Parksville council has approved a development permit application for a 54-unit residential development at 703 Turner Rd., close to the Englishman River.
A Nature Trust of BC conservancy property, formerly owned by the city, is located to the north of the property.
Lindsay Baker and Peter Waldhuber of Seira Developments made a presentation to council regarding the project which consists of duplex, triplex and fourplex residential buildings, a recreation building, associated parking and landscaping.
“This is a low-impact development site using existing excavated ground," Baker said during the Sept. 4 meeting. "The riparian area will be protected and we have a province approved RAPR [Riparian Areas Protection Regulation] report."
Baker added an environmental covenant will be registered on title and the forest lands will remain undisturbed.
“No large trees will be removed to accommodate this development," he said.
According to a report by Blaine Russell, the city's director of community planning and building, the development will be constructed outside of the environmentally sensitive riparian area of the property.
“Some of this site sits in the flood zone," Waldhuber added. "We had provincial approval that supports our proposed development in this flood zone. All our professionals, including geotechs, civil engineer, flood engineer, biologists have designed this development to withstand that 200-year flood event."
Mayor Doug O'Brien said he appreciated the homes are being built with families in mind and as townhouses and "plexes" that are more affordable than single family detached homes.
He added council uses a professional reliance model when considering a development.
"I’ve read through the reports you have, it’s quite extensive and I appreciate that," O'Brien said. "Plus getting provincial approval as well is imperative before we move on a step like this."
Coun. Amit Gaur said he could not support a high-density project close to the river.
“The concerns that the neighbours have are quite valid. I hope you understand that," Gaur said. "Having 54 units so close to the river, which is, again, way more than the entire neighbourhood combined, to have 54 units and that many people."
An online petition, launched by landscape architect and ecologist Sarah Primeau, opposes the development and has received 427 signatures as of Sept. 5.
Primeau's petition expresses concern the development will be close to protected estuary lands home to sensitive wildlife species.
The section of the property that is to be developed is approximately 75 metres west of the Englishman River and 15 metres west of an identified relic channel of the river, according to Russell's report. The area consists primarily of a flat bench vegetated with grasses and shrubs previously cleared of trees.
Sections of the property are within development permit areas that include flood plain, watercourse protection and Douglas-fir and terrestrial ecosystems, according to Russell's report.
The site will drain into a storm management filtration area, according to Baker. The developers have indicated they will provide a statutory right of way for a future city footpath that would allow access through the area.
Coun. Sylvia Martin asked if it was possible to "downsize" the development.
"The river needs to be left by itself and that has just been my experience. I’ve been involved with the Englishman for my whole life and we have floods," Martin said.
Baker replied that they had already reduced the scope of the project several times and “we’re really happy where we ended up. The design panel was too, so we’re taking a pretty strong stance on that.”
The maximum density for the parcel was 68 units, Waldhuber added.
Council voted to approve the development permit with Gaur opposed.
Coun. Mary Beil recused herself from the discussion since she resides in the neighbourhood and said there could be a perceived conflict of interest.
