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Update: Proposed Chief Lake Road subdivision advanced to next phase

The Kidd Group is proposing a bareland strata development, with a mix of housing types in the Hart.

City council approved the first two readings of a rezoning to facilitate development of a new subdivision on Chief Lake Road in the Hart on Monday night.

There will be an additional opportunity for the public to provide written input to city council, before the third reading of the bylaw is considered at a future city council meeting.

Prince George developer The Kidd Group is seeking to rezone a 3.9 hectare lot at 4922 Chief Lake Rd. to facilitate the development of a bareland strata development. The developer had previously proposed three apartment buildings on the site.

“On July 26, 2021, Council considered an Official Community Plan Amendment and Rezoning Application for First and Second Reading. The application was intended to facilitate development of three, three-storey apartment buildings totaling 120 units on the subject property and adjacent property located at 8700 Sparwood Road,” city director of planning and development Deanna Wasnik wrote in a report to council. “Council concurred with Administration to deny the application as the proposed density and building form did not suit the form and character of the surrounding neighbourhood, and did not align with policy direction provided by the Official Community Plan.”

The proposed bareland strata development would include “a mix of housing forms including single detached, two-unit, four-unit, and row housing,” Wasnik added.

City administration are recommending that city council withhold final reading of the rezoning bylaw, until the developer registers a covenant restricting the maximum density to 22 units per hectare. At 22 units per hectare, the development would be limited to a maximum of 85 homes. The Kidd Group proposed the covenant to the city as part of the application, Wasnik wrote.

“The remainder of the subject property will consist of approximately 50 single detached houses,” she wrote. “The proposed residential development will create infill and redevelopment of an underutilized site that respects the character of the existing neighbourhood.”

The proposed covenant would also prohibit apartments, restrict duplexes to no more than 20 per cent of the total housing units, restrict quadplexes and townhouses to no more than 20 per cent of the units, and prohibit duplexes from being located beside each other and from having symmetrical facades. Under the proposed covenant, secondary suites would be prohibited in duplexes, quadplexes and townhouses, Wasnik said, but allowed in single-detached homes. An earlier city report indicated that all secondary suites would be prohibited.

City administration is also recommending that the developer be required to provide a traffic impact study, geotechnical study and servicing brief before final reading of the rezoning bylaw be approved.

NO SAFE PLACE TO WALK

The city had received two letters regarding the proposed development, as of Monday’s meeting. In their letters, area property owners Leon and Fay Mosure and Darryl and Rita Kyte raised concerns about the impact the project would have on their rural lifestyle and the increase in traffic on Chief Lake Road.

“… Chief Lake Road is a narrow, two-lane road without any shoulders or turning lanes. At present, traffic is able to flow freely; but with multiple residences on one property, there will be a great increase in the number of vehicles and pedestrians in a single stretch of the road,” the Kytes wrote. “This will cause increased congestion, which means a much higher risk of vehicular and pedestrian accidents. This is especially a concern because children who walk to school have no safe place to walk, and there is no public transportation in the area to help these children - or other residents – to get around safely.”

The Mosures wrote that single-family homes would be welcome, but townhouses and other forms of denser housing would reduce the rural appeal of the area.

“This proposal with take away the rural beautification of the rural setting. It will take away from the beautiful skyline that we enjoy,” they wrote.

“Both letters that came in were concerned about traffic and the lack of sidewalks in the area,” Coun. Trudy Klassen said. “Any work we can do to get that area safer (would be beneficial.)”

Coun. Tim Bennett said he hopes the city communicates with School District 57 in terms of where new developments, potentially bringing new school-age children to the area, are happening.

“The last thing we want is to get families into the community, and then not keep them because there aren’t enough educational options for them,” he said.