Confident environmentalists say a three-year fight against a controversial Squamish ski resort plan has finally paid off with politicians joining their side.
Citing a confidential provincial environmental assessment office report, the Squamish District Council unanimously rejected the
current Garibaldi at Squamish
proposal because it “has not met many basic, fundamental requirements of the environmental assessment process.”
“They are speaking for the community and saying we don’t want this,” said Catherine Jackson of the Squamish Environment Society. “They’re saying there is too much risk involved financially and environmentally.”
Cabinet ministers Barry Penner and Kevin Krueger have final
certification authority on the
proposed four-season resort,
15 kilometres north of Squamish on Brohm Ridge. The plan includes a golf course, gondolas, houses, hotels and village sites, including about 22,000 bed units.
According to Coun. Doug Race, the 450-page environmental report says the proposal has an inadequate water supply plan, poses public safety risks with dams, and doesn’t satisfy fish-and-wildlife habitat concerns.
“The water supply and public safety concern with water storage is fundamental,” Race said.
Also there are “significant” doubts of the ski resort’s business viability, located near Whistler resort, Race added.
That’s not to mention a perceived real-estate gamble.
In a letter of comment to the environmental assessment office, which is due to make an environmental certification recommendation to Victoria, councillors said “the district’s recent experience is that the assumptions [on real-estate value and absorption] put forward by the applicant are extremely optimistic,” and there could be “extensive risk” to the district if the development fails.
The office is expected to recommend against certifying the proposal but, if Penner and Krueger green-light the project, council will likely try to block the current plan through zoning, Race said.
Jess Reid of Save Garibaldi Group said resort proponents have been check-mated.
“Anyway you slice it, if they say let’s make [the real-estate development] smaller, you’re never going to clear enough residential tax,” she said.
A December 2009 letter from environmental assessment director Graeme McLaren to the applicant raises questions with four of five proposed dam sites that have “high hazard potential” – most notably two 50-metre dams to be “located upstream from proposed residential and commercial areas.”
But resort spokesman George McKay said all necessary information has been supplied to the environmental assessment office, and proposed dams would go through rigorous checks.
Resort president Mike Esler said he couldn’t comment.
Citing a confidential provincial environmental assessment office report, the Squamish District Council unanimously rejected the
current Garibaldi at Squamish
proposal because it “has not met many basic, fundamental requirements of the environmental assessment process.”
“They are speaking for the community and saying we don’t want this,” said Catherine Jackson of the Squamish Environment Society. “They’re saying there is too much risk involved financially and environmentally.”
Cabinet ministers Barry Penner and Kevin Krueger have final
certification authority on the
proposed four-season resort,
15 kilometres north of Squamish on Brohm Ridge. The plan includes a golf course, gondolas, houses, hotels and village sites, including about 22,000 bed units.
According to Coun. Doug Race, the 450-page environmental report says the proposal has an inadequate water supply plan, poses public safety risks with dams, and doesn’t satisfy fish-and-wildlife habitat concerns.
“The water supply and public safety concern with water storage is fundamental,” Race said.
Also there are “significant” doubts of the ski resort’s business viability, located near Whistler resort, Race added.
That’s not to mention a perceived real-estate gamble.
In a letter of comment to the environmental assessment office, which is due to make an environmental certification recommendation to Victoria, councillors said “the district’s recent experience is that the assumptions [on real-estate value and absorption] put forward by the applicant are extremely optimistic,” and there could be “extensive risk” to the district if the development fails.
The office is expected to recommend against certifying the proposal but, if Penner and Krueger green-light the project, council will likely try to block the current plan through zoning, Race said.
Jess Reid of Save Garibaldi Group said resort proponents have been check-mated.
“Anyway you slice it, if they say let’s make [the real-estate development] smaller, you’re never going to clear enough residential tax,” she said.
A December 2009 letter from environmental assessment director Graeme McLaren to the applicant raises questions with four of five proposed dam sites that have “high hazard potential” – most notably two 50-metre dams to be “located upstream from proposed residential and commercial areas.”
But resort spokesman George McKay said all necessary information has been supplied to the environmental assessment office, and proposed dams would go through rigorous checks.
Resort president Mike Esler said he couldn’t comment.
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