Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / The location of a proposed 73-unit, 5-storey apt. building at Yale/Carleton in Chilliwack. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Proposed housing development

Chilliwack resident dismayed by proposed apts. at Yale/Carleton; council says housing mandates are ‘undemocratic’

Aug 15, 2024 | 12:41 PM

CHILLIWACK — Count Chilliwack resident Roxanne Shaddick as a steadfast opponent of a proposed five-storey, 74-unit housing development that could go in at the corner of Yale Road and Carleton Street, in the Little Mountain area of Chilliwack.

Shaddick, who has lived on Carleton Street in Chilliwack for 28 years, says the proposed development at 46780 Yale Road and 9795 and 9777 Carleton Street will only make traffic through her neighbourhood worse. Shaddick, who works at a day care, says there are two day cares that operate on Carleton, and has documented on her home CCTV surveillance repeated instances of motorists blazing down Carleton at high rates of speed.

“Carleton has always been a quiet neighborhood, however traffic has become an increasingly bigger problem over the years,” Shaddick said. “A huge development such as this on the end of Carleton will only compound an already bad problem. Carleton can not handle more traffic! The sight lines getting on to Yale from Carleton are already bad. This development would make it worse. The crosswalk at Yale/Carleton is already very dangerous. I have had two very close calls while walking across with children.”

According to information obtained and reviewed by Fraser Valley Today, Rajinder Warraich of Flat Architecture is seeking approval of the form and character of a new apartment development within the future consolidated area of the three properties on Yale and Carleton Street. The applicant, Rajinder Warraich of Surrey-based Flat Architecture, has applied to rezone the properties from an R1-A (urban residential) zone to an R5 (low-rise apartment) zone to facilitate the construction of an apartment development. The applicant has submitted concurrent development permit and development variance permit applications in support of the rezoning application.

Fraser Valley Today sought comment from a person affiliated with the project who was listed on the rezoning application sign, realtor Aman Bhatti, but he did not respond to a text message that was sent to his cell number on Sunday, August 11 at 6:06 p.m.

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As noted above, the proposal calls for a five-storey building, including a one-storey above ground parkade with four residential floors above it), 74 units with 46 units being small unit apartments, 93 off-street parking spaces including 16 visitor parking spaces (92 off-street parking spaces are required by the City of Chilliwack), 93 bicycle parking spaces and 40 trees.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / The view from Yale Road of the proposed location for a 5-storey, 74-unit apartment building.

Shaddick believes the proposed development is not a good fit for the area for other reasons.

“Already there is the proposed Apartment building going up at Quarry and Yale and that will make already make for more population in the area,” Shaddick said. “I’m not sure where the city is planning for all the proposed children to go to school or where new parks will be made. The flooding we had a few years back when the water was backing up into the dry wells behind our properties, the City had pumper trucks going every half hour emptying water and carting it away Our sewer system on Carleton can not take this.”

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A general view of Carleton Street, looking north, on Thursday, August 15. The area south of the proposed 74-unit apartment complex is largely single-family homes.

Shaddick says she and her husband love their home, located roughly one block from the proposed development site, and the surrounding neighbourhood of largely single-family homes.

“We love our home and have done so many improvements and have worked so hard to really make it beautiful,” Shaddick said. “We love our neighbourhood. It has been a good place to live. Something like this really makes me feel like leaving Chilliwack! I absolutely feel like the City does not listen or consider the neighborhood. If they cared, then they would have taken steps to involve our neighbourhood.”

The City of Chilliwack has been mandated by the provincial government to build 4,594 units over the next five years. Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove has reportedly called the forced housing targets “absolutely unattainable.”

Image: City of Chilliwack / Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove with council members.

According to a news release dated June 5, 2024, Chilliwack council asserted that it has long supported responsible housing and affordable housing projects in a way that balances the needs and wants unique to the Chilliwack community.

“The provincial government, through Bill 44, has put that in jeopardy,” council wrote in their joint statement from June 2024. “As a Council, we are deeply frustrated that the province will not allow us to hear from the community or provide cities with adequate time to manage the impact growth has on infrastructure.”

As the City neared the provincial government’s deadline to update zoning bylaws, Chilliwack council said it had reluctantly approved zoning bylaw amendments regarding small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) in Chilliwack. Under the province’s legislation, SSMUH allows three to four units on properties within the urban growth boundary that are zoned for single-detached and duplex housing. Before this legislation was enacted without proper consultation, these types of units would have been subject to a public hearing, where council would have had the opportunity to hear from the neighbourhood and consider the impact of development on the neighbourhood and surrounding infrastructure.

“The addition of SSMUH to our zoning bylaw was not something Council wanted to do, but we worked with staff to comply with the legislation in a way that we hope will work for Chilliwack,” Chilliwack council said. “Staff have done their best to maintain existing zoning regulations wherever possible, and when not, they have recommended compromises that will meet the new legislation. While we must now allow up to four units on single-detached or duplex zoned lots that are greater than 280m² and are within the urban growth boundary, we are able to maintain many of our existing zoning parameters.”

For example, the City says it will still maintain existing zoning regulations of two parking spaces per unit for off-street parking requirements, instead of the province’s recommended 0.5 – 1 space per unit.

“We hope this will help alleviate some of the anticipated street parking concerns that we know will result from other changes required by the province,” council wrote in its statement. “As a Council, we want the community to know how displeased we are about the many changes the province is forcing all municipalities to make, and that we will continue to advocate for a more sensible, comprehensive approach to increase the housing supply. Taking away the voice of our residents on matters that directly impact their neighbourhoods is undemocratic and creates a myriad of challenges for all communities in B.C.”