SUN PEAKS RESORT APPLIES TO DEVELOP A NEW SUBDIVISION

By Liz McDonald

Sun Peaks Resort (SPR) is applying to develop parcel 27 for residential housing and tourist accommodations.

SPR applied to Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality SPMRM in June to amend the zoning of 2.36 hectares of Crown land at McGillivray Lake Drive. The proposed housing development will include 16 homes and the overall process will take more than two years, according to Darcy Alexander, SPR’s vice president and general manager.

“We’re hopeful that the subdivision process will be complete by the fall,” Alexander said.

The land will be divided into lots for the proposed development named Alder Estates.

Initially, the goal for the project was to complete road development for the subdivision by the fall of 2023. However, Alexander said material shortages caused delays.

As part of the process, SPR applied to the province to purchase the land. SPR is entitled to buy designated parcels of land as part of its Master Development Agreement with B.C. According to Alexander, the purchase is currently undergoing an administrative process and should be approved this summer.

According to Alexander, the land also underwent an archeological assessment in conjunction with First Nations bands as part of the development process.

“Members of the bands come up when we do the groundwork and they use maps to identify what might be potential areas [with Indigenous history],” Alexander said.

After the archeological assessment is complete, it is sent to the province and bands.

While the development will increase the housing supply in Sun Peaks, SPMRM’s analysis of the proposal presented to council indicated the wastewater system may not have adequate capacity for increased water use when combined with the housing developments at Switchback Creek on parcel 36.

To respond to concerns over wastewater capacity, SPMRM placed a no-occupancy covenant on phases three and four at Switchback Creek until municipal engineers can determine the system's capacity.

“They’re just being cautious so that we don’t exceed capacities,” Alexander explained.

The lots will be sold individually, and estimated prices won’t be set until the lots are finished.