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Manufactured home parks in Saltair up for discussion Thursday Ross Armour THE CHRONICLE
The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) is on the verge of amending a bylaw that will allow for on-site homes to be built in a trailer park in Saltair. The move comes amidst an outcry from locals who are saying CVRD officials are sending affordable housing to the wall in the area. A public hearing has been scheduled for this Thursday (March 6) at the Mt. Brenton Centre in Saltair. “The CVRD is on the verge of changing affordable housing in the Cowichan Valley forever,” Saltair resident Lynne Smith, who is against amending the bylaws, wrote in an e-mail to the Chronicle. “[It] is on the verge of amending the Manufactured Home Park MP-1 zone bylaw in Area G — Saltair/ Gulf Islands. “What does this mean to affordable housing in the CVRD? It means that land speculators will be looking at properties zoned MP-1 as land grabs. The past tenants of Seaside Manufactured Home Park (Seaside Trailer Park) could tell you what it is like to be evicted to the curb.” Back in 2007, WCY Rentals bought Seaside Trailer Park, planned for re-development, and ended up evicting many residents who were living in manufactured homes in the park. Very little happened apart from a few fallen trees back in April 2008 that forced some resiSnow blanketed Ladysmith early last week, creating many great photo opportunities, not to mention dents out quicker than they would many chances to toboggan and make snowmen. It looks like the snow that still lingers will melt soon, as have liked, according to Smith. Environment Canada forecasts rain and warmer temperatures all week. TERESA MCKINLEY The park was home to many se-
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niors who were able to live in waterfront properties at an affordable cost on low income. In July of last year, the company was given the go-ahead to re-develop the park, which they now want to turn into a “housing subdivision” with many homes being built on what used to be occupied by trailer rentals — but they need the bylaw to pass at the CVRD first. “The density in the park would change to nine on-site built homes per hectare,” wrote Smith. “A nineon-site-built-homes subdivision is a high-density residential subdivision and does not belong in a manufactured home park MP-1 zone.” If the amendment goes through, Smith fears a similar approach will be taken by developers across the Cowichan Valley and beyond. “If the CVRD approves theses amendments, [it] will change the face of affordable housing and possibly changed the density allowed in rural and semi-rural areas in the Cowichan Valley forever,” she said. “What happens in one CVRD electoral area zoning bylaw is like a virus and spreads to other electoral areas. It can even set a precedent.” According to the CVRD, the purpose of Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments under discussion at the public hearing is to amend the MP-1 zone to permit “site built” dwellings as an alternative to the mobile homes and modular homes that are presently permitted in the MP-1 zone. Thursday’s public hearing will start at 7 p.m. at the Mt. Brenton Centre at 3850 South Oyster School Rd. in Saltair.