Prince George city council will consider a rezoning application at its Monday, Dec. 2 meeting that could pave the way for new seniors' housing along Highway 16 in the Vanway area if approved.
According to documents attached to the meeting agenda, McElhanney Associates Land Surveying wants to rezone 7.6 hectares of a 13.3-hectare property at 7277 Bear Road from AG: Greenbelt to RM1: Multiple Residential on behalf of the property owners.
This property is located both to the east and west of Highway 16, but the applicants only want to rezone the portions east of the highway, minus a 20-metre buffer zone directly adjacent to the road.
City staff’s report on the property states that it is owned by 0751823 B.C. Ltd., which lists Kuldeep Singh Aulakh, Kulwant Singh Bullar, Devinder Singh Parmar and Pal Singh Randawa as directors.
One document produced by McElhanney describes the intended development as a “self-contained independent living seniors' community” providing rental opportunities. This would be built as a series of one- and two-storey row houses with four to six units that have either one or two bedrooms.
The development would have internal roads with a 15-kilometre-per-hour speed limit and a sidewalk on one side. Some, but not necessarily all the buildings, will have driveways.
McElhanney’s report also says the development is intended to have a community amenity centre, which could also be a small essentials store or cafeteria-style gathering space.
By keeping the greenbelt buffer zone along the highway, the firm says it will cover a required offset from the nearby Fortis natural gas line and reduce traffic noise.
The Country Acres Seniors Community and Hart Haven developments are listed as comparable projects.
To remain consistent with nearby properties, the buildings in the development are proposed to be no taller than 10 metres.
City administration’s report on the application indicates support for the proposal. However, three letters of opposition were noted.
Ian Gardner of Aldeen Road writes that the existing greenbelt space has been a playground for kids at nearby Vanway Elementary School for generations.
“I often hear of children talking about the area which is right across the street from their school and the vast range of animals, birds and toads along with many marsh birds which are very common at the swamp on the (northwest) part of the lot,” his letter states.
Another bone of contention is the potential increase to traffic congestion in the school zone because of the development.
Alyssa Skov of Dow Road’s letter states the forest provides both a barrier from the highway noise and a sense that the neighbourhood is hidden away from the rest of the world, “which is why I bought a house here.”
Skov also expresses concern that sewage infrastructure in the area experiences frequent backups and overflows and could get worse with more developments.
The final letter from Megan Macinnes objects to the potential clearing of “one of the only green spaces that we have left in this community.” Macinnes adds that the added traffic around the school is unwanted and there is other already cleared land in the area that would be better suited to development.
Both Skov and Macinnes write that the property is home to wildlife that would lose its home should the forest be cleared.
The first three readings of the bylaw approving the rezoning are on the agenda for the Dec. 2 meeting. Fourth reading is pending a traffic summary, servicing brief and the establishment of a covenant restricting development on the portions of the property remaining zoned as AG: Greenbelt.
Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, located at 1100 Patricia Blvd.
