The Regional District of Nanaimo’s hierarchy of rules and regulations within “containment boundaries” (CB) requires an expensive public sewage system for Bowser village.
Enter a developer well outside the CB, with a property of similar size to the village and all the rules and regulations seem to no longer apply. Bowser sprawl?
The development proposal in Deep Bay, near the harbour, is for (plus or minus) 400 high-density units on 96 acres, utilizing a new RDN technique called “clustered housing.” That’s another boondoggle term like “resort developments,” allowing high density in rural areas without public services and allows narrow private roads. Effectively, the existing community loses out on public beach access and parkland because “resort” zoning didn’t require it.
Clustered is painted green by the RDN as a large portion of the parcel is “preserved,” while housing is squished into one small part, utilizing the total possible density of the entire parcel.
In addition to housing, there could be a commercial aspect, effectively a strip mall of 13,498 square feet per floor. Potential renters could include competing businesses with Bowser and maybe even a post office so addresses are “Deep Bay” rather than Bowser.
Effectively, there is little control over the types of businesses that could rent in a potential mall. Plus, this developer has two adjacent large parcels yet to be considered.
Bowser businesses may want to consider this as a potential loss of customer base in the current Gainsburg area (about 600 residents). Many would likely walk to these new stores to pick up milk and bread or a bottle of wine. Why drive to Bowser when just above the harbour are a suite of new stores? Good for current residents, the boating tourists as well as the many returning campers visiting Deep Bay, brought to you by the well-paid Nanaimo planners of the RDN.
Dianne Eddy
Deep Bay-Bowser