The Regional District of Nanaimo will hold an alternate approval process (AAP) to determine if it should approve a land exchange in French Creek.
The RDN is proposing to exchange a 0.55-hectare portion of Lee Road Community Park for a 1.51-hectare piece of a nearby property recently purchased to support expansion of the French Creek Pollution Control Centre.
“The land exchange plan includes dedicating community parkland along French Creek to support a public trail and ecological corridor, while removing a portion of land in the Lee Road Community Park to allow for the expansion of the FCPCC,” reads a news release from the RDN. “The properties to be exchanged are of equal value and therefore there is no land value cost for the exchange. The Lee Road Community Park property is currently zoned to permit the proposed uses.”
The release notes the exchange would increase the total parkland by about one hectare, and it would allow for expansion of the public trail in the park.
The exchange will require both an AAP and an Official Community Plan amendment.
Residents in electoral area G can participate in the AAP from June 5 to July 7. Anyone opposed to the exchange can submit a response form.
There will be a public hearing on the OCP amendment on June 26, and the RDN board will make a final decision on July 22.
The hearing will be at St. Columba Presbyterian Church in Parksville at 6:30 p.m. There will be an information session before it, starting at 3 p.m.
