The continuing growth in the demand for recreational land for cottaging purposes within a day's drive of major urban centres, together with the increasing scarcity of suitable land, have important environmental and economic implications, particularly for regional governments charged with responsibility for planning land use and settlement density within their jurisdictions. Where cottage developments have been regulated at all, regional authorities have tended to assume that cottagers are uniform in their desires and in their potential impact upon the surrounding areas, and have developed their policies accordingly. This study explores the possibility that, on the contrary, cottagers have different desires that, if recognized, would lead to the adoption of policies designed to foster a variety of cottage areas with distinctive features. Using four cottage areas in the Princeton region of British Columbia as a case study, this thesis investigates whether the cottager population has changed in recent years and then examines the relationship between the characteristics of cottage owners, the intensity of cottage use and recreational activity, and the level of services desired. The data is gathered by means of a survey questionnaire mailed to all the property owners in the four cottage areas. It was found that cottage owners are more occupationally diverse than they were a decade ago, and that certain patterns of summer occupancy and activity level are apparent. However, no significant correlation was found between cottager characteristics and owners' desires for services, although certain trends were evident. In light of these findings, three policy alternatives are advanced for consideration by regional or provincial governments: the large lot approach; the cluster hamlet; and the rental cottage village. The pros and cons of each are assessed in terms of environmental and economic impact, the desires of cottagers as expressed in the questionnaire returns, and the potential for satisfying the growing demand for cottaging. Finally, suggestions are made for further research. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Many North American urban dwellers find lakeshore cottaging to be an attractive activity. On a typical summer weekend in most North American cities large numbers of cottagers make automobile trips ranging in length from only a few miles to several hundred miles in order to reach their cottages. Many cottagers from the Greater Vancouver area travel greater distances to reach their cottages than do cottagers from other large cities. A large portion of these distant cottage areas were developed in the nineteen sixties and early seventies when personal transportation was very inexpensive. The mid nineteen seventies have been the scene of substantial increases in energy costs with subsequent rises in the cost of transportation. When the possibility of further energy price increases is considered it appears that there is a distinct possibility of these distant cottages experiencing a drastic decline in use. This would have a number of implications for planners in British Columbia with one of the most important being the increase in demand for cottaging (or similar activities) close to Vancouver. In order to determine the magnitude of the response of cottagers to transportation cost increases questionnaires were mailed to four different groups of cottagers who resided in Greater Vancouver. Three of these groups consisted of cottagers who owned cottages on the British Columbia mainland at varying distances from Vancouver (the cottages of the first group were located about seventy miles from Vancouver while the third group's cottages were located about 330 miles from Vancouver). The fourth group consisted of Vancouver cottagers who owned cottages on Vancouver Island. The data collected measured responses to recent gasoline price increases, responses to ferry fare increases, and cottagers' anticipated responses to future gasoline price increases. It was found that cottagers had responded to both the ferry fare increases and gasoline price increases with reductions in the use of their cottage. The data was also used to estimate the effect of future gasoline price increases on cottage use. The study reveals that the costs of reaching distant cottages is presently at a level such that further increases could severely curtail the use of these cottages. These findings can be considered in conjunction with estimated future trends for energy prices to determine the magnitude of the effect of transportation costs on cottaging at a given time. This result could then be used to plan for alternative opportunities closer to Vancouver. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate