By Ian Cobb

e-KNOW

The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors Jan. 6 voted to advise the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) it supports Sunshine Houseboat Vacations Ltd.’s Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) non-farm use application for property at 4140 Abbey Road in Newgate.

However, Electoral Area B director Stan Doehle stated he was firmly opposed to the application and urged board members to vote against it.

The application, if approved by the ALC, will see an increased moorage capacity from 30 to 130 boats total. (Requested moorage to include up to 80 small watercraft, up to 20 charter houseboats and up to 30 private houseboats). It would also allow for up to 28 serviced campsites (water, sewer and electrical); up to seven covered storage units; one 30′ x 60′ soft walled mechanical tent; one 60′ x 60′ mechanical workshop for servicing and renovating boats and houseboats and an inflatable water park.

In addition, the applicants are requesting relief from the requirement to register an easement for cattle access through the property for watering at the lake (which was required by the ALC as a condition of their 2005 approval), a RDEK staff report pointed out.

Doehle said he is concerned about increased sewage treatment, as well as about range tenure and crowding on Lake Koocanusa.

“To add more houseboats on Koocanusa is wrong. This just brings us to more problems on Koocanusa,” he said, telling the board Sunshine hasn’t had regard for the OCP process in the area.

“The OCP is in place with rules that are good for all,” Doehle said.

RDEK staff recommended the board support the application, noting, “The OCP supports campground use in this location where adequate servicing is demonstrated. The requested expansion may have some impact on surrounding grazing land and the ALC will consider this impact when they review the application.”

Brant Cullum, owner of Sunshine Houseboat Vacations Ltd. and Alissa Byng-Hall, Manager, addressed the RDEK’s Planning & Development Services Committee Jan. 5 about the current Non-Farm Use Application requests and specifically about the efforts Sunshine has made since 2012 to meet the regulations listed by the RDEK and the ALC in the previously rescinded Non-Farm Application (listed below) and their efforts to be forthcoming in their business operations.

The 2015 RDEK Board Resolution: Board adopted Resolution 45101: That consideration of the Sunshine Houseboat Vacations Ltd. ALR non-farm use application be postponed until the applicant can demonstrate that:

1. Existing servicing complies with applicable regulations (specifically with water and sewer servicing regulations);

2. That proposed campsites will not negatively impact the occupancy of surrounding campgrounds;

3. That the conditions of previous Sunshine Houseboats ALC approvals have been met.

As of Sept. 15, 2016, Sunshine Houseboats has a fully operational, permitted water treatment system designed by Home Plus Products in consultation with Marianne Crowe from Interior Health, a letter from Cullum/Sunshine to the RDEK outlined.

In August of 2016, Sunshine installed an onsite septic system designed by professional engineers at MSR Solutions from Victoria and installed by certified waste water technicians from West Kootenay Septic Solutions. The system is designed to meet current flows and accounts for future growth and is registered with Interior Health, Cullum added.

“Of the conditions listed on the original approval, Sunshine has met all conditions except for the failure to register the easement of which in 20151 we employed lawyers and had a easement agreement drafted. The agreement was given to Noreen Thielen; however, she was unwilling to sign it. As such, we requested to remove the requirement to register the easement.

“In conclusion, we believe Sunshine has met the requirements listed by the RDEK to meet the guidelines listed in the OCP. Sunshine has and will continue to abide by the agreements with the APC and fully supports a good relationship within the ALR,” Cullum concluded in his letter.

Area B Director Stan Doehle and Electoral Area E Director Jane Walter were the lone votes opposed.

Lead image: A line of Sunshine Houseboats Ltd. houseboats moored at Big Springs. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW photo

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