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Proposed Squamish ski resort back in EA process

Environmentalists look for ways to stop Garibaldi @ Squamish

It's been more than a year since the province issued a moratorium on the Garibaldi @ Squamish ski resort development to allow the proponents time to conduct a more detailed water study. That study was presented to the public at an open house in Squamish on June 24, leaving just over three weeks for people to register comments at the provincial Environmental Assessment Office.

But while progress has been delayed at the provincial level since spring of 2008, the project has been moving ahead on other fronts - notably in the form of physical and economic-impact studies requested by the District of Squamish, and the master development plan required by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

Mike Esler, president of Garibaldi @ Squamish, is doubtful that the project could have shovels in the ground before 2011, even with approval from the Environmental Assessment Office. This week he provided a snapshot of where the project currently stands.

"The main reason (the environmental assessment process was suspended) was that we wanted more water data collected and it took a year to do that, and another while to get it modeled for various stakeholders and government officials," Esler explained. "The purpose of the open house is to restart the EA process and present that new information and reports that we've done related to the master plan, which is a concurrent process."

The public comment period on the ski resort's EA certification application wraps up on July 19, after which the project is within a legal timeframe. The Environmental Assessment Office will have 17 days to prepare a report for the Ministry of Environment and tourism ministry, which will have 45 days to accept or reject the application. Esler is hoping for good news in late August or early September.

That still leaves a lot of work. The master plan process is winding up with the tourism ministry, Esler says, and could be complete in November or December of this year. With approval he can move ahead with next steps with a conditional agreement from the province.

The next big obstacle is the governance issue. The ski resort proposal on Brohm Ridge and around Cat Lake straddles the District of Squamish and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, and the developers would like to see the entire resort within District of Squamish boundaries.

"That would entail annexation and Official Community Plan amendments, and rezoning," he said. "That process just started in earnest in the last month or so, and could take arguably a year or longer."

That step requires a greater level of detail, including working drawings of the resort, neighbourhood, golf courses, and other amenities. If the project reaches buildout, which proponents say will take at least 20 years, it will include up to 1,200 hectares of skiable terrain serviced by 20-plus lifts, two 18 hole golf courses, a trail network and 5,739 housing units (including 1,700 hotel units).

That's about a third the size of Whistler, says Esler, or a resort roughly the size of Big White.

While there is resistance to the project in Squamish for a variety of reasons, including concern over the environmental impact, one common complaint is that it's too big. Locals support the idea of a ski hill with some limited amenities, but are wary of a development that could almost double the population of the town on a busy weekend.

According to Esler that's not going to happen in the current market.

"It's just not feasible at all anywhere in North America to build a pure ski resort without a housing component or a four season component, end of story," said Esler. "You can't build in today's market on a standalone basis, it doesn't add up financially. For what it's worth, the province recognizes it and in their all-season resort development guide for all resorts in the province there are allowances, when you build on Crown land, to build residential housing, hotels - housing of some nature. That policy isn't specific to this development, but to all developments."

Garibaldi @ Squamish has also recently met with the District of Squamish to discuss their physical impact and socio-economic studies, which discuss in detail what the impact of the resort will be on the town - everything from the demand for services, to the property tax that the development will add to district coffers.

Those reports are currently private, funded by the developers, but Esler says they should be public in the fall.

As for the water use study, objections to the water plan centre on the fact that the project will draw most of its water from Brohm Creek, which is an important stream for salmon and steelhead fisheries. According to a release by the developers those concerns have been mitigated by the new water use plan that follows B.C. In Stream guidelines, guarantees minimum water flows, and only withdraws water at periods of high flow for limited periods during the year. They also commit to no withdrawals at low flow, instead drawing water from reservoirs.

Still, the project still faces an uphill battle when it comes to public relations. Since the Environmental Assessment Office started to accept comments there have been more than 50 comments against the project and only two in support. The project has the support of previous councils, and the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.

Environmental groups in Squamish are planning to use the next few weeks to generate as much public opposition to the project as possible.

The Squamish Environmental Conservation Society urged members and concerned residents to attend the open house to make comments, and is campaigning for people to make their submissions to the EAO before the July 19 deadline.

The District of Squamish has set aside 10 minutes at the next council meeting on July 7 to hear opposition to the project.