Village of Pemberton (VOP) Mayor Mike Richman described elements of the town's reopening plan during a Facebook Live event hosted by Lisa Richardson on May 8.
The event came a day after the province revealed its four-phase plan for reopening after COVID-19 precautions, and Richman said the VOP is in the process of determining what it means for the village.
"Part of me likes the fact that we're being given some flexibility because we're all in different situations. Pemberton is very different from Whistler, which is very different from Surrey. Our living conditions and, therefore, how we adapt to Phase 2 of the reopening is very different from community to community," he said.
"On the other hand, there's still a lot of grey area and people don't know how to handle that ... We're trying to sift through what Premier [John] Horgan gave us and try to translate it and message it to our people so our residents know what does it mean. 'Can I go out for dinner with my friend? How does this work? Are we welcoming people back into our community? Should I be reopening my business?'"
Richman added that communication has gone both ways, and when necessary, he and other rural mayors have countered solutions that seem to be more focused on urban centres.
Richman anticipates that reopening procedures will be far more nuanced than the shutdown, which communicated clearly what measures the public needed to take. Ultimately, though, the municipal role is the same: to help provide as much guidance to residents as possible.
"There was a real spectrum of a high level of anxiety to complacency and our job was to try to bring the information together so that we could bring people to the point where they were somewhere in the middle, being committed and responsible but lowering the anxiety," he said. "Now that we're looking at reopening, I feel like that's going to happen again. I feel like there's a lot of pent-up desire to kick the door open and go outside and go hang out with my friend, and yet at the other end of the spectrum, a lot of folks that are anxious about that and worried it's going to undo the work we've done up until now."
Richman fielded questions posed by residents via Facebook comments.
He said that the Village on its own is in decent shape, but acknowledged that its proximity to Whistler's kneecapped tourism economy could produce ripples.
"Pemberton's done OK compared to a lot of other areas and I'm hopeful that if not all, most of our small businesses will be able to pick up in some form pretty quick," he said. "A lot of our residents work in Whistler and depend on the industry in Whistler as well. There is some uncertainty there as well."
With the potential of visitors coming to Pemberton and the surrounding areas to enjoy the outdoors, especially with a long weekend approaching, Richman said the Village is looking at ways to encourage everyone to follow proper precautions. However, he added that it's also a matter of individuals taking responsibility for themselves.
"We're going to see more people on the trails and it's going to be harder to stay apart. We're going to do the best with our assets to, like we did at One Mile [Lake park], make things directional, [add] signage, put out whatever we can to allow people to practise physical distancing," he said.
Richman also added that the VOP is in the early stages of putting together a committee with stakeholders from local community organizations and businesses, as well as mental health representatives, though it still needs further council discussion before more details are revealed.
"Because we have to take these deep dives, it's an opportunity to take a look at a new way," he said, giving examples of sustainable tourism and carrying on good habits developed during the pandemic.
The full webcast is available at https://www.facebook.com/VillageOfPemberton/videos/691916401623986/?v=691916401623986.
Sunstone seeks amendment
At its regular meeting held via Zoom on May 5, council gave first and second readings to a rezoning application by Sunstone Ridge Development Ltd.
Sunstone is applying to amend its Residential Townhouse Amenity (RTA-1) Zone, including the Elevate at Sunstone project. Sunstone initially received approval to build 52 townhouse units, but after beginning construction of the first townhouse building, has found limited demand for two-bedroom interior units. Sunstone is applying to amend its existing approvals in order to construct a duplex multi-family project, which would allow for more three-bedroom end units. The total number of units constructed would decrease to 45.
There is a condition of use that precludes subdivisions, planning consultant Cameron Chalmers said, and the amendment will just allow for a slightly different form of townhouse development.
Council opted to schedule a virtual public hearing before proceeding with third reading. The hearing will be held as part of council's next regular meeting on May 26 at 9 a.m.
"I think that we should have a public hearing because there are always points from the residents in the neighbourhood ... and I think it's important that we hear them," Councillor Amica Antonelli said.
