The Chilliwack
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Huge housing development on Chilliwack Mountain gains tentative nod Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
The first steps toward rezoning a significant residential development of up to 298 units on Chilliwack Mountain were taken by council Tuesday. Mayor Sharon Gaetz was the lone voice opposed to the proposed rezoning and OCP amendments. Average slopes of 45 degrees at the site on Lickman Road are much steeper than the recommended upper limit of 30 degrees, as stipulated in the fairly new Hillside Guidelines, she pointed out. “I take this very seriously,” she said. “I think we’re at a crucial moment in our development here in Chilliwack, where we need to say ‘we created those guidelines for a reason.’” She expressed concern about the deep “cuts and fills” necessary to build on sharper slopes over the project site that covers 56.3 ha or 140 acres. A majority of council approved the zoning and OCP changes however, with a 6-1 vote. Council went with the staff recommendation to hold the matter at third reading, pending resolution of geotechnical, environmental and sewer servicing questions from the applicant. Councillor Chuck Stam qualified his support as “tepidly in favour” while Coun. Jason Lum admitted it was a “difficult” file for council. A suggestion by the project engineer that the project “meets the intent” of the new hillside guidelines rankled the mayor. “It certainly does not,” she said crisply. “And that is what has been flagged by staff.” The staff report cited sewer capacity issues, as well as difficult terrain on the site with steep slopes and environmental concerns. It also notes the challenges of high retaining walls or “green” walls in this case, despite the applicant’s plan to cluster some of the units in flatter areas, and retain treed areas for better views. Several area residents, who are also members of the Chilliwack Mountain Ratepayers, turned out at the public hearing to voice opposition to the plan, citing concerns about steep slopes, as Continued: HOUSING/ p4
Michele Cloghesy, consultant with HB Lanarc, makes a presentation to the mayor and council on the latest version of the downtown redevelopment plan. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
City moves to buy up downtown land
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Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
Chilliwack council voted Tuesday to assemble a key block of land to kick-start major redevelopment in the city’s downtown core. The land assembly idea is the first of 20 task force recommendations being rolled out from an exhaustive planning process for the downtown dating back to 2007, with the goal of accelerating downtown revitalization. The city’s bold vision could see a mix of commercial and residential uses developed on a single 1.5 hectare property, with three “mid-rise buildings”
We’re making space for a development that will drive significant positive change ~ Mayor Sharon Gaetz
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built around an urban park. The vision was unveiled in council chambers Tuesday afternoon in a presentation by Michele Cloghesy, of the consulting firm HB Lanarc, on behalf of the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee and its 20 recommendations to speed up the changes. “Downtown revitalization is an ongoing process,” the con-
$1.25 1-12T CS17
sultant said, adding that major redevelopment like this will have a “ripple effect.” The large city block singled out for land assembly is bounded by Young, Yale and Princess. City of Chilliwack already owns 10 properties on the block, and has decided to acquire the remaining ones through Chilliwack Economic
Partners Corporation, leaving three properties at the eastern end of the block. “We’re not reinventing the wheel here. We’re going with something that’s proven,” said Cloghesy, about the consolidation concept. Large parcels like this one, provide opportunities for incentives to be offered, like tax relief, or heritage considerations, but it would probably take a while for the entire project to come to fruition. “It’s a pretty nice parcel,” she said. Parking could be built half a level below grade, which also makes it more appealing. Continued: PLAN/ p3