After rejecting an application two years ago, Prince George city council reversed course and approved the first three readings of a rezoning bylaw that will allow for a modular home development to move forward in the Hart.
The developer first tried to get the development at 9153 Twinberry Drive approved in April 2023. At the time, The Citizen reported that council rejected the bylaw at third reading after receiving 18 letters in opposition to the project and six in support.
Councillors cited potential deficiencies with road infrastructure and inconsistencies with the character of the surrounding neighbourhood and concerns about the safety of nearby wildlife in deciding to reject the application.
Residents expressed a desire not to have a mobile home park in their neighbourhood, among other complaints.
Two years on, Westcan and city administration were proposing several modifications alongside the zoning bylaw it needs for construction to occur.
Manager of development services Mandy Jones said that the changes since the last time around are intended to address the concerns that were raised in 2023 as well as an open house last year.
The developer wants 10.6 hectares of 9153 Twinberry Dr. rezoned from a combination of RS2: Single Residential, RM1: Multiple Residential, RM3: Multiple Residential and AG: Greenbelt to RM9: Manufactured Home Park and rezone another 0.6-hectare portion to AG: Greenbelt.
The developer and administration also proposed establishing a restrictive covenant granting the city an infrastructure right-of-way to the property, another covenant limiting the housing density on the site to 15 units per hectare and a third covenant prohibiting a building permit from being granted until the city improves water and sewer infrastructure at the site.
The density covenant would also prohibit homes meeting the CAN/CSA Z240 MH standards from being put on the property. Essentially, that would mean only modular homes, not mobile homes can be placed there.
Two nearby residents, both listing the same address, wrote emails to the city objecting to the project.
They expressed dismay that the project is being considered again, arguing that they purchased their home with the understanding that mobile homes would not be allowed to be installed in the subdivision.
By contrast, L&M came in with a package featuring 49 letters of support, most of which were pre-written form letters stating their support for Westcan and how it manages its other properties.
Attached to the agenda was an environmental assessment report outlining how riparian and wetland areas on the property near an unnamed lake are habitats for the Western Toad, listed as a species of special concern under the federal Species at Risk Act.
The reports notes that extra approval may be needed for work that requires the collection, transfer, salvage or release of toads and that the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource will have to approve work carried out on streams.
A servicing brief acknowledges that the water demands for the development would lead to inadequate flows in firefighting scenarios. Two new watermains are needed to bring the flow up to the needed level of 67 litres of water.
On top of that, one of the sanitary sewer mains that would service the property is overcapacity and the city is looking to replace and relocate an existing lift station and install a second sewer to help deal with it.
This water and sewer work is what needs to be completed to fulfill the conditions of one of the restrictive covenants.
After voting against the project the first time around, Coun. Trudy Klassen said she had changed her mind. While she acknowledges the neighbourhood’s concerns, she said she was glad the riparian concerns had been addressed and said the development helps address the ongoing housing affordability crisis.
Coun. Cori Ramsay said she thought the applicant had done an “extraordinary amount of work” since the last time the project appeared before council. After being the lone councillor to support the project last time around, she said the extra work done by the applicant has reinforced her position.
Coun. Brian Skakun said he remained opposed to the development, noting residents’ concerns with form and character, snow removal and infrastructure from the last time around. He also noted concerns with the city’s costs relating to the new water and sewer infrastructure.
Jones said the cost would be shared between the developer and the city, with the split to be determined in the future following engineers completing a design. If the bylaws are approved, she said the items would be voted included in the 2026 operating budget.
Skakun said situations like these show the need to review the city’s development cost charges. He maintained his opposition, though he thanked administration for getting commitments from the developer.
Referring to the letters of support, he said they’re not all from the same neighbourhood as the development.
Mayor Simon Yu expressed concerns with how the development would tie into the neighbourhood’s road network, though he said he’s visited the modular homes targeted for this development and thought that they’re beautiful.
Coun. Ron Polillo said he was also changing his stance after the developer’s two years of work and the letters of support. He said there’s a big market for affordable but modern homes like the ones planned for this development.
Coun. Kyle Sampson said he shares some of Skakun’s concerns, but he believes the benefits of the project will outweigh the costs to the city. He said he thought it would provide homes for both people starting out and seniors looking to downsize.
Coun. Tim Bennett said he went back and watched the video of the debate the last time the subject came before council and he felt the concerns raised then had largely been addressed. He said residents these days don’t have the same opportunity he did when he bought his first home for just over $200,000.
Coun. Susan Scott said her parents downsized into a modular home and found it very functional. “Modular homes have come a long way, baby,” she said.
Coun. Garth Frizzell noted the work to address the wildlife concerns and asked staff to provide more details on some of the zoning changers meant to help with that.
The vote for first three readings of the bylaw passed by a margin of seven to two, with Yu and Skakun opposed. The vote to delay fourth reading until the city's conditions are met passed by the same margin, with Yu and Skakun opposed again.
