Goodbye to Gateway Marina?
Developer Mike Mortimer hopes his project doesn't get caught up in the current struggle by some concerned citizens in the community to limit certain kinds of development.
Mortimer, a former Osoyoos resident and graduate of South Okanagan Secondary School, moved back to Osoyoos in May of 2004. He purchased the former Gateway Marina on Lakeshore Drive with plans to apply to the town for a rezoning from CM (commercial marina) to CR (commercial residential).
If Mortimer is successful in getting the property rezoned and the development permit approved, the .43 acre property will be home to a three storey, ten unit resort residence. The footprint of the building will be 6,800 square feet.
The first two storeys will consist of four units per floor, at a total of 1,500 square feet per unit, with the top storey consisting of 2 units each at 2,000 square feet. Units will sell for $500,000 and up.
Mortimer and architect Robert Turik were at the Sonora Centre last Friday afternoon to answer questions and show the concept drawings to the public. The building has been called Las Ventanas Resort Residence.
Mortimer went through and success-fully passed the two-stage environmental process to determine if there are any conta-minants which would not allow the development to proceed.
This is an improvement to the community, Mortimer said at the open house.
We need these kinds of developments here. We could have gone anywhere and done this project, but we chose to come to Osoyoos.
Mortimer knows that the amount of recent development in Osoyoos, particularly along the shoreline, has soured many in the community from allowing more of these types of projects, but feels his project was what the town had been asking for.
We were led to believe that the town wanted this kind of development. I was introduced to Councillor Tom Shields three years ago and he told me Osoyoos was looking for this sort of develop-ment, said Mortimer.
I was told Osoyoos was a wonderful place to invest and that's why I'm here. I think it's a good thing this will not be a marina. I think it's the best use for the property and will be better for everybody, he added.
The next step in the process will be a first and second reading by council, followed by an open house.
