Qualicum Beach council unanimously agreed the Pheasant Glen Golf Resort clubhouse and its entrance grounds are in need of a face lift.
However, the design for five rental cottages came as a bit of a surprise to council at Wednesday’s (Aug. 16) committee of the whole meeting.
John Davidson of DYS Architecture and Cal Srigley of CS Design presented to council on the design, form and character for the proposed clubhouse and brew house at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort.
The cottages would be rental accommodations meant for overnight or weekend stays for golf trips, Srigley said. The cottages would be “relatively small,” he said, ranging in size from 900-1,200 sq. ft. They would be grouped in an open space with garages located remotely.
Coun. Neil Horner, who said the plans for the clubhouse and brew pub were “fantastic,” did raise a concern about the cottages.
“When you say, ‘home,’ that doesn’t imply to me that you rent when you’re going to play golf. It sounds like a permanent residence,” Horner said.
Coun. Barry Avis said the size of the cottages could fit a small family.
Srigley said golf cottages are quite typical if you look at courses such as Predator Ridge in Vernon. He also said the cottages wouldn’t have a full kitchen or laundry room facilities, so they wouldn’t become residential units down the road.
Davidson said it’s been 12 years since a plan was developed for Pheasant Glen. Back in 2005, the plan called for a new clubhouse, restaurant, resort units, an amphitheatre and single-family homes, according to a Town of Qualicum Beach council document from 2011.
The site presently has zoning for 225 housing units that are all designated tourist accommodation in an existing, approved development plan.
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Davidson said since then, two things have changed regarding the development: the owners’ vision for the use of the course and activities and events that happen in relation to golf courses as they evolve over time. He said the new clubhouse, which is being called the “base camp,” will also hopefully attract a broader community than just golfers.
“They see a broad range of activities happening there, special events, hiking on the trails, maybe some biking on the tails or bike competitions that run around the course and actually connect with the Qualicum Beach trail system,” Davidson said.
Golf courses and their clubhouses have been known to host events such as weddings and high school dry grad events. In 2016, Pheasant Glen hosted the B.C. Men’s Amateur Championships which had 156 golfers entered.
Srigley said golf courses are in a new environment since “the game has changed.” Srigley said golf courses are less exclusive and more open to the surrounding community.
Srigley said the size and form of the structures are meant to take on a rural design.
“We think it’s more reflective of the community that we’re in,” Srigley said. “So rather than large, grandiose type of clubhouse or any form of cottages that would be city-like or urban, we’ve purposefully tried to keep the form and character something that we feel might be appropriate to the community and the setting.”
At the end of the meeting, Mayor Teunis Westbroek moved that council “encourages the proponents to work with staff” and bring back a plan to council for approval. Westbroek also said the proposal could be approved in one reading.
Craig Dutton confirmed with The NEWS that they are working on a proposal to bring back to council.
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