Gateway 286 public hearing scheduled for tonight

Merritt City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing tonight (Jan.25) to receive input on an Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Amendment Bylaw at Gateway 286.

“TRUE Consulting on behalf of Spayum Holdings Limited Partnership, is proposing to amend Official Community Plan No. 2116, 2011 to change the land use designation of the subject property from Future Development and Institutional to Comprehensive Residential Commercial,” wrote Community Planner, Janna Bradshaw.

“The applicant is also proposing to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 to change the zoning of the subject property from Institutional and Public Use (P2) to Comprehensive Development (CD3),” added Bradshaw.

First and second reading for the bylaw were passed in November 2021.

“Unlike rezoning applications involving other zones, Comprehensive Development policies are specific to the proposed development. This enables Council to consider aspects of the proposed development that would normally be considered at later stages of the development process,” added Bradshaw.

The proposed project is one half of the full gateway 286 vision.

“The property at 2320 Hamilton Hill Road, east of the subject property, is slated for residential development and a hotel. That rezoning application has received three readings and had a Public Hearing, and is currently pending Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) approval before being presented to Council for final adoption,” wrote Bradshaw.

The City has received two documents in support of the changes, members of the public are invited to speak to the amendments tonight at 6pm in the Council Chambers.