Carpere Canada is one step closer to re-developing the former Valley View Centre site after city council gave its OK to the company’s proposed concept plan.
During its Dec. 12 executive committee meeting, council unanimously approved a recommendation to approve the concept plan as long as the Richmond, British Columbia-based company agreed to:
- Conduct all required environmental site assessments and provide reports that indicate the site has been screened and any remediation has been completed to meet federal environmental standards, before the municipality approves a subdivision or development permit
- Obtain letters of approval from Wakamow Valley Authority and federal and provincial regulatory agencies for the proposed stormwater management system, before the city approves a subdivision or development permit
- Submit further information and clarify recommendations in the traffic impact assessment report that refer to enhancements, load restrictions and improvements to the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge and the intersection with Highway 2, before the city approves a subdivision or development permit
The concept plan’s approval only becomes official when council accepts the meeting minutes during its Jan. 9, 2023, regular meeting.
Carpere and its consulting firm, Wallace Insights, spoke to council during the executive meeting about the plan. The Express will have a separate story about those discussions.
Of the 79.2 hectares (198 acres) on the site, Carpere Canada wants to re-develop about 62 hectares (150 acres). The company has shifted most of the development toward Highway 2, away from the river valley, while Carpere plans to re-develop the site’s trail system.
- Other highlights of the concept plan include:
- Roughly 13.44 hectares (33.6 acres) will be part of a natural riverbank
- The projected total population is 1,478 residents
- The site would be zoned direct control district because of the lengthy build-out period — nearly a decade — changing market demands, and various proposed uses
- Residential land uses include large estate lots, standard single-family dwelling lots, seniors’ bungalows and multi-unit sites
- Commercial land uses include a market, pop-up retail spaces, and craft beer and distillery spaces
- Small-scale processing, manufacturing, product fabrication, and education centres
- Roughly 3.2 hectares (eight acres) for education, recreation, culture, health and spiritual needs
- Pedestrian and cyclist linkages to all area park trails
Once council officially approves the plan, the next steps include the city amending its Official Community Plan (OCP), future land use map, subdivision, rezoning and an amendment to the zoning bylaw that adopts this redevelopment as a direct control district, a council report explained.
Carpere provided city hall with the initial concept plan in March, with the document identifying Valley View as an infill site, the report said.
The company proposed covering only on-site infrastructure upgrade costs, while once demand exceeded the centre’s peak historic population — roughly 1,450 people — it would become responsible for off-site levies. It also proposed that the municipality restore all off-site infrastructure.
Both parties agreed that the site is greenfield, while the developer will be responsible for off-site infrastructure upgrades and costs.
“This is with recognition that servicing to the property was previously owned by the province and not operational when Carpere purchased the property and there was no commitment from the city to maintain and repair water servicing,” said the report.
Carpere’s consultants conducted two virtual public open houses earlier this year, with 1,525 people attending and 23 providing responses, the document continued. Residents gave the concept plan a 3.7 out of 5 stars, with retirement housing, employment and tourism considered the most valuable land uses.
Furthermore, respondents’ most common suggestions included focusing on sustainability and the area’s beauty, maintaining variety and uniqueness, and offering smaller lots and higher density to ensure affordable options.
The consultants also offered in-person or virtual meetings to stakeholders, including Wakamow Valley Authority, 15 Wing Airbase, the chamber of commerce, and both school divisions.
The report added that Carpere must also address any land with ecological or heritage significance, contamination, slumping, servicing of infrastructure and traffic upgrades.
The next executive committee is Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
