More housing options will soon be available in Mission when Focus Architecture Inc builds 70 new housing units on the Cedar Valley Connector (CVC).
The new 8.06-acre development at 32588 and 32688 Cedar Valley Connector would consist of numerous types of housing on fee simple lots including: compact single family, multi-family row house with coach houses or bonus room accessed from a lane, multi-family two-storey row houses with attached garages accessed from the street, and multi-family three-storey row houses with attached garages.
A public hearing last week identified traffic flow on the connector as the main concern. The subject property is just south of Briskham Street and calls for a left turn lane from CVC into the development and a left turn merging lane coming out. The pedestrian-controlled street light currently at Briskham would be relocated to line up with the road going into the development.
A traffic light is not needed at that intersection, according to a traffic engineer's report which looked at the traffic patterns, however, the road will be widened and configured to accommodate a light in the future.
"Traffic is horrific," said former councillor Danny Plecas, referring to the steep slope and the curve in the road. "People don't slow down."
Plecas believes the developer should install a traffic light.
Kenny Braich, whose family lost the two pieces of land in a foreclosure, also owns land adjacent to the property on the south side. He questioned how the district would provide access to his property when he decides to develop. His family lots are currently accessed on Fraser Crescent.
He told council under the same rules today, he could put 900 homes on his property, and suggested a municipal road be built to connect the properties.
District staff pointed out the two properties proposed for development can only be accessed on the CVC, and because of the grades on the land, it would not be possible to build a municipal road to the top of the connector from Fraser.
"It's too steep," said Barclay Pitkethly, deputy director of development services, adding the district has not received any inquiries about the Braich property. "We may get a strata road in."
While Braich's suggestion of another 900 homes in the area caught some councillors' attention, Mayor Ted Adlem said the district will not build 900 units at once.
"It won't happen in my lifetime and it won't happen in yours."
Adlem, who lives in a 69-unit housing complex, convinced most of the councillors that traffic from the proposed developed would not be an issue.
"There's no such thing as traffic with 70 units," he said, noting he has never had a problem coming out of his complex.
Councillors Nelson Tilbury and Jeff Jewell voted against third reading, while Coun. Larry Nundal was absent.