Sicamous council is supporting the redevelopment of a 60-slip marina where work began prior to receiving the necessary permit.
On Dec. 10, council voted unanimously in favour of issuing a development permit for the redevelopment of the marina in the channel belonging to The Riverside condos. Final issuance is subject to an amended licence of occupation from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations for the water tenure needed to accommodate the marina.
Sicamous community planning and approving officer, Mike Marrs told council the ministry is close to granting that tenure, and the intent of the resolution before council, to support the development permit, was to help expedite the process.
“Part of the urgency of this is the owners have a limited time frame – a window of opportunity as it’s referred to – established by fisheries to complete the marina before a certain date,” explained Marrs.
Marrs said the redevelopment is now in compliance with the district’s official community plan and S2 marine zoning. That’s after a complaint triggered an investigation by the district on prior work that had commenced on the marina, resulting in a stop-work order from the district. In his report to council, Marrs says the notice was issued for “failure to obtain a development permit in compliance with development permit requirements of the official community plan and not having been issued an amended water tenure” from the province.
Staff has since been working with the ministry and the applicant to resolve compliance issues.
“That said, there are issues surrounding this marina, but they’re outside the jurisdiction of the district to deal with, and will have to be dealt with by the individual parties involved,” said Marrs.
In his report, Marrs explains that some Riverside strata owners are concerned a portion of a neighbouring marina might be encroaching into the proposed amended water tenure. However, having been in communication with the province, Marrs states the issue is not related to the tenure, and the encroachment issue has “no bearing upon the issuance of this development permit.”
In reviewing Marrs’ report, Coun. Jeff Mallmes noted the ends of the fingers of the proposed marina appear to be touching the navigable water line. Marrs explained the navigation line forms the western border of the water tenure so as to meet Fisheries and Oceans Canada and riparian areas requirements.
“The marina is designed so slips are all in the tenure area so there’s no opportunity for moorage out there,” said Marrs.