Residents on Chilliwack’s north side have spent more than a year talking infill development, parking, privacy, floodplain issues in their neighbourhoods.
It’s about accommodating the development growth that’s coming.
To date hundreds of Chilliwack Proper and Fairfield Island residents have offered their time and input to influence the neighbourhood plan that City of Chilliwack is currently mapping out.
The future will see more coach houses, taller single family homes, and a few townhouses in those neighbourhoods to meet flood protection standards and growth strategy targets. In fact they are already starting to dot the landscape.
Another public meeting for ‘Shaping the Future of Chilliwack Proper and Fairfield Island Residential Neighbourhoods’ is set for Wednesday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in Evergreen Hall’s Cheam Room.
To date there have been several meetings, design workshops, an open house, and online surveys, all contributing to the draft plan that will include feedback that is being collected from citizens in various ways.
READ MORE: Planning process launched
The importance of public consultation has been raised on more than one occasion, and staff made a point of gathering ample feedback about how Chilliwack’s oldest neighbourhoods will be developed.
Neighbourhood planning, completed now for the Downtown Chilliwack area, and the Eastern Hillsides, is a method of fine-tuning the growth blueprint for each neighbourhood.
READ MORE: Open House drew 80
The plans guide the particular infill and redevelopment path to be taken in each part of the city.
There are about 6,500 people living in Chilliwack Proper and Fairfield Island.
Growth targets are based on neighbourhood plans, but the plans are like blueprints, which can change over time as circumstances change.
“The City’s long range growth strategy envisions this area (Chilliwack Proper and Fairfield Island) will accommodate moderate densification, increasing from a population of 9,000 to 13,000 by 2040,” according to city documents online.
In recent years, redevelopment pressures have been east of downtown, where “older homes on large lots” are reaching the end of their life expectancy.
With the exception of the area immediately east of Broadway, the planning area consists of properties that are primarily designated in the Official Community Plan for ‘low density residential’ development, allowing for a “mix of single family detached, duplex, coach houses and appropriately scaled townhouse development.” Apartments will not be considered.
The draft plan will be presented at an open house this spring for feedback before taking a final draft plan to Council.
@CHWKjourno
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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