Developer unveils controversial Jordan River expansion plans

An ambitious vision of Jordan River as a bustling town, with 10,000 residents moving in over the next 20 years, was unveiled yesterday by developer Ender Ilkay in a last-ditch attempt to delay bylaws which could scuttle his plans.

"We have a window to do this now, but that window is closing," Ilkay said.

The Capital Regional District has scheduled a special meeting Wednesday to enact bylaws which would see most of the area, stretching from the Sooke Potholes to Port Renfrew, zoned 120-hectare minimum.

The bylaws passed Feb. 14, but were not approved by the province until this week.

The board is also facing an application to B.C. Supreme Court for an injunction to stop final passage of the bylaws.

About a century ago Jordan River was a thriving centre, but it now has a population of about 100 and is best known for its surfing beach.

Ilkay's preliminary plans show mixed housing and commercial development in Jordan River with 320 rural acreages around Shirley and Muir Creek.

The Jordan River community would have its own sewage treatment and water plants and there would be consultations with the community on everything from transportation to trails, Ilkay said.

But his major selling point is dedication of almost 1,190 hectares of parkland, including the entire 135-hectare parcel between Sooke Potholes and the Jordan River waterfront. The land would be handed over to the regional district, Ilkay said.

The parkland promise is in stark contrast to an application under existing zoning, made last week by Western Forest Products, for 320 acreages along the waterfront, with no parks or water access.

Controversy has raged over the future of the area since the province allowed WFP to remove 28,000 hectares of private land from tree-farm licences on Vancouver Island.

A deal was then made to sell the land to Ilkay, provoking an outcry about a developer setting the agenda for the closest wilderness area to Victoria.

Ilkay wants the CRD to hold off on the bylaws and WFP to hold off on subdivisions, to allow residents to take a look at his plans.

Otherwise it will be too late to stop WFP from chopping up the area, he said.

"If the bylaws are enacted this thing dies, because then I lose control of the process," he said.

However, CRD planning manager Bob Lapham said it should make no difference to Ilkay whether or not the zoning is changed, as a community plan and zoning amendments would be required in either case.

"Obviously we don't have adequate servicing and infrastructure to accommodate 10,000 people in Jordan River," he said.

Transportation, road infrastructure and the employment base would all have to be addressed as the regional growth strategy does not envisage a new town in that area, Lapham said.

Offers of parkland are cutting no ice with Ilkay's opponents.

Maurita Prato of the Dogwood Foundation said it appears Ilkay and WFP are playing good cop/bad cop and, if Ilkay really wants to work with the community, he should wait until the new bylaws are in place.

Environmentalist Vicky Husband said the concept is horrifying.

"This area is far too important to allow it to be shaped by a developer. This is against everything the public wanted," she said. "This is urban sprawl. This is the arrogance of a developer who thinks he can plan the community."

At Chula Espresso, one of the few businesses in Jordan River, conversation revolved around Ilkay's plans.

"I think that rapid change would be devastating to all the locals. We all live out here because we want to be away from the hustle and bustle," said co-owner Olivia Schultz.

However, as a business owner, it would be good to have a happy medium, she said.