After an emotional public hearing last month, council approved a major development on the Cheekeye Fan on Tuesday evening.
The project includes 1,215 units. Out of those, 537 would be single-family units and 678 would be multi-unit dwellings. There is also space for commercial use and a new school.
The Squamish Nation is a landowner and partner in the development, along with Squamish Cornerstone Developments.
“Today is a momentous day,” said Squamish Nation councillor Chris Lewis (Syetaxtn), echoing other Nation elders who turned out to the council meeting.
“We’re taught by our elders… that our sole responsibility of our community and our Nation is the safety and well-being of our children and our elders. I take that principle and apply it to this rezoning, and this project, because we are providing safety for our community by doing this,” he said.
Lewis was referring to the promise by the developer to construct a $45-million debris flow barrier that would protect the area from a potentially deadly landslide.
Currently, everyone living in the Brackendale area, and multiple Squamish Nation villages nearby, are at risk because of unstable geological conditions on Mount Garibaldi.
