Whiskey Point application to add meeting room sent back to SRD Board

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The Whiskey Point Resort overlooks the ferry terminal at Quathiaski Cove, on Quadra Island. It’s driveway comes off a road that is often choked with Quadra and Cortes Island residents, as well as tourists, waiting to board the ferry. Never-the-less plans to add a 90 seat meeting room appeared to be moving forward, before it was brought before the Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) last June.

That SRD report staff states, “the planned development is being carried out in accordance with existing zoning regulations, including parking and signage, there are no zoning bylaw amendments being sought.”

They recommended that the Quadra Island development’s permit be approved upon the receipt of a performance bond of a little over $12,000.

That was last Spring.

At the most recent EASC meeting, on February 9th, the resort’s proposal was sent back to the Strathcona Regional District Board board with a recommendation that this application be referred back to the owner, Mr. Doo Yun Park, with the request that he thoroughly and comprehensively meet the Land Application Plan (LAP) policies and then bring it back to EASC for consideration.

That was the third time EASC has sent Mr Park’s proposal back.

Regional Director Jim Abram explained:

“A 90 seat Convention center is a new development. It should have been considered to be a rezoning to something like public assembly or one of our other zones that we have and change the zone rather than try and squeak it into a development permit situation.”

“This is not a small matter. This is a huge matter in the development of the mixed use, waterfront, whatever you said, the title was for that particular area. This area is the cornerstone that gateway to Quadra island, and it is extremely deficient in providing for the growth and the use of Quadra Island by members of Quadra and Cortes.”

“They have to use that ferry too. And you know, they have to deal with those traffics snarls at that intersection. So those kinds of things are definitely pertinent for both directors, myself and Noba, and definitely pertinent to the majority of Quadra Islanders. That I actually do go down there. Everybody uses that intersection at some point some every day, some once in a while, but it's not something we can just gloss over and say it doesn't count.”

SRD senior manager Aniko Nelson said,” What we're doing today is we are considering a development permit for a use that is already permitted within the Cove. We are looking to approve the form and character of the approved development, the policies that are outlined within.”

Chief administrative officer David Leitch added, “Staff have already acknowledged in reports and to the applicant that it meets all DP guidelines and policies. So we will not be responding to the applicant that it does not meet.”

He never-the-less did agree to faithfully pass on EASC’s recommendation to the Board.

The three other three regional directors, Noba Anderson, Brenda Leigh and Gerald Whalley, all supported Abram.

So Whiskey Point’s application will now pass to the SRD Board where, as only EASC directors vote on electoral area matters, the same four directors will decide whether to follow their recommendation