Despite the public hearing for the Official Community Plan last month, Comox residents will have another opportunity to offer their opinions on a handful of revisions, as council revised bylaw 1684 and 1685 Wednesday, triggering the need for a second public hearing.
Earlier this month, Comox town planner Marvin Kamenz presented council with nine areas of concern stemming from the original public hearing, offering staff comments and recommendations.
Areas of concern are:
• the 0.5-hectare minimum parcel size for the Point Holmes area, complicated because some people want to reduce the parcel size to 0.4 hectares and others want to wait;
• Garry oak habitat as it relates to one specific area; 685 Lazo Rd., with concerns raised over wanting to retain existing hotel motel development rights as justification for future multi-family residential and therefore higher property resale value;
• concern that a Kye Bay gross floor area (GFA) maximum of 350 square metres is too restrictive;
• concern about changing zoning of the Shoppers Drug Mart area at 1966 Guthrie;
• a change to permit apartments at 1582 Balmoral Ave.;
• concern about changing the designation of 1611 Comox Ave. to permit bare land strata subdivision;
• the keeping of chickens on Butchers Road and public concern about restricting fences at a wildlife corridor to a maximum of four feet.
Last Wednesday, Coun. Ken Grant proposed a change to 350 to 400 square feet to the maximum principal building gross floor area as it relates to Kye Bay zoning.
“The reason I’m looking at that is that in the discussions we’ve had, the numbers were between 300 and 500, and the middle of that would be 400 obviously. I know it’s quite contentious down in Kye Bay, and we’ve got people that are on board on some parts and not on others,” he said.
“The garage situation may be another contentious point. Nobody’s going to be completely happy with it, but I think it’s a happy medium … or as close as we can get.”
Couns. Marcia Turner and Hugh McKinnon agreed with Grant, while Coun. Patti Fletcher said she felt more comfortable sticking with the staff recommendation.
A second public hearing is scheduled for June 28 at the d’Esterre Seniors Centre.
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