Losing Access to Stotan Falls

As recently reported in the newspaper, 3L Developments Inc. (LeMare Lake Logging) is planning to close, on January 15, a portion of Duncan Bay Main which would affect access to Stotan Falls, from Forbidden Plateau Road and of course traffic along Duncan Bay Main between Forbidden Plateau Road and Comox Logging Road.

On their website, 3ldevelopments.com names this project “Riverwood”. It is described as proposing about half or 215 acres of proposed development to become parkland/green space. Development includes 618 lots for single family homes, 9 acres for patio homes, walking, hiking and biking trails, river access for kayaking, canoeing, swimming and fishing. There is also reference to sustainable practices to be incorporated.

There are certainly concerns with this size of development and its location beside Stotan Falls and where the Browns and the Puntledge rivers meet.

Will the intention be that where there now is “public access” to some of this area, will this access be cut off?  Will certain enjoyment of this area be available only to individuals living in the new-to-be developed residential area? 

On their website they state that they are protecting fish spawning channels and hiking trails. Will that really be the case?  Under private ownership what obligations do they really have and for whose benefit?

 A partial way to deal with these concerns would be for the owners of the property to donate enough property bordering the Browns and Puntledge Rivers for public use.  This donated land could become a park perhaps along the lines of Roy Morrison Nature Park.  Also, this donation could take place in the not too distant future.

Developers can turn essentially cheaply acquired (i.e. low cost) raw land into very valuable real estate through rezoning and development applications.  Our local elected officials often are more than eager to make this possibility a reality.

 In a little less than a year there will be local elections.  Now is the time for locally registered voters to start thinking about who will be best to serve them at the start of the next term.  There seems to be more interest shown in making the Comox Valley more sustainable in the future.  Perhaps a coordinating group of various environmental organizations should form, call themselves the “Sustainability Coalition” and endorse future candidates that meet the appropriate sustainability guidelines?

Read more at their site: http://www.3ldevelopments.com