By Nowell Berg

A rezoning application, which if approved would allow for a range of commercial development opportunities along the west side of Highway 93/95 at Wasa, including a RV park, was Sept. 2 delayed by the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors.

The regional board opted to postpone the third reading of by Bylaws No. 2709 and 2713 last Friday and asked regional staff to conduct further consultation with the applicant.

Area residents raised a number of questions about the potential development at an August 24 public hearing at the Wasa Community Hall and as a result the board would like a more detailed development proposal from the applicant before proceeding further with the zoning change.

The 23.2-hectare (56 acre) parcel of land at Wasa is currently zoned C-6 (golf course). Situated along the west side of Highway 93/95, stretches from Wasa Lake Park Drive in the north all the way south to the Maple Road turnoff.

The owner of this land, Thomas Kiy, was not in attendance at the Aug. 24 public hearing. He has made a bylaw amendment application to the RDEK that would re-zone the land to C-4, which allows for a proposed campground and RV park. The C-4 designation also allows for a long list of commercial service businesses to be placed on the land. C-4 zoning allows 17 different types of retail trade and service industries (i.e. gas station, auction mart, manufactured homes, welding shop). Eight types of manufacturing industries, i.e. bakery, household and business furniture manufacturing, machine shop and boat repair shop.

It also includes office and storage for the construction and logging industries as well as mini-storage and warehousing. The land could be used for a salvage yard, a hotel or motel, horticultural greenhouse or transportation (truck) storage yard.

According to Kiy, “The RV park we propose will be for short, medium and longer term use and include buried services, pull-through sites and other amenities that other RV sites in Wasa do not offer.”

RDEK Elector Area E Director Jane Walter chaired the public meeting. The other two people on the hearing panel were Jean Terpsma, Planning Technician with the RDEK and City of Kimberley Mayor and RDEK director Don McCormick.

Walter indicated there would be two segments to the meeting: one – questions, and, two – formal recorded comments. The latter would be presented to the RDEK Board as part of their deliberations around the re-zoning application.

Thirty-five Wasa residents, some seasonal but most year-round, were in attendance.

Before starting the formal comment section of the meeting, Walter informed the audience that Kiy had told her he would be willing to place a covenant on the title that would restrict subdivision of the land to one hectare lots. This essentially reduces the number of subdivision lots from an allowable 50 to 20. Terpsma also said there were “no campground or sub-division applications” present in the zoning bylaw amendment.

One issue that persisted in the question period dealt with potential new owners buying the land from Kiy. What then? What could new owners do? According to Terpsma, in the future any new owner could do whatever they liked under the OCP bylaw and regulations in-place at the time.

Also during question period, dozens of people queried Terpsma and Walter about Kiy’s plans for the RV park. Neither was able to provide much detail because it was not submitted with the re-zoning application. All of the topics covered in the question section were brought forward in the formal comment section of the meeting.

After the question segment of the public hearing, Walter opened the formal comment section where citizens were asked to state their name and address, then take up to five minutes to comment on the re-zoning application. Terpsma recorded comments that were sent to the RDEK board for review Sept. 1 and 2.

As part of the formal comments, Walter prefaced two letters she had received from Wasa residents unable to attend the meeting. One letter raised the issue of a “lack of communication between the RDEK and Wasa residents.” A topic raised by several other citizens. The second letter commented on the “water level dropping due to over use.”

Fourteen (speakers rose to comment on the bylaw amendments. Two residents were in favour of the amendment and 12 were against it.

Those endorsing the application spoke about the need for tourists and jobs to bolster existing businesses and attract more young families. One supporter said the “water level would not be affected” by the RV park. They didn’t feel the park as detrimental to Wasa.

Opposition to the bylaw amendment was numerous, vocal and concerned about the future of the lake, the aquifer and increased boat traffic on an already congested lake.

All of the 12 residents speaking against the bylaw amendment pointed to the lack of detail in the application regarding plans for the RV park. The application did not provide specific details on the number of RV sites, park density, flood level restrictions and impacts, sceptic system design and compliance, potable water, landscaping, public safety and highway access. Without knowing specific details of what Kiy proposed, residents refused to give him a “blank cheque” that would let him do whatever he wanted.

Additionally, several people spoke about the need to have a study done on what types of impact Kiy’s detailed proposal would have on the lake, aquifer, boat congestion and public safety.

