A developer is proposing building a resort on forest lands bordering a popular wilderness hiking trail on the west coast of the Island.
Ender Ilkay's plans for the area five kilometres west of Jordan River -- the only private lands bordering Juan de Fuca Marine Trail -- include a 60-unit tourist lodge and 160-pad RV park on one 25-hectare parcel. Another 132 rustic cabins are planned for a second parcel about the same size.
The properties are part of seven parcels, adding up to almost 250 hectares, of former Western Forest Products land bought by Ilkay. The Vancouver-based developer initially wanted to buy more than 2,500 hectares of former tree-farm-licence land to build a new community at Jordan River, but dropped his option on the rest of the land. The forest company has now listed the remaining land for sale again.
More than half the Juan de Fuca properties will be dedicated as park or protected by covenant, while development on other parcels is unlikely because of topography, Ilkay said.
"It's a place where people can enjoy wilderness and enjoy nature. It's a beautiful setting," said Ilkay, who envisions the RV park will be built into the trees, using the same standards as provincial park campgrounds.
The resort would have access to Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, but hikers would not be able to see or hear it, he said.
The Western Forest Products private land went on the market two years ago after the province, without local consultation, allowed the company to remove it from a tree-farm licence.
The spectre of unplanned development of waterfront and recreational areas stretching from Sooke Potholes to Port Renfrew generated a firestorm of protest.
The Capital Regional District downzoned forest and resource lands to a 120-hectare-lot minimum with one dwelling, but the bylaws were struck down by sa国际传媒 Supreme Court.
An appeal will be heard in June and the bylaws stand in the meantime. New zoning bylaws are under review by the CRD.
Ilkay is applying to the district for "custom zoning" to accommodate tourism use.
"I think, overall, there's a lot of support for tourism-based development on that coast," he said. "What people don't want to see out there is housing developments and subdivisions. This is the beautiful wild coast."
The application will go to the Juan de Fuca land use committee tomorrow and will probably be referred to the community, First Nations and other local organizations.
Bob Lapham, CRD general manager of planning, said the district will look at the community impact of the proposed development. But if the court appeal fails, the development could go ahead under the old rules as it does not require subdivision, he said.
Mike Hicks, Juan de Fuca electoral area director, said it's difficult to gauge local reaction.
"I think the idea is good. It comes down to a toss-up between clear-cutting and cabins in those trees," he said.
However, environmentalist Vicky Husband, speaking for the Jordan River Steering Committee, fears the development would be the thin end of the wedge. "You are talking about urban sprawl. This is just the first challenge on the resource lands," she said.
Maurita Prato of the Victoria-based environmental group Dogwood Initiative said there should be no development on the former tree-farm licence lands until there is a full review with community involvement.
