A major hurdle was cleared in March when the regional district board adopted the Comox Valley Regional Growth Strategy bylaw, but the proponents of Sage Hills still need another couple of months to piece together financial details before they are ready to apply for rezoning at their Royston acreage. The RGS is a land-use document that includes the Sage Hills Sports and Education Node as a core settlement area. The designation is intended to allow for specific land-use activities to benefit the Valley in terms of employment, economic development and investment, recreation, community programs, servicing infrastructure and green development technologies. "The designation came through, that was a huge and very positive move," Sage Hills development president David Russell said last week. "We're feeling very positive, actually."It's a bit tough to work in this kind of global economic climate, but the project's been well received...We're definitely moving towards the finish line on that front. We're quite positive about it." The Victoria-based company plans to build a state-of-the-art, sustainable community at a 2,083-acre parcel at the northwest side of Royston.The plan includes residences, commercial property, a University Canada West campus, a private kindergarten to Grade 12 school and a sports academy. A proposed ice sheet would be available to the public at night and selected weekends.The plan also calls for the creation of a regional park where the parcel borders the Trent River. reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com