A new townhome condo development on 1.3 acres of golf course land is in the works by Nelson's West Creek Developments.
The company that previously built West Creek Village on Perrier Road and The View on West Richards now hopes to construct three 10-unit buildings at what they're calling "The Crossing on Granite Pointe" — a piece of undeveloped land off Choquette Avenue, currently owned by the golf course.
"It's really an ideal location, surrounded by beautiful landscape. Even people who aren't golfers will appreciate the location," said Patrick Davis of West Creek Developments.
His first project in Nelson was working on The Villas at Granite Pointe, under a different development company. That plan to build townhomes around the Clubhouse hasn't progressed past the design phase.
The Crossing, if it goes ahead, would be the first development on the golf course since Granite Pointe finished its revitalization plan in 2009, which identified undeveloped golf course lands that could be developed as residential properties.
The golf course would benefit from the development because residents living so close to the greens would likely buy memberships.
Peter Muirhead, a 30-year Granite Pointe member, has been the liaison between the golf course and West Creek Developments for this project. He's excited about homes going up at the golf course.
"The golf industry has changed — the younger generations aren't really joiners — we need to find different ways to maintain our membership numbers," Muirhead said.
The Crossing would have a golf cart-accessible path linking the property to the clubhouse, for residents to access the greens without getting in their cars. The proposed sign illustrated in the artists renderings shows a family carrying golf bags.
"Anyone who lived there would probably want to golf more," Muirhead said.
West Creek's previous developments, which The Crossing's design is based on, have been particularly popular among seniors. People over 65 bought 25 per cent of the units in West Creek Village and The View, Davis noted. The majority were moving to Nelson from a different city to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
The price of units in previous developments — under $300,000 — also helped attract first-time home buyers, families and young professionals.
Each of the three buildings proposed for The Crossing contain four two-storey, walk-up units of 1,500 square feet; two ground level units with partially finished basements of 1,600 square feet; and four single-storey, ground level units of 850 square feet.
If everything goes as plan, Davis said construction would begin this year with units ready to occupy by late fall.
He's been working with city staff on a re-zoning application to designate the property for multi-family development and allow some minor variances in building height as setback requirements.
He expects his application will come before city council within the next month or two.
The public meeting, hosted by West Creek Developments, is Monday, January 13 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Granite Pointe Clubhouse.