A nearby getaway
Hundreds express interest in Point Roberts’ Cottages at Seabright Farm — and most are from Metro Vancouver
Odds are, when most Lower Mainlanders contemplate Point Roberts, they probably think of a geographical anomaly: a sleepy, five- square- mile chunk of the U. S. that’s accessible to motorists only through the border at the south end of Tsawwassen, a place to collect shippedin parcels or to fill up on cheaper gas. That is, if they think of it at all. Wayne Knowles, who’s called the place home for 21 years, has encountered more than a few folks from the Metro area who’ve heard of the Washington state community, but have trouble placing it.
“Some think Point Roberts is around Bellingham somewhere,” says Knowles, a development partner with a company called Orca Shores, which is set to better acquaint Vancouver- area residents with the community in the years ahead. This, because of its Cottages at Seabright Farm, a community to take shape on 62 pristine waterfront acres above a bluff facing due south toward the San Juan Islands.
The development — bordered to the north by APA Road, to the west by Pauls Road and to the east by Boundary Bay Road — will be a gamechanger, says Knowles, in that it will be the largest residential project to take shape in Point Roberts, a community of some 1,300 permanent residents that swells to about four times that number in the summer months.
“It will be, and it will be the last one, too, because this is the last big chunk of land that’s available,” Knowles says.
He expects that up to 90 per cent of the buyers will be folks from the Lower Mainland, “people who have condos downtown, 800- square- foot $ 1- million condos, who can come down here and get an affordable waterfront cottage, 35 minutes from home.” Indeed, of the 500- odd people who registered early interest in the project, the bulk were from the Lower Mainland, he reports.
There’s little doubt that when they cross the border, enter Whatcom County and approach their cottages, they’ll be parking their big- city sensibilities. The Seabright site, a beautiful canvas bordered by a forested area that opens to a sloping meadow, is dotted with maples, alders, cedars and apple trees. It’s home to a couple of resident eagles — they’re named Skye and Kyte — and to deer wandering here and there.
The flavour of the community will remain decidedly rural and laid- back, something that will be evident to anyone who opts to drop by the “sales centre.” The antithesis of a flashy show space, it’s a circa- 1895 farmhouse outfitted with finds from both garage sales and Pottery Barn. Outside, a grouping of Adirondack chairs circles a firepit — a nod to the gathering spaces that will eventually dot the acreage — while down by the bluff, a welcoming hammock sways in the ocean breeze.
Such touches are designed to speak to the character of both the community and to the laid- back lifestyle of Point Roberts as a whole, as will the cottages themselves.
“We wished to avoid any resemblance to a typical suburban tract with its regular placement of homes and repetitive driveways,” says Vancouver architectural designer Calum Srigley. “We also wanted the homes themselves to offer the kind of amenity and charm that one associates with a summer cottage.”
To that the end, the modestly sized cottages will be grouped in clusters throughout the property, with country roads and paths that will follow the natural landscape. “Seabright Farm is a planned residential community that is intended to appear to have been built over time in a natural and authentic way; in other words, not really planned at all,” Srigley says.
“The overall effect is of a small rural settlement, with open land throughout.”
The charming “farm- like” cottages will also speak to that design expression. They’ll feature porches, verandas and covered decks, some with outdoor kitchens or fireplaces, some with “bunkies” — stand- alone bedroom/ studios attached by breezeways to the main cottage. Srigley says four basic designs are on offer, but buyers can customize those designs in many ways. As well, homes can be added on to over time as the needs of families change. “The combinations are many and varied and will ensure diversity,” he says. ( Buyers also have the option of purchasing a lot and building a cottage, but those cottages must adhere to the overall architectural guidelines of the development.)
The Seabright site is a gently sloping one, meaning all occupants of those cottages will have water views. Access to that water will be provided by a wooden staircase leading down 150 feet from the top of the bluff.
On site will be numerous amenities designed to enhance the community feel, not only for Seabright Farm, but for all of Point Roberts. Residents will have access to an outdoor swimming pool and multifunction court for tennis, ball hockey and basketball, while a large barn on the property will be used for local and community events — art shows, musical performances, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and the like.
Seventy- one- year- old George Wright will be a permanent fixture on the site, ensuring that The Cottages at Seabright Farm is true to its name. The individual who developed the “farm concept” vision for the project, Wright will live on the property and be available as a consultant to residents who want to tap into his “green” expertise, both for flowering and edible gardens.
“I want people to be able to grow their own food as much as possible,” he says. “However, I will be doing that as much as I can.”
Explains project marketing director Wayne Lyle: “There’ll be tons of space between the homes, so George is going to plant plants, not just around the barn area, but throughout the development where there are open fields. There’ll be orchards planted, fruits and vegetables. You could almost go for a walk and graze as you go.”
As a 16- year resident of Point Roberts and someone who’s plugged into the pulse of the community, Wright says the response to the development from the larger community has been good.
“It’s been interesting to see how much positive energy there’s been to this,” he says. “The people here will have this as their space, but the people in town will feel included ... That’s what I want. That’s what we all want.”