A 15 lot rural residential development, as well as a 15 acre park, on the southeast end of St. Mary Lake is going public July 21.

Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors unanimously passed the first two readings of official community plan and zoning bylaws No. 2324 and 2325 July 8, opening the door for residents to have a say on the long-running issue at 7 p.m. July 21, at Kimberley’s Centennial Hall.

Prompting the board to pass the first two readings was a presentation made by the St. Mary Valley Rural Residents’ Association to the RDEK Planning Committee the evening before, as well as a letter from the Ktunaxa Nation, citing a variety of concerns.

“We realized three years ago this development would not go away,” said residents’ association president Virginia Anderson, adding she believes her group and Tembec Ltd., owner of the property, have held many fruitful discussions, leading to compromises on both sides.

While some association members “are still opposed to any development on the lake, we believe this is a unique example of a corporation and citizens reaching a compromise,” Anderson said.

Electoral Area E director Jane Walter thanked Anderson and the community association for working with Tembec. “It’s been very well appreciated,” she said.

The Ktunaxa Nation’s (KN) position on the proposal, which could result in a 15 acre lakeside park that the RDEK would take under its wing, is that the land in question falls within its traditional territory and noted that Aboriginal Title and Treaty Rights remain in negotiation.

However, the KN noted it has concerns about potential loss of riparian ecosystem values and about the potential for septic waste to enter the lake, though it is encouraged by the RDEK’s consideration of on-site septic treatment.

In addition, the KN is asking that archaeological matters be considered on the property.

The proposed park would be at the entrance to the property, where current and ever-more popular picnic spots are situated alongside where the lake empties down the St. Mary River.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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