A 350 unit RV resort might be coming to Old Town Bay.
A proposal to build the resort was reviewed by Sicamous’ Planning and Development Committee on May 26.
Most of the resort’s units would be built south of Old Town Road, with some on the north side as well.
The resort would be located on a .21 square-kilometre parcel of land and have access to Shuswap Lake and the Eagle River.
Plans for the resort say it will include a clubhouse, staff accommodation and be serviced with municipal water and sewer systems. A minimum of five per cent of the resort must be dedicated park land and the resort may include public trails.
Committee chair, Coun. Jeff Mallmes, suggested a minimum of 10 to 15 per cent of the lots should be for daily or weekly camping because the district has been trying to regain a campground that’s open to the public for a long time.
“I’m not against it but there needs to be some serious conditions,” said Mallmes.
Part of the proposed RV resort might be on land that was previously zoned for residential purposes. Mallmes said that giving up that tax base is a loss and that the benefit received in return should be camping.
Coun. Gord Bushell agreed, recalling when Mara Lake and Sicamous had 11,00 campsites in the 1980’s which brought lots of tourists in and out of the area. He said the development would be great for Old Town Bay and Sicamous.
The development is proposed to be within the 30 metres of Shuswap Lake and the Eagle River, so a report from a qualified environmental professional will be required to consider the protection of water quality and natural systems.
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