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Future of the Meadows – decided Monday

meadows22Report to: Regular Council Meeting of July 13, 2015
From: Christopher Garrish MCIP, RPP

Subject: OCP & Zoning Amendment Bylaw — Meadows Drive

This proposal is seeking to amend the rezoning of the subject properties in order to facilitate a 50 lot low density residential subdivision that will include an allowance for “modular homes”. To achieve this, it is being proposed to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) designation of the subject parcels from Medium Density Residential (MR) to Low Density Residential (LR) andto amend Schedule “F” (Multiple Family Development Permit Area) in order to remove the
subject property.

It is further proposed to amend the zoning of the property from part Residential Medium Density One (RMI) and part Residential Medium Density Two (RM2) to a new Residential Low Density Five (RS5) Zone and to further amend Section 4.0 (Definitions) by introducing a new definition for “modular home” (to be permitted in the RS5 Zone) and “mobile home” and further amending the definition of “manufactured home” to reflect these new definitions.

In support of this proposal, the property owner has stated, amongst other things, that: – [this] is a land use that will “work”. A use that buyers are interested in purchasing. We have not been able to attract a single multifamily builder to this site in 25 years!

– A Brand New Attractive Housing Community;
– Taxes… Municipal and School;
– New Families living and contributing to Oliver Social Base, Infrastructure, and
Finances;
– Taking back some Market Share; and
– Project Construction Adds confidence in the future of any Community.

RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended: A Public Hearing, in accordance with Section 890 of the Local Government Act is scheduled to occur ahead of the Regular Council Meeting on July 13, 2015.

THAT Bylaw No. 1070.01, 2015, Town of Oliver Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw and Bylaw No. 1350.03,2015, Town of Oliver Zoning Amendment Bylaw be read a
third time.

4.0 PUBLIC PROCESS:

At its meeting of February 23, 2015, Council resolved to defer considering second reading of the amendment bylaws and directed that the applicant undertake a Public Information Meeting. A Public Information Meeting was held on the proposed amendment bylaws on May 14, 2015, in Room 1 at 6359 Park Drive (Oliver Recreation Centre) in Oliver from 6:30—8:30pm.According to the proponent, approximately 25 members of the public attended. Representations submitted to the applicant as part of this process, as well as a summary from the applicant are included as items in the Council Agenda.

The Amendment Bylaw has also been referred to those agencies listed at Attachment No. 3, with comments received from the Town’s Public Works Department and Building Inspector and external comments from the Agricultural Land Commission(ALC), Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure(MOTI), Ministry of Agriculture, Interior Health Authority (IHA), Ministry ofForests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (Archaeological Branch and Ecosystems Section). These are also included as items in the Council Agenda.

Staff consider that the public information meeting along with formal referral to the agencies listed at Attachment No. 2 should be considered appropriate consultation for the purpose of Section 879 of the Local Government Act.

5.0 ANALYSIS:
In recommending in favour of this proposal, the planning consultant is following the direction set by Council at its meeting of June 22, 2015, wherein it determined to approve second reading of the amendment bylaws and to schedule a public hearing.

While it is recognized that the subject area has remained un-developed since its exclusion from the ALR in the early 1980s, and that this may be reflective of an inappropriate land use designation, and that a re-designation to Low Density Residential (LR) will likely see the site developed in a way that would be consistent with the adjacent pattern of development established to the north at Willows Place and Oxbow Crescent, there remain a number of land use planning
concerns regarding this proposal. The Town already faces challenges in meeting its anticipated long-term residential growth projections, “down—zoning” a parcel to allow for the development of single detached dwellings may not be in the spirit of the Town’s designation as a “Primary Growth Area” under the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) Bylaw or those OCP policies which speak to fostering Oliver as a “complete community”. Finally, this application is considered to be premature in light of Council’s recent decision to initiate a review the OCP Bylaw.