A long-time resident registered their objection to any new access from Highway 93/95 into the RV park.

Walter did say that local Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MOTI) officials indicated the best access for the proposed RV park would be at the current intersection of Highway 93/95 and Wasa Lake Park Drive (north connection).

Two other residents raised the issue of public safety with others in the audience concurring. That being, how would the residents of any new RV park cross the highway. One said, “just image little kids carrying tubes trying to run across the highway during peak summer time.” Several people cringed at that thought.

One resident pointed to the fire hazard of an RV park with the density like the one on Cedar Road, the old Hitch’n Post site. Most residents agreed, the Cedar Road Campground was not what they want replicated at the Kiy site. One was bad enough.

Another resident said in their formal statement they were concerned about the lack of RCMP coverage around Wasa. The new RV park would increase the number of people, boats and quads around the lake. They were concerned about safety on local roads with added ATVs “running around on the roads which they already do.”

Another issue raised by many speakers dealt with RDEKs lack of communication about the public meeting. Several felt there is a better way too inform people compared to newspapers and radio, neither of which people use anymore. Not everyone subscribes to an actual newspaper, nor do others listen to radio. It was suggest that email would be a better communication tool.

Walter said she has brought the communication issue to the RDEK board’s attention, but they are bound by provincial government rules and regulations concerning public hearings, as stated in the Local Government Act. She suggested people make sure their email address is on the sign-in sheet. They would then be sent the monthly RDEK newsletter, which contains a list of all public meetings.

The final issue raised by a resident pointed a finger at RDEK for lack of bylaw and regulation enforcement in Wasa. Several in the audience nodded in agreement. The issue of non-enforcement from RDEK on a current bylaw restricting lots to no more than two RV trailers was used as an example of RDEK Bylaw Enforcement laxity.

Two days after the public meeting (Aug. 26), I spoke with Kiy by telephone. I informed him of the turn out, the number of formal comments and the split for and against. He was disappointed but not surprised.

“There’s always people thinking the worst; lots of rumours flying around,” he said. “It’s going to be a family type RV park.”

When asked how many RV sites would be in the campground, Kiy said “100 fully serviced sites.” Each RV site is expected to be “40 feet by 100 feet.” The campground area; “100 lots in 15 to 20 acres, that’s just ball parking it. A lot bigger than Hitch’n Post,” he said.

I pointed out to Kiy that most of the meeting participants were concerned about density. He replied, “I can guarantee it’s going to be a lot more room than Hitch’n Post.”

The RV park would be situated in the middle and southern part of the land. That’s “Where its wider, there are trees and a chance to put in buffers between Rvs,” he said.

Kiy’s plan is to have one large septic system for all serviced sites. As well, potable water would be distributed by “one community system.”

Access to the campground would be on the west side along the old highway. “No new access being built, exactly the same as it is now. MOTI would only re-mark the lines at the intersection,” he said.

Kiy wants Wasa residents to know that “water usage would be down 90% and fertilizers and chemicals down 90%” without a golf course. He also indicated financing for a course was not available, even from local residents. “Golf is not in vogue anymore,” he said. It’s not likely a golf course would ever be built on the land.

When infomred that Wasa residents had concerns over more boats and more ATVs, Kiy said “Some people have it [boats and ATVs] some don’t, not everyone has these things. I guarantee every site will not have a boat or ATV out everyday. We’ll be no different than other RV parks.”

As for the safety issue of young children crossing a busy high speed road, Kiy said, “I’ve spoken with MOTI about this and they would look into lowering the speed limit to 80km, if there were development on the west side.” Without that development, the speed would remain at 100 km.

As for the wide range of possible service commercial businesses that could be located on the land, Kiy said, “We’re not going industrial, not going manufacturing, all along its been the RV park, 100 units, without the golf course.”

What if the land is sold to a third party? Kiy answered, “Future use by different owners is something I can’t control.“

Kiy wrapped up: “I’ve been at this for 15 years and I want to do it right. I’m not a fly by night type of guy, if I’m going to do something I’m going to do it properly, my name is attached to it.”

When further information is available, a date for a second public hearing will be scheduled.

Lead image: The RDEK Public hearing panel, including RDEK planner Jean Terpsma (l), Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter and City of Kimberley Mayor and RDEK director Don McCormick (r). All photos by Nowell Berg

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