An affordable housing project proposed for Parksville will go to a public hearing.
The four-storey, 36-unit non-market rental apartment building would be built on city-owned land on the corner of Franklin’s Gull Road and the old Island Highway, if approved.
Parksville council voted on Oct. 21 to give the project two readings and advance it to a public hearing, although council members noted community concerns made during an open house in July.
The building will require an official community plan (OCP) amendment bylaw and a zoning and development bylaw to move forward.
“As a council member I think it’s incumbent upon us to help build such housing. I support this project," said Coun. Amit Gaur, and added the Parksville Lions Housing Society has worked for years on the initiative. “We have received numerous correspondence, especially from members of the Craig Bay community. I want to acknowledge their concerns. I want to acknowledge their opposition to this."
Mayor Doug O'Brien pointed out that the city has also received correspondence from Craig Bay residents who support the project.
The majority of the 25 comment sheets collected at the open house indicated support for the idea, but not for the location, according to a report by Blaine Russell, the city's director of community planning and building.
The site was one of two offered by the city that was large enough, and the other property would have required too much infrastructure for the society’s budget.
The applicant told the city it is confident at least 70 per cent of the units will be considered affordable under the city’s criteria with the actual number likely being higher, according to Russell's report.
During a presentation to council earlier this year, society president Tom Roy said the project will focus on workforce housing and falls under BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund program (CHF).
Parksville Lions Housing Society intends to respond to the next CHF proposal call in early 2025, and hopes that approval from the city will help it score higher in BC Housing’s evaluation review, since it will be considered "shovel ready".
The building will include 18 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedrooms and three three-bedrooms units. The city-owned land at 1225 Franklin’s Gull Rd. will be leased to the society long-term.
“I certainly want to support this," said Coun. Mary Beil. "And I know based on a lot of correspondence that we’ve been receiving regarding this particular project, that people will look forward to actually seeing a date for a public hearing.”
Other concerns about the proposed building include its distance from amenities such as schools and grocery stores, as well as the need to alter the OCP.
Part of the property is designated as Community Use on the city's future land-use map, with another portion designated as tourist commercial. It also has sections designated as Public Institutional and Highway Commercial. According to Russell's report, these split-designations are a result of a 2015 property boundary adjustment.
A change to the Multi-Unit Residential OCP designation has been proposed, as well as a new Comprehensive Development CD-36 zone.
“Amending the OCP when it’s a direct benefit to our community, I can justify that personally as a council member," Gaur said. “These [affordable housing residents] are providing the essential services that a lot of the Craig Bay residents will be benefiting from as well, and the larger community.”
The public hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 18.
