A proposed subdivision in the Hart passed the public hearing stage at Monday night's city council meeting.
Council heard from Hartfirst Developments Ltd. and the results of a traffic impact study.
In order to proceed, the multi-lot residential subdivision needs to be rezoned from the current agriculture and forestry, rural, suburban and single residential, greenbelt and parks and recreation zoning at 555 Venta Drive, 9029 Kelly Road, and 4717 Zral Road.
Ashley Elliott, a planner with L&M Engineering Ltd., presented with the developer, which she said is keen to build in Prince George.
The spot is "ideally located" for a subdivision, she said, with Kelly Road secondary school, Heather Park elementary school, a playground and corner stall all less than three kilometres away.
"The area has experienced an increase of residential development," Elliott said, pointing to the Woodlands subdivision as one example. "The proposed new residential development will be a multi-phase subdivision likely featuring 20 to 30 new lots per year over an eight to 10 year timeline."
One of the applicants, Jrgen Schmode, was a little more conservative with the numbers, saying it will likely develop in three phases with the first seeing between 30 and 33 homes.
"Simply because we looked at the data from Prince George and found we cannot build 150 homes and put it on the market," he said. "It would be not wise."
The area will be serviced with municipal water, sanitary sewer and storm infrastructure and the water main would be built in the first phase, improving fire flow which Elliott said is deficient in the area.
Hartfirst also plans to donate one hectare to the City of Prince George to " improve parkland deficit in the area." At the moment, the cost is on city to develop, though Mayor Lyn Hall asked if there's opportunity for the developer to take it on.
The city received one letter of objection to the development, which said it would increase traffic along Greenwood and Sparwood streets, neither of which had sidewalks"As you drive north towards city limits you find lots are bigger, houses are further apart and wildlife are in abundance. This is a rural setting within city limits," wrote James and Cathy Britcliffe. "The majority of lots that surround the proposed development are zoned as either suburban or rural and allowing this development to be rezoned as RS2, which by definition is to 'foster an urban lifestyle' is not in keeping with the surrounding area."
The city doesn't have any plan to add sidewalks to the area, council heard.
"There are no real sidewalks on the existing roads on Kelly Road or along Chief Lake Road... we don't really have anything on capital plan to address that," said engineering and public works general manager Dave Dyer, though there are some plans to widen Chief Lake Road "at some point" for bike lanes or trails.
And the city wouldn't ask one developer to solve that problem, staff said, and instead put development costs to the whole neighbourhood.
"The area is a vast area and it's not the developer's responsibility for that," said planning and development general manager Ian Wells.
Coun. Brian Skakun said it was helpful to have the traffic study completed early at third reading, because it alleviated any concerns he might have had.
"To have more density on the Hart is a great opportunity for more commercial investment down the road so I think it's a win-win."
