Public info session to come

A public information session on the South Beach RV park development proposal in Kaslo is likely to happen, but some administrative details need to be sorted first.

At the regular meeting on October 22, CAO Robert Baker told council that the Village needs two documents in hand: a draft purchase and sale agreement, and an RV zoning bylaw. Then, landowner Quality Property Developments will be asked to organize the information session.

QP Developments and the Village are in the midst of negotiating a land exchange: the Village would dispose of road allowances within the South Beach property to QP, and purchase some of QP’s land in the riparian area along Kaslo River.

The Village’s lawyer is currently revising the agreement to reflect the Village’s values and requirements.

A condition of the agreement is a zoning bylaw for the RV park, said CAO Baker. QP will be responsible for hiring a professional planner to create the bylaw. Once drafted, the Village’s lawyer will review the bylaw to ensure all conditions are met and the Village’s best interests are protected.

Once the full picture is sorted with the agreement and bylaw, “We pause,” said Baker. “We have another information session where all of the information, the whole picture, gets provided to the public by the developer.”

The last public information session was almost a year ago, on November 29, 2023. Baker didn’t say that meeting was premature, but “things have changed and evolved in the last year.”

QP will provide a report to the Village with a summary of public comments and feedback from the session. From there, the Village can decide whether it wants to proceed with the sale, said Baker.

Staff will also create a page on the Village’s website where the public can access documents from the RV park proposal so far, including staff reports and attachments, the property appraisal, and planning reports.