The Town of Osoyoos and developers of the Watermark Beach Resort are hoping to develop a marina at this site between Lions Park and the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club facility. Photo by Laurena Weninger - Click on picture for larger image

OSOYOOS TIMES-November 25, 2009

By Laurena Weninger - Osoyoos Times

“We’d prefer this didn’t happen at all,” said Mark McKenney, president of the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society (OLWQS), about the Town’s proposal to build a marina in Osoyoos Lake, immediately north of the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club.
But the OLWQS can’t fight development entirely, admits McKenney, so instead the society is asking the Town to take some steps to minimize the dock’s impact on the lake.
“It shouldn’t protrude out in the lake further than 30 metres,” he said, explaining the details he has seen of the project will have the dock built as much as 65 metres out from the “mean annual high water mark.”
The project began to take shape in the summer of 2006, according to information from Alain Cunningham, director of planning and development services for the Town.
In the development of the Watermark Beach Resort on Spartan Drive, the Town wanted assurance from the developer that there would be no application for a dock in front of the development.
“The applicant agreed to this providing the Town would agree to a public-private agreement to construct a marina near Lions Park,” states information from the Town’s planning and development department.
The Town agreed to enter into a joint venture deal with the resort’s developers to construct the marina.
The plan includes the development of the foreshore to provide moorage facilities, improvements to existing parking, improved boat launching facilities and an extended pedestrian pathway.
“At least 50 per cent of the boat slips would be allocated to the town for public use,” a planning department report states.
In 2007, an application for the marina was submitted to the provincial Integrated Land Management Bureau (ILMB).
That application included an environmental impact assessment prepared by Summit Environmental Consultants Ltd.
That report explains the project would consist of 30 slips inside the lagoon and two docks that protrude in an F-shape.
Each of those docks would have 52 slips, for a total of 134 slips.
The environmental report considered biophysical and socio-economic components that could be affected by the construction and operation of the marina.
“Based on our field investigation and data from other sources, we conclude that there is not a significant risk to Valued Ecosystem Components in the project area,” states the report.
“Potential impacts to surface water quality, wildlife and wildlife habitat fish and fish habitat, navigation and public health and safety can be mitigated by implementing the recommended impact mitigation measures outlined in this report.”
According to the Town, the scope of the marina agreement and the steps necessary to implement it are still being finalized and the province has not yet approved the marina application.
A representative from the ILMB confirmed the project is still in the “application stage.”
Before making a decision, the ILMB must await Environmental Impact Assessment approval from federal agencies.
Currently, the application is under review by Transport Canada Marine and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
“It is anticipated that a tenure for the marina will be approved sometime early in the new year,” states the planning department report.
But the OLWQS wants to see the plans adjusted so the dock doesn’t extend as far out into the lake as currently planned.
“We think that’s excessive,” McKenney said.
He pointed out the Town has a bylaw in place preventing such a long protrusion.
Cunningham said the zoning bylaw does include a dock regulation, which was added last year.
But he said it was only added as an interim measure as the Town is in the process of developing a new “water zoning.”
He said the matter will be brought to council at its Dec. 7 committee of the whole meeting for input and guidance.
If the new zoning policy is approved, then no amendment will be needed for the marina proposal.
reporter@osoyoostimes.com