SilverBack on Porpoise Bay

Following the submission of the applications for the SilverBack development, a number of changes have occurred as a result of discussions with both staff and Council.  The changes that have been made will result in an increase in park space, trails, recreational activities and a reduction in the height of a number of potential buildings.  More emphasis has been placed on the design elements of the Seaside Village area and the site coverage along with design guidelines of the multiple family housing has been clearly defined.

Changes to the plan are noted on the following pages:

-2-

TRAILS, OPEN SPACE AND PARKS

Two additional trail systems have been added to the plan.  A new trail will be established on the east side of Sechelt Inlet Road, parallel to the north property line.  This trail will provide access to the two open space sites located on the upper reaches of the development and with selective clearing these passive park areas will provide views of Porpoise Bay, downtown Sechelt and the Gulf of Georgia. 

In addition to this trail, a new trail will be developed along the undeveloped road right-of-way adjacent to the south property boundary of the waterfront lands and it will connect with a trail located on the southern property line east of Sechelt Inlet Road.  By traversing the southern property line, the trail will connect with the future park site that encompasses Angus Creek and is adjacent to Porpoise Bay Provincial Park.  Individuals that are currently accessing Angus Creek along the east side of Sechelt Inlet Road will be able to continue their walk by accessing the trail and eventually end back at the roadway by means of this new trail.

To further enhance the recreational opportunities of the residents of Sechelt, the stand-alone conference centre has been removed and incorporated into the lodge.  The 0.5 hectare site that was originally designated for the conference centre has been consolidated with the future park located adjacent to Sechelt Inlet Road and the entrance to SilverBack.  The 2.87 hectare park will be dedicated to the District of Sechelt and it can include a joint soccer and baseball field along with tennis courts and a passive water park (storm water detention) with benches and pocket seating areas.  The cost associated development of all trails and parks will be borne by the developer and maintained by the strata councils.

PHASING

The original intention of the development proponent was to start the first phase of development with single family homes along with the golf course.  Once again through discussions with staff and Council, the phasing of the development has changed.  Improved access to the waterfront has always been a desire of staff and Council and in order to provide the access earlier in the overall development process, the waterfront lands will now be developed in the first and second phase along with the linear waterfront park. 

At the same time, however, the golf course will also be developed in the first and second phase and single family lots will not be created until the third phase of development.  The revisions to the phasing will result in more recreational uses, both passive and active, being developed in the first and second phase.

-3-

MULTIPLE FAMILY HOUSING

Several changes have taken place in the revised document to reflect input from staff.  Along the waterfront, development at the head of the Seaside Village was originally being proposed to a maximum height of twelve storeys, subject to a resolution to provide firefighting service to the National Fire Protection Act standard.  Revisions to the proposed building height for residential buildings on the first two waterfront lots will be capped at a height of six storeys and the commercial buildings directly adjacent to the waterfront will remain at one storey and two storeys.  

The balance of the waterfront sites might be developed up to a maximum height of twelve storeys, but only with a resolution to provide firefighting service to the NFPA standard.  Therefore, the buildings on the waterfront land will be terraced from Sechelt Inlet Road down to the head of the waterfront.

An additional change for the waterfront lands is the maximum number of units that can be developed.  Originally the limitation to the number of units was determined by the height, site coverage and size of units.  Through discussions with Council members, a cap of 575 units has been established and that number is now included in the SilverBack CDP.

Additional illustrative examples of the waterfront lands and their potential development have been added to the SilverBack Comprehensive Development Plan document.  In addition to the new illustrations, development permit design guidelines for multiple family housing have also been added to the document to establish the form and character of the multiple family buildings.