Residents will have a chance to provide input on a proposed planned neighbourhood near the Englishman River in Parksville.
Parksville council gave second reading, during its July 18 regular meeting, to an official community plan (OCP) amendment and a zoning and development amendment bylaw to pave the way for the 800-unit neighbourhood, ‘Riverside’, which would be built out over a decade or more, if approved.
Several members of council indicated they voted to give second reading in order to hold public meeting.
“I do have misgivings about this project right now at this time,” said Coun. Marilyn Wilson. “But I also think it’s important that we’re going to hear from the public, so on that basis I would agree to the second reading.”
A public meeting has been set for Sept. 19, according to the city.
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District Developments is seeking the amendments to permit the planned neighbourhood at 1465 Greig Rd., which would be bounded by the Englishman River to its west and south.
The developer wants to rezone the land to comprehensive development and change its OCP designation from single-unit residential and planned neighbourhood to just planned neighbourhood.
The plans call for half of the 140 acres to be developed, while the other half is preserved as parkland and environmental setback.
Riverside will include duplexes, fourplexes, sixplexes, eightplexes, townhomes, a few small apartment buildings, as well as walk-up three story apartment buildings without elevators, according to Brandon Crema, District executive vice-president.
District will commit to the first 100 units being rentals, according to Kevin Foster, vice-president, development and acquisitions.
The development still needs to clear a number of technical steps in both the development and permit process, according to Blaine Russell, the city’s director of community planning and building.
The property is encompassed by five different development permit areas, including a wildfire interface management area, a flood plain, a watercourse protection area, a Douglas-fir and terrestrial ecosystems area and a neighbourhood development permit area.
District has indicated its anticipated construction start date is July 2023, with an estimated 50 to 80 units built per year.