Tucked away on the eastern shores of Vancouver Island, the little town of Ladysmith is abuzz over a proposed residential development by its most famous native, Hollywood sex symbol and animal-rights advocate Pamela Anderson.

Together with developer and ex–Vancouver Canuck Geoff Courtnall, Anderson wants to develop a five-acre waterfront property once owned by her grandparents into a cluster of high-end residences.

“I would imagine that you’re going to get some of the rich and famous buying in there and using it as summer retreats,” Ladysmith resident Jill Dashwood told the Georgia Straight. “Those people will see how beautiful Ladysmith is and how comparatively inexpensive things can be here. We’re seeing the potential for the influx of some serious money. That would be good for our town.”

A realtor and director of the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, Dashwood has seen a number of newcomers from Vancouver and Calgary—and others from as far away as Toronto, the United States, and England—settle in the former coal-mining town, which is known for its natural beauty and outdoor activities like hiking and boating. “We’re getting a lot of younger, retired people in the 55 to 70 age group,” she said.

With a 2006 population of more than 7,500, Ladysmith can accommodate an increase in the number of residents without altering its charms as a quaint seaside town, according to Dashwood.

The Anderson proposal could also add sizzle to the town’s rising property values.

BC Assessment is a provincial Crown corporation that produces annual property assessments throughout British Columbia. An agency news release issued on January 2 stated that most Ladysmith homeowners will see increases ranging from five to 30 percent over last year in their 2008 assessment notices.

The release noted that a single-family residence assessed at $288,000 in 2007 will be valued at $318,000 this year. Further, a strata apartment valued at $172,500 last year will be assessed at $191,500.

On January 3, 2007, Landcor Data Corporation, a privately owned provider of real-estate information, issued a report tracking changes in property values across B.C. The study showed that Ladysmith registered a 30 percent rise in values for all property classifications, including residential, commercial, farm, and other types. It was one of the biggest increases from 2006 to 2007 in the province.

The Landcor report stated that from a total 2006 value of $742 million, town properties grew to $965 million last year.

Project architect Lynn Gordon-Findlay of Victoria-based de Hoog & Kierulf Architects told the Straight that a development-permit application for the Anderson proposal was filed with the Town of Ladysmith in late February.

“We’re talking about a total of 83 units,” Gordon-Findlay said of the proposed complex, which includes one four-storey building on the waterfront, another four-storey structure with a penthouse, a seven-storey building, and three townhouse buildings. No rezoning would be involved, but developers need council approval to go beyond the current four-storey height limit.

Gordon-Findlay explained that developers could build more units on the land but chose not to, in order to avoid cutting down clusters of trees. She also said that the project incorporates environmentally friendly features like permeable pavers to reduce water runoff, storm-water collection for plant irrigation, and hydrothermal cooling.

“The reason that we can preserve so many trees is we’re proposing to go up rather than out and cover the site with buildings,” she said.

With proposed strata units ranging from 1,650 to 2,000 square feet, the Anderson property project could set a precedent in Ladysmith in terms of quality, according to Gordon-Findlay. The asking prices for the various units is yet to be determined.

Dashwood attended the March 1 open house showcasing the project, and said that local citizens reacted positively to it. Though Anderson wasn’t present, Dashwood noted, Ladysmith residents have always been proud that the town has produced a successful actor who also has a knack for business. “She’s got a really good head over her shoulders,” Dashwood said of the former Baywatch star.