The Kitimat-Stikine regional district voted down a bid to rezone the Skeena River Ranch in Old Remo, just southwest of Terrace, that would have allowed a luxury heli-ski package for super rich tourists to continue.
The massive property is valued at almost $15-million and the house sits on ranching land that the American family who own it rent to Northern Escape Heli-Skiing for its high-end operations during the winter months.
But because the ranch house was first built as a personal residence it needed to be rezoned for non-farming use in order to continue. The house and surrounding property are also located within the Agricultural Land Reserve and required the land reserve鈥檚 commission approval as well.
READ MORE:
The regional district at first called the bid to rezone 鈥渟upportable鈥� but opposition from area residents and the Kitsumkalum First Nation came to a head at a Feb. 1 public hearing and area directors changed their tune at a Feb. 17 vote.
About 68 area residents attended a Feb. 1 hearing and the regional district also received 74 written submissions, only one of which supported the rezoning.
Of concern to those opposed was the impacts from helicopters on neighbouring properties, local food security and farming, potential loss of farmland, and the use of farms for large residences and commercial purposes.
A representative from Kitsumkalum First Nation voiced its opposition to the rezoning, based on a concern of noise, impacts on wildlife, traditional land use of the area and Indigenous treaty rights.
Kitsumkalum Band manager Steve Roberts wrote that the rezoning would 鈥渙nly benefit wealthy tourists at the expense of our people,鈥� adding that it could have 鈥渇ar-reaching and devastating consequences鈥� amid ongoing treaty discussions.
Charles Claus, a local market gardener and orchardist who sounded the alarm in the first of many letters to the editor of The Terrace Standard, said he鈥檚 relieved at the board鈥檚 decision.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy with the outcome but I鈥檓 also happy that the board members heard the concerns of the larger public.鈥�
READ MORE:
Bruce Bidgood, who is regional district director for Area C that includes Old Remo, said he鈥檚 鈥渢hrilled鈥� at the response from the community.
鈥淚t was a resounding voice all throughout peoples鈥� concerns not to take away good farm land and turn it into commercial operations.鈥�
For Bidgood, the situation shows a need for an the area to develop an official community plan (OCP).
An OCP lays out what kind of development should happen in different areas of a community, based on the community鈥檚 vision for the future.
鈥淚f we had [an OCP] in Area C, this wouldn鈥檛 happen. You couldn鈥檛 just say 鈥業 want to build a commercial lodge here鈥�. It wouldn鈥檛 get to this point,鈥� said Bidgood.
鈥淏ut because we鈥檙e such small little communities we haven鈥檛 had one.鈥�
John Forrest, president of Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, called the decision 鈥渧ery disappointing鈥�, adding that he鈥檚 going to have to refund pre-booked clients after wrapping up this season.
Forrest won鈥檛 say exactly how much money the rejection will cost but the package starts at $79,999 for four days and costs a whopping $199,999 over 10 days for five people, with pre-bookings into next year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a blow to Terrace鈥檚 economy and to people鈥檚 employment in town at a time when resource based industries are dying and closing down,鈥� said Forrest.
鈥淭urning away a tourism opportunity that employs local people is pretty hard to understand.鈥�
Forrest, who began offering the package before going through the approval process, argued other lodges in the area that have gone through the same process have been approved.
鈥淚 was optimistic. If you look at it purely from a zoning and bylaw perspective it should have been passed. When you bring into account the public opinion well that鈥檚 where that changes.鈥�
Northern Escape鈥檚 helicopters flew along federally approved air traffic routes twice a day in the winter months.
鈥淧eople like to believe that every helicopter they heard fly overhead was ours. The reality is that there鈥檚 40 other helicopters in town and they fly overhead every day,鈥� Forrest said.
鈥淭he helicopter usage that we had really was inconsequential compared to what goes on every day anyway.鈥�
Claus said it was a mistake not to apply with the ALR before moving ahead.
鈥淚 think they put the cart before the horse. I would like to see due process happen on the front-end and I don鈥檛 think it helped the applicant either, because it made people aware of the potential negative impacts.鈥�
Bidgood added that people who buy property in farming areas do so with an expectation that its agricultural nature will continue. He鈥檚 looking at a future conversation with regulators about helicopter flight paths.
鈥淭he [ranch owners] knew what they were buying,鈥� said Bidgood.
鈥淲hen you start to use something for a purpose for which it wasn鈥檛 originally intended you take your chances. So, you could end up with a $15 million residential house.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e willing to take that risk, well, go for it. But to me it seems like a pretty risky business.鈥�
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Do you have a comment about this story? email:
michael.willcock@terracestandard.com
