For project updates, visit Development Updates – Touchstone at Gospel Rock (touchstonegibsons.com)
Updated November 28, 2023
- A blasting permit has been issued
- A servicing Agreement has been issued
- A tree removal permit has been issued
View application and supporting documents
Project Overview
Greenlane Homes anticipates building a mixture of commercial, multi-family and single-family zones on this 47-acre site. The proposal allows for up to 360 residential units and protects approximately 46% of Block 7 from development through park and greenspace.
Approximately 49% of the 47 acres is zoned as Parks, Recreation and Open Space. This includes the three view points (Cross Rock, Little Africa, and Gospel Rock), all of the waterfront area, most of the steep and environmentally sensitive forested slopes, and the “greenlane” to the neighbourhood centre. Some of the green space areas will be dedicated to the Town; other areas will be protected through restrictive covenants or through partnering with a conservation organization.
In March 2022, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association, the Land Conservancy of BC, Greenlane Homes and the Town of Gibsons announced that a conservation covenant protecting 6.72 hectares (16.6 acres) of Gospel Rock has been registered. The conservation covenant restricts activities which would compromise ecosystem integrity or displace its species. Primarily composed of mature dryland forest, the covenant protects six ecological communities. Protecting Gospel Rock with this conservation covenant is the culmination of more than 35 years of conservation efforts to protect this regional ecological legacy.
Read the Press Release: Gospel Rock Covenant Registration here.
Project History
2021
January 2021 – the Director of Infrastructure Services issued a Stop Work Order in order to investigate possible violations of the development agreement.
Read 01-06-2021 Press Release: Town Issues Stop Work Order at Gospel Rock here.
Read Frequently Asked Questions about the Gospel Rock Stop Work Order here.
March 22, 2021 – the Director of Infrastructure Services prepared a Memo to Council outlining the recent events on Block 7, in relation to the Town’s Tree Preservation Bylaw.
May 26, 2021 – Town Lifts the Stop Work Order at Gospel Rock. Read Press Release here.
June 1, 2021 – Council passed a motion directing staff to work with Greenlane Homes to develop solutions to protect a buffer area adjacent to the proposed conservation covenant area to ensure the sensitive lands outside the covenant area are protected as quickly as possible.
In June 2021, a well-attended public information hearing on proposed traffic-calming solutions on Gower Point Road was held. More information here.
Q2 2021: Staff continued to work with the development team to finalize the terms of the development agreement, servicing, and subdivision requirements for the development. A building permit for the first apartment was applied for. The Shaw-Inglis connector design was submitted to Town for review.
Q3 2021: the Shaw-Inglis connector has now been dedicated and registered. Staff is working with the developer to finalize design elements. It is anticipated that a Servicing Agreement for on-site works will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021.
2020
July 2020 – Development permits for this project have been issued and site works have begun at the upper level of the project, with initial activity to be completion of site fencing and scraping of the top layers of soils. Staff are currently working with the developer on a subdivision servicing plan for the lot. The creation of a public park, a conservation area and a boardwalk along Gower Point Road are some of the features that will benefit the community at large.
On August 28, 2020, an environmental protection covenant was registered to protect the Conservation Area and other environmentally sensitive areas.
On October 19, 2020, the following Development Permits were issued:
Block 7 – Permit DP-2019-06 (Geotechnical)
Block 7 – DP-2019-08 (Environmental)
October 2020 – at the Regular Council Meeting on October 6, 2020, Council voted to remove a planned multi-use trail from the Gospel Rock lands, in light of the possible impact on ecologically sensitive areas. Read the related Coast Reporter story here.
Q3 2020: Staff are working with the developer’s engineer on the final design for the infrastructure necessary to support the first phase of development. This includes the Shaw-Inglis Connector and the Gower Point pedestrian improvements and traffic calming. The Director of Infrastructure Services is working closely with the Director of Planning on processing the requirements of the Development Agreement.
2019
Q1 2019: Council finalized the rezoning of Block 7 in the Gospel Rock neighbourhood.
