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Rezoning hearing to be held on city’s newest purchase

The city drew on reserves to purchase the property in a bid to expand Sequoia Park
41444campbellriverkd-Publichearing
This vacant house

Residents can have their say into the city’s most recent waterfront property purchase next week when the city hosts its own public hearing.

The city will accept short presentations from the public, with a speakers list available before and during the hearing on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall.

The meeting revolves around the city’s Oct. 1 purchase of land and a vacant house along the Island Highway.

“The city purchased the property at 503 Island Highway as part of the long-range parks plan,” said Dave Morris, the city’s facilities manager. “The waterfront property was purchased at its appraised value of $360,000.”

The city drew on reserves to purchase the property in a bid to expand Sequoia Park, which is across from the museum and boasts a Japanese Torii Gate – a 10th anniversary marker of the partnership between Campbell River and its sister city, Ishikari.

The city’s new waterfront property is beside a second vacant city parcel of land next to Sequoia Park and the purchase falls in line with the Strategic Parks Plan, endorsed by council in 2006.

The plan recommended the city’s parks acquisition over the next ten years should focus on waterfront property, with an emphasis on linear parks to support completion of a waterfront trails system.

As part of a February 2006 survey sent to 900 randomly selected households, residents were asked what they valued most about the city’s parks system.

The highest ranked priority in the public survey was for public access to waterfront, and for trail access in general.

The city has committed to purchasing existing waterfront homes and properties when able in order to turn them into public use areas.

Next week’s public hearing is to gather input on the re-zoning of the Island Highway property from Residential One to Public Areas One.

Anyone who would like to speak on the re-zoning can sign up at the public hearing or in advance by calling city hall at 250-286-5700.