Bid to move land out of Gibsons

Sunshine Coast Regional District Area E Director Lorne Lewis supports a boundary adjustment to move a parcel of land back to the SCRD from the Town of Gibsons.
Block 6, the westernmost property in the Gospel Rock Official Community Plan (OCP) was originally in the SCRD, but the 18-acre parcel was transferred to the Town of Gibsons at the request of its owners in 1983. The lot was subsequently logged, but was not developed.
“It functions as part of the Elphinstone neighbourhood, and it’s not serviced by the Town,” said Lewis. “Directory Gurney opposed it years ago when it went into the Town.”
The parcel’s current owners appeared before Gibsons Council on May 17, requesting a boundary adjustment to return the parcel to the SCRD, thus removing it from the zoning requirements of the Town’s Gospel Rock OCP. Council asked for a staff report on the issue.
Although Block 6 is directly adjacent to SCRD water service, and Chaster Road runs along its northern boundary, the Gospel Rock OCP calls for water and sewer service to be brought in from the Town.  Since there are no present plans for development of the rest of Gospel Rock, development of Block 6 under current zoning would require a large capital outlay for infrastructure.
Also, the Town’s zoning calls for higher density homes and townhouses, whereas the zoning in adjacent Area E is single family residences on half acre properties.
Community groups have been campaigning to purchase Block 7, a 47-acre property immediately east of Block 6, for the purpose of creating a public park on the Gospel Rock bluff.
Donna McMahon