Recommendations arising from 20 years of work between Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District won unanimous board support on Oct. 19.
In his report to the board, Derek Sutherland, acting general manager of Community and Protective Services, updated the board on the work done to establish a fire service for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
Three of the recommendations included: The board allow CSRD to enter into a construction agreement with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies for the construction of a fire hall building at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort; the board allow the regional district to enter into a lease agreement with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies for the lease of a fire hall building at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort; the board allow authorized signatories to enter into a contribution agreement with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies for the ongoing funding of fire service at the resort.
The fourth recommendation approved by the board was “a special consideration to Resorts of the Canadian to provide a one-time waiver of the board’s position to limit development at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for the specific purpose of finishing the remaining 10-lot subdivision at Phase Three of the Cedars development.
“This is the culmination of 20 years of work,” Sutherland told directors. “In 2018, residents clarified they wanted the resort to have a fire service.”
In 2006, the CSRD proposed a feasibility study related to fire suppression based on a resort request. Still, a consultant’s report suggested that the resort would need an inadequate number of full-time residents to advance.
In 2010, at the request of the resort and residents, the initial report was updated and presented to the community, but there was insufficient community support.
“In 2016, the CSRD was informally petitioned by 255 residents of the resort to investigate the establishment of a fire service,” wrote Sutherland, noting an updated report was presented to the community at a public open house. “Community members urged the CSRD not to pursue a formal assent process as it was felt that the assent would only be successful if Resorts of the Canadian Rockies made a substantial contribution to the service.”
At that time, RCR committed to providing land and utility service connections for a new fire hall, but resort owners suggested this would not be sufficient to receive the support of the property owners.
Early in 2019, the Mountain Resorts Division of the provincial government asked CSRD for comment on RCR’s application to draw down Crown lands from the province for a 150-bed hotel and condominium development.
The board opposed the request due to significant concerns regarding the fire risk of timber frame buildings, their proximity to the Crown forest interface, and the frequency and intensity of recent large-scale structure fires in the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort community.
The board clarified that it does not support the drawdown of Crown lands until a fire service compliant with Fire Underwriters Survey requirements is established. That led to conversations to determine the extent of a fire service partnership model between RCR and the CSRD that could potentially achieve sufficient support from resort property owners.
Details of a developing partnership model would have the CSRD establish a fire suppression service area in 2025. Until then, the Town of Golden would provide the resort with an interim fire suppression service on behalf of the CSRD. During this interim period, the CSRD would conduct some pre-taxation for capital equipment, while RCR resorts would build a suitable firehall building.
The CSRD would provide a suitable apparatus to be stored at the resort for use by the Town of Golden during the interim period. The CSRD would also begin to recruit and train firefighter personnel.
In 2025, taxation would commence, and purchasing of essential equipment would be done through short-term borrowing.
A build-to-suit construction arrangement with a modest lease designed to cover maintenance, insurance, and utilities costs is now considered the preferable option. The resort has also agreed to contribute one percent of all future developed lot sales to the fire service area to provide operational and capital reserves.
There are three agreements developed with the resort for consideration: Construction agreement – the resort builds a suitable space for the fire department as a part of the construction of its new maintenance shop; the resort will build to a maximum of $500,000 with the service area paying any construction costs over that amount in exchange for a corresponding ownership stake in the building. Fire hall design will be approved by the Regional District before construction; Rocky Mountain Resorts will lease the fire hall portion of the building to the fire service for $7 sq/ft of ground floor space; RCR will be responsible for providing building maintenance, snow removal, hydro, water and sewer utilities and landlords insurance as part of the lease rate and the lease is subject to the adoption of a Fire Service Establishment Bylaw by the CSRD board of directors. The proposed contribution agreement will pay one percent of all developed lot sales to the regional district to provide KHMR Fire Service operational or capital reserves. “This ensures all future property owners are buying into the service and contributing to the existing infrastructure,” noted Sutherland. Staff are finalizing the three agreements and are looking for board approval to enter into the agreements with the resort. The resort is ready to begin development on the Cedars Phase Three for a ten-lot subdivision to finish the development.
“In light of good faith negotiations with the resort, staff are recommending a relaxation of the board’s resolution not to support development until a fire service is established,” wrote Sutherland. “Staff are in favour of this good-faith gesture, providing it is specific to the 10-lot Cedars Phase Three development and no other development.”
No financial obligations are imposed on the CSRD until a Service Establishment Bylaw has been adopted. Current legal costs are being funded through Feasibility Study funds, which must be repaid upon a successful assent process.
