Owners of a campground east of Sicamous have applied for a zoning amendment to accommodate more recreational vehicle sites as well as seasonal dwelling units.
The application to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is for the 6.5 hectare property at 3250 Oxbow Frontage Road, the former site of the Sicamous KOA. The property was purchased in 2021 by Pinnacle Lifestyles and renamed the Sicamous RV and Cabin Resort.
The property is currently occupied by 48 serviced RV sites, eight camping cabins, 26 tent campsites, as well as the manager’s residence, office, store and pool. The owners are looking to convert the campground to a bare land strata resort that, in addition to the manager’s residence, office, store and pool, would support 76 recreational vehicle spaces and 34 seasonal dwelling unit parcels (modular cabin sites for year-round use). The strata parcels would be freehold and available for short-term rental, but not year-round residential use.
For this transition, the applicants are seeking to rezone the property from Resort Commercial (RC3) to a proposed Comprehensive Development Zone (CDE7).
CSRD staff explained to the board at its Jan. 19 meeting that the proposed use is supported in Area E’s official community plan; however, the property’s current zoning doesn’t support bare land strata subdivision and campgrounds that are not fully open to the travelling public. The subdivision will also need to be serviced by community sewer and water.
The property is in Electoral Area E (Rural Sicamous, Malakwa, Swansea Point). The area’s director, Rhona Martin, said she supported staff’s recommendation to give the application first reading so staff could acquire more information. The application will be sent to different government agencies for referral. Public input in the form of written submissions would be sought prior to third reading. The board voted unanimously in support of staff’s recommendation.
Read more: Former Sicamous KOA reopening in May as a Pinnacle Lifestyles resort
Read more: New Sicamous resort owners step up for student community ambassadors
lachlan@saobserver.net
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