The Village of Kaslo is considering hosting an open house to update the public on the proposed South Beach development, following a request from the South Beach Working Group, a coalition of concerned residents. The open house would address ongoing land exchange negotiations with Quality Property Developments (QP) and the company’s rezoning application for the area.
The request, submitted via a letter, was backed by several residents who attended the October 8 council meeting, both in person and online, to emphasize the need for more transparency. The council also reviewed four additional letters included in the meeting’s agenda package.
“Users of South Beach and the community at large require up-to-date information about what is currently being planned for the area, this disposition of Village-owned property, and potential alternatives to the developer’s plan,” stated the letter from the working group, as reported by The Hamilton Spectator.
Landowner QP Developments proposed the construction of an RV park at South Beach. The company’s rezoning application, submitted in 2023, seeks to reclassify part of the area as commercial recreation and the remaining land as residential. QP also hosted a public information session in November 2023.
At the council meeting, Councilor Matthew Brown advocated for initiating an open house, and Corporate Officer Catherine Allaway confirmed that staff would explore options to organize one.
The Village council gave the first reading of QP’s rezoning application in October 2023 and completed the second reading on August 28. Alongside the rezoning application, the Village and QP are negotiating a land exchange agreement. Under the proposed terms, QP would acquire 5.44 acres of village-owned road allowances within the South Beach property, while the Village would purchase 1.55 acres of QP’s land along the riparian area of the Kaslo River.
The council clarified that the second reading of the rezoning application does not indicate final approval. Discussions remain ongoing, and modifications can still be made. Additionally, the land exchange terms are not binding until a formal agreement is reached, meaning the situation remains open to change.
Mayor Suzan Hewat also emphasized that public notices about leases and sales are not final decisions, but rather opportunities for community input. “People think that when we advertise things like leases and sales, that it’s a done deal,” she said.