A proposal to subdivide and rezone an inclusion Powell River (iPR) property in Cranberry to allow for a housing development was reviewed by City of Powell River Council.
At the July 11 council meeting, city director of planning services Jason Gow said the 4.09-hectare (10.1-acre) property is where Cranberry Child Development and Family Resource Centre is located at 6831 Artaban Street. He said Jim Agius, acting as an agent for iPR, submitted an application to amend the zoning of a portion of this property.
Gow added that iPR intends to maintain the current institutional use on a portion of the property and provide 54 residential lots on the remaining land.
“To achieve this, they have applied to subdivide the property into two parcels and rezone the larger of the two to accommodate residential uses,” said Gow. “If the rezoning is approved, inclusion would move to subdivide the larger property. Staff supports the proposal, subject to the applicant meeting specific conditions.”
Gow said in the recommendations before council, it was recommended that there be a minimum density of two dwelling units per lot to be achieved over the development. Based on recent conversations with Agius, Gow said this recommendation is not favourable to iPR.
“It is my expectation that he [Agius] will reach out to council to come before you as a delegation to explain his rationale,” said Gow. “We’ve based our recommendations on data from the regional housing needs assessment that is intended to address the community’s current housing need.”
Gow said there was also a recommendation for a restrictive covenant intended to retain a stand of existing trees on the property. He said the property is heavily treed and much of it will be cleared to facilitate the future 54-lot residential subdivision if the zoning is approved.
A certified arborist has been engaged to conduct a tree inventory assessment of the property, said Gow, and that assessment indicates that the most significant stand of trees identified for retention exist on the east and north side of the institutional building. The trees would serve as a buffer for existing and future residences.
Gow said it is recommended that staff be directed to work with the applicant to secure an offer in the form of affordable housing units within this development. He said iPR has extensive experience in affordable housing ownership and operation in this community, so it might not be out of line to make this request.
The last thing to consider beyond the subject conditions is whether the application is consistent with the official community plan, added Gow.
“This is important because it will determine whether or not a public hearing will be held, or in fact, prohibited as to the recent amendments to the Local Government Act in relation to the new Bill 44 legislation,” said Gow. “In staff’s opinion, this application aligns with the relevant objectives and policies from the sustainable official community plan, and therefore, it is consistent. If council agrees, this means a public hearing is prohibited.”
Gow said the recommendation includes directions to staff to issue notice of council’s intent to consider first reading of the amendment bylaw at a future council meeting, subject to meeting conditions, prior to zoning approval being granted.
City councillor George Doubt said the proposal is for a great place to develop land. He said he likes seeing the small lots and the density that is proposed to go there and added that as far as affordable housing is concerned, every time councillors approve a subdivision like this, affordable housing should be a consideration.
“I really hope this goes ahead,” said Doubt. “It will be a good addition to the community.”
Councillor Jim Palm asked, with the public hearing process being waived, what opportunities there would be for the public to engage. Gow said the sign at the property would have to be up for 28 days prior to council action, notice would be mailed out to property owners within the vicinity, and notification would be published in the newspaper.
Councillor Trina Isakson said she is not a big fan of single-family homes, even if there is intended to be more than one dwelling per property. She said those are not protected rentals.
Council unanimously carried a motion to give notice of first reading of an amendment bylaw at a future meeting of council with four subject conditions to be met prior to zoning approval being granted.
