 or infill development being completed for 75% of the existing neighbourhoods.
The property is currently zoned as Resource and the district’s present Future Residential Neighbourhoods designation identifies Cheema lands for long-term residential growth.
However, if the application to change the OCP designations is successful, the proponent will be required to go through a Neighbourhood Planning process.
That process would create a comprehensive neighbourhood and development plan before the council looks at a rezoning application.
In May, developer Bob Cheema proposed a second access road from Highway 99 to the Garibaldi Highlands as a “common sense solution” to tackle traffic issues in the area.
The proposed amendment will be presented at a Committee of the Whole meeting to receive feedback from council.
Comments or questions can be submitted online, on phone (604-815-5002) or email (planning@squamish.ca).
Comments can also be mailed or dropped off at the drop slot at Municipal Hall – 37955 2nd Avenue, Squamish BC, V8B 0A3.
Allan Price says
Cheema’s have been roughly treated by Council to date. Councilor Race in particular has made repeated comments in public and on social media disparaging the project or the process and applications for re-hearing, to the extent that they could reasonably be considered to show bias.
I support this application, and hope it gets a fair hearing this time around at least.
Cheema family have been excellent community citizens, consulting extensively with the public and allowing continued recreational use of their land, despite the negative and discriminatory treatment they’ve received at the hands of Council. Councilor Race should recuse himself from this matter.