Nearly four years later, the Trilogy Properties 760-acre project for Cumberland’s Interchange Lands has been given final approval.
The 13 zoning and Official Community Plan amendments got fourth reading and approval at the village’s council meeting Monday evening.
“I’m feeling very, very excited about the future of the village,” said Mayor Fred Bates, who voted alongside Coun. Leslie Baird and Coun. Bronco Moncrief to approve the changes.
“I think we have a great potential for a great future — and I think not only the village, the Valley,” he said.
“I think that the route we’re taking has got to happen,” said Moncrief.
Their opinions weren’t shared by all around the table. Coun. Kate Greening and Coun. Gwyn Sproule voted against all of the bylaws.
“The Trilogy development goes against all the key policies of the OCP,” said Sproule in her comments before voting. I believe that if these bylaws pass we will be giving away much of what the community values.”
“Part of what this is doing is killing a dream — we were a cutting edge village,” said Greening. “We had a dream that the first developer just got to completely trash — it’s a sad day.”
The Trilogy development began its public process in March 2006, with public meetings introducing their conceptual plans for the large tracts of land on either side of the Inland Island Highway.
They proposed a series of mixed-use developments — ranging from a walkable-centre at the northeast corner of the interchange, to larger-lot residential over near Royston Road.
At the time, they said they hoped to be building on two of the lots by the end of that year.
The community fought over the idea, though — some saying it was needed for revitalization of the village that has been struggling financially for years.
Those against, though, argued the OCP was new and shouldn’t be changed. They argued that by extending the residential containment boundary, changing commercial properties to residential and removing land from working forest status were all against the village’s best interests.
The following four years saw some bylaws move forward, then stop, then others move forward, and stop. Trilogy slowed its advance for awhile when the market was really unclear and the village had to review its process after legal advice suggested different tactics.
After years of process, the debate began to wane, too.
The first public hearing for the Trilogy project in November 2006 brought out around 200 people, with a 780-signature petition against the project. The last, in November 2009 had only 25 people attend.
Bates said that the process was a good one — though admittedly, long. It gave people the opportunity to raise concerns, which he said helped create a better project.
“I think they were all heard — I think they were all well heard,” said Bates.
Trilogy — or whoever develops the land — will still have to apply for development and building permits before any work can happen on the property.
John Evans, CEO of the company, wasn’t available for comment before deadline.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com