Habitat for Humanity North Island’s next Campbell River project is still relatively early in the approval process, but is already raising questions surrounding densification on Hilchey Road.
The next proposed build-out is for another 20 units of housing to go up on the property immediately adjacent to the 12 units that are currently being completed.
In moving the project forward, Campbell River city council voted unanimously on April 12 to give first and second reading to the property’s rezoning application and schedule a public hearing, but while doing so, Coun. Charlie Cornfield said he already has concerns about the proposed development.
In rezoning the property from RM-1 to RM-2, the maximum allowable density would allow for and increase from 12 to a maximum of 26 units of housing and increase the maximum building height from 10 to 15 metres.
“While I support Habitat for Humanity’s programs and Campbell River has been supportive of getting their proposals through, I have some difficulty changing it from 12 units to 20 or 26 units under (the proposed) zoning and increasing the height,” Cornfield said, pointing out that the lot in question is approximately the same size.
According to the staff report on the proposal, because the property is located “along minor arterial road and in a neighbourhood that is flat, we do not anticipate that the maximum permitted height will impact corridor views,” pointing out that the development’s proposal would likely come in somewhere between 6.5 and 11 metres in height like similar townhomes in the area.
Cornfield, however, also questions the impact of that potentially-increased density on the on-street parking situation in the area.
“We’re talking about Hilchey Road, which just had a discussion about bike lanes and everything else, so to put 20-26 units in on something that was never intended for more than 12, to me, is asking for diffculty and trouble.”
Coun. Colleen Evans, however, said she’s excited that Habitat is bringing forward yet another development, calling it “a great project for our community.”
An electronic public hearing will be scheduled and advertised in the Mirror for those wishing to weigh in on the proposal.
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