The new neighbourhood being planned for a 22-acre parcel of vacant land near the heart of Pemberton moved a step forward on Tuesday night (Feb. 9) at the Village of Pemberton regular council meeting and public hearing for the requisite amendment bylaws. Council once again gave third reading to the bylaws after a stretch of discussions with the BCR Properties/Signal Hill Homes developers led to some changes.

The proponents, longtime local residents Garth Phare and Bruce van Mook, approached council last fall to discuss the financial challenges of the project and some proposed modifications, and Village staff members have been working with them in the past few months to firm up what enhancements the development will bring to the community, according to a Feb. 9 staff report.

The Gateway Park/Tiyata neighbourhood proposal, which involves the lands primarily between the CN Rail line, Signal Hill Elementary, Highway 99 and Pemberton Creek, is expected to offer a “sustainable development” with a mix of housing types and easy access to shopping, work and community amenities.

The proposal currently calls for about 296 housing units in a variety of types, almost 2,700 square metres of commercial or office floor space in two areas, 2.2 hectares of parkland including a community garden, and a 5.3-kilometre trail network.

In benefits for the whole community, the developers are contributing parkland space in excess of the required five per cent, the community garden, a bus pullout to serve schools, a pedestrian bridge over Pemberton Creek, neighbourhood trails and park improvements, a transfer of land for affordable housing, and flood protection measures around Pemberton Creek, said Caroline Lamont, the Village’s manager of development services.

She spoke at Tuesday’s public hearing, which came before council gave third reading to the revised bylaws. One local resident, Hugh Naylor, spoke in favour of the proposal, believing that the location is a sensible spot to accommodate future population increases in the valley, and that the proponents seem to have listened to the community and worked well with local officials.

“My most compelling reason (to support it) is its location,” he concluded.

Another Village resident, Greg Phillips, questioned how the dyking would be paid for, and Lamont said it will be a requirement of the development. She said the Pemberton Valley Dyking District is working on a design, and the costs haven’t been established yet.

In discussions with council in October, van Mook and Phare raised issues of costs and considerations that could make or break the project; Pemberton Creek dyke upgrades were debated along with the Village’s Community Amenity Contribution charges.

According to the Official Community Plan amendment bylaw for the Gateway Park/Tiyata neighbourhood, the improvements for the community that the developers will provide will be recognized as on-site commitments for community amenities.

Also, the requirement of building a pedestrian crossing over the CN Rail tracks has been removed, according to Lamont’s report.

Lamont said the development offers “a very walkable community,” which is a big plus for sustainability, with a mix of housing units while reflecting the market and affordable housing needs. She added that the proposal incorporates features such as green building practices, employment opportunities and flexibility in unit designs.