Qualicum Beach town council approved a zoning and official community plan (OCP) amendment to permit a 225-unit development at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort.
The proposed development includes 185 units that can be used as either residential dwellings or tourist accommodations, as well as 40 units to be used as daily, weekly or monthly rentals.
The proposal includes a mix of housing types, including detached dwellings, such as small houses or cabins and multi-family dwellings, such as a condominium or hotel-style building.
Phase one of the project includes a clubhouse, brew pub, a minimum of 40 units in the form of a lodge/hotel/stacked condominium, 60 units in the form of villas and/or cottages and a blanket easement for connecting trails.
The motion passed 3-2, with councillors Robert Filmer and Anne Skipsey voting against.
“There’s no certainty in the first 60 units that tourist accommodation will be provided and I also think it lacks clarification as to when the development will be connected with the town utilities, especially sanitary sewer,” said Skipsey, who said she supports the resort, but not the current proposal.
Filmer said there is a lot of confusion among residents about what will be built at Pheasant Glen.
“A lot of people think that this is strictly a hotel and that is why a lot of people are in support of it, because they’re thinking it’s a hotel. Other people think we’re getting a Tigh-Na-Mara,” he said. “I don’t trust what has been proposed. I don’t trust what has been told to us. I can’t trust the process going forward.”
Coun. Scott Harrison pointed out there are many job vacancies in Oceanside’s tourism sector and short-term rentals at the proposed Pheasant Glen development could help find staff to work at the resort.
Coun. Teunis Westbroek made a motion to remove the word “minimum” on phase one’s proposed 60 units, so there it has a definite number. That motion passed with Filmer opposed.
Westbroek also made a motion that no subdivision of the land can occur until council has approved a site plan that identifies the general location of cottages, villages, the clubhouse and other amenities unless such subdivision is consistent with the land use concept site plan included in council’s Jan. 13, 2021 agenda. The motion passed 3-2.
“I think it would be prudent for us and the public and the members to know what we’re actually looking at,” he said.
In an open letter, owner Bill Dutton said the resort’s economic impact will include $80-90 million in construction, $4.5 million in development cost charges (DCC) to the town and $1.5 million per year in tax revenue.