March 2019: the developer of Gospel Rock undertook initial tree clearing in preparation for planned roads and the first building site (brown areas bordered in black on the map below.) In conjunction with this work, a registered biologist was retained to conduct a nesting survey of the site. Additionally, no-disturbance buffer zones will be retained around all development permit areas to protect wildlife and retain as many mature trees as possible.
July 2019: The Town received the subdivision applications in August 2018, and the Preliminary Layout Approval (PLA) was issued on July 11, 2019. Developers continued work on development permits, servicing, and site planning.
September 2019 – staff presented on the application for the Form and Character Development Permits (DPs) required for the Gospel Rock Village, Apartments, Townhouses, Hotel and Parking Variances. The committee recommended that Greenlane Homes be requested to retain natural vegetation (such as Arbutus and Douglas Fir trees) adjacent to park and public spaces through use of restrictive covenants where feasible and that the issue of the Form and Character DPs be subject to:
a. meeting parking requirements
b. changing the colour palette (less browns and greys)
c. identifying accessibility, energy efficiency, and green building designs
d. softening the vertical lines
e. lightening the experience to reflect Gibsons’ small-town character and
f. providing a lighting plan that minimizes light spill and sky glow to lessen the impact on wildlife and dark skies.
Read the details about the presentation and committee comments here:
Minutes from Planning & Development Committee meeting – September 17, 2019
For more information about the plans for this space, please refer to the “Concept Plan” section, below.
October 15, 2019 – staff presented a report to Council reviewing the developer’s response to comments received at the Planning & Development committee on September 17, 2019 and recommending that the form and character development permits (DPs) required for the Gospel Rock Village, Apartments, Townhouses, Hotel and Parking Variances be authorized for issuance. Council subsequently authorized the issuance of those DPs.
Staff Report to Council – October 15, 2019 – Application for Form and Character Development Permits
2017 to 2018
On October 2, 2018, Council adopted a bylaw to rezone approximately 47 acres of land from Single-Family Residential Zone 4 (R-4) to a selection of zones following the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan.
The zones include a mixture of commercial, multi-family and single-family zones, to create distinct areas within the neighbourhood, allowing for up to 360 residential units. 23 acres were rezoned to Park (PRO), with a “green lane” created to tie the neighbourhood and park together.
The rezoning process was as follows:
Location of Block 7 with the context of the OCP’s long-term Land Use Plan
Concept Plan
Three key planning principles were used to develop the Concept Plan:
- Protection of Green Space – includes protecting the Gospel Rock at the waterfront and the upper bench destination viewpoints; Cross Rock and Little Africa;
- Park Connection – The Master Plan includes a “greenlane” to preserve and enhance the existing trail to Cross Rock. This will create a pedestrian connection between the village and lookout park at Cross Rock; and
- Activation of the Village – The Master Plan includes a mix of appropriate and neighbourhood-scaled commercial uses, as well as market rental housing to create a small but lively neighbourhood centre. The design character for the residential uses will emphasize ground-orientated housing types, with the majority taking the form of townhomes and single family residences.
Approximately 49% of the 47 acres is zoned as Parks, Recreation and Open Space. This includes the three view points (Cross Rock, Little Africa, and Gospel Rock), all of the waterfront area, most of the steep and environmentally sensitive forested slopes, and the “greenlane” to the neighbourhood centre. Some of the green space areas will be dedicated to the Town; other areas will be protected through restrictive covenants or through partnering with a conservation organization.
Zoning
The property was rezoned to Comprehensive Development Area 4 – which will have 11 sub-areas. These can be seen in the map.
The sub-areas are based on Town-wide zoning with some specific regulations to the Gospel Rock site, please see the CDA-4 Bylaw for more details.
Chaster Road will be the primary road system for the Gospel Rock neighbourhood, up to a maximum of 250 dwellings as per the Gospel Rock Neighbourhood Plan. Emergency access will be from Rosamond Road; there will be a gate at the end of Rosamond Road to prevent through traffic from Block 7. Trails will connect pedestrians (and possibly cyclists) to Gower Point Road and Lower Gibsons.
