Nelson City Council in British Columbia denied a rezoning application that would have allowed the construction of a small RV campground at the Villa Motel on Highway 3A. The decision was made on April 9 by a 4-2 vote. The proposal sought to repurpose a section of his property, damaged by fire in 2019, into a seven-site RV park.
This proposal required a change to the current zoning laws, which currently prohibit such development on the proposed site. Subsequent deliberations highlighted significant concerns, leading to the application’s rejection in April. During the council meeting on March 5, members directed the planning staff to draft a rezoning bylaw.
According to a Nelson Star report, city planners argued that the campground’s design, featuring RV campers and a concrete retaining wall, would clash with the surrounding environment. They also raised safety concerns about the site’s steep exit grades and tight turning radius, which could challenge maneuverability.
Critics of the proposal cited several reasons for their decision: the potential detriment to the visual appeal of the city’s gateway, the physical impracticalities of the site, and the inappropriateness of RVs as long-term winter housing. Councilors Rik Logtenberg and Kate Tait voiced opposition, emphasizing the need for any land use changes to meet a high standard that benefits the broader community. Logtenberg highlighted that such a rezoning could impact not only the property owner but also the neighborhood and travelers passing by the motel.
In contrast, Woody Kim, owner of the Villa Motel, defended his project, noting improvements to the retaining wall’s aesthetics and adjustments to the site layout that would restrict visible RV sites from the highway to only two. He further reassured the council that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) had approved the site’s turning radius and that long-term stays would be prohibited, with the campground closing seasonally from November to March.
The decision went against the rezoning, siding with preserving the current urban planning standards and maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the city’s gateway.