You get the feeling that the longer the Comox Valley Regional District does not reject a development near Stotan Falls it’s more likely approval will be granted.
True, there are a multitude of hoops — bylaws, official community plans, regional growth strategies, rezoning, development cost charges — for developers to leap through.
In the end, though, local governments seem to find it difficult to say no to a proposal that will create local employment, not to mention more tax revenue.
The CVRD’s tone has shifted in the past few months from, “Sorry, 3L Developments, but your proposal is not in synch with the Regional Growth Strategy at this time.”
CVRD chair Edwin Grieve does stand by his opinion that constructing a riverfront community at the confluence of the Puntledge and Browns rivers is in the wrong location at this time.
The RGS, adopted two years ago, says 90 per cent of growth in the Comox Valley is to be directed to core settlement areas.
CVRD directors Roger Kishi and Jon Ambler support Grieve on this issue, noting the RGS was hammered out with great effort just two years ago.
Director Bill Anglin seems open to the idea of already amending it for this project that is clearly not in one of the development nodes identified in the RGS.
Fellow director Starr Winchester “would like to hear what the public has to say."
Some people don’t care about RGS complexities and want only to keep dipping in the Puntledge at Stotan Falls when the mercury climbs. Others have publicly stated opposition to a small community where countryside currently exists.
"The people of the Valley want this to happen," land owner and 3L owner Dave Dutcyvich said recently.
Those people include the United Steelworkers, who are eager for job creation.
Well, yes, but local government officials should take those factors into consideration with many other ones.
We count on them to make decisions not motivated by self-interest.
editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com