Image: City of Chilliwack / The location of a proposed development that could see commercial development and two new school campuses built on Hack Brown Road in Eastern Hillsides.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Proposed development

UPDATE: Chilliwack councillors advance proposal that could see commercial development, two school campuses built

Sep 16, 2025 | 6:45 AM

UPDATE: Chilliwack councillors voted Tuesday afternoon to give the proposed project involving commercial development and two school campuses first and second reading, meaning the development application will now head to a public hearing on Tuesday, October 7.

Councillor Harv Westeringh said at Tuesday’s meeting, “Obviously, subject to public consultation, very happy to see there’s still a commercial component in there as I think that area is underserved by commercial activity. So, it’d be nice to see that stay.”

Councillor Chris Kloot asked city staff if the property at 50700 Hack Brown Road is part of the Agricultural Land Reserve, to which staff confirmed it is not.

Original story: 

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack councillors will consider a rezoning application at their meeting today that could see a 3.22-hectare property on Hack Brown Road in Eastern Hillsides developed to include commercial and two Unity Christian School campuses.

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According to agenda item 7.5 of Tuesday’s Chilliwack City Council meeting, Pebonato Land Use Consulting has applied to rezone 50700 Hack Brown from an AL (agricultural lowland) zone to a CS1 (service commercial) and P1 (civic assembly) zone to facilitate a future school and commercial development.

If councillors give first and second reading at their meeting to the application, a public hearing could be called for Tuesday, October 7, at which point various geotechnical and environmental considerations would need to taken into account. A restrictive covenant would also need to be filed to limit development to phase one of the multi-phase project until further traffic analysis can be completed, and a referral to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (formerly MOTI) would also be required.

A City of Chilliwack staff report prepared by planner Adam Roberts indicates the applicant would like to build an elementary school and middle school associated to nearby Unit Christian, and a separate commercial development. The development envisions a two-lot subdivision along the proposed zone boundary to create separate lots for the commercial building and schools.

While the development application is in the conceptual stages, it could include a three-storey elementary school and three-storey middle school, a two-storey commercial building, sufficient parking, and a multi-use path along Hack Brown Road connecting the subject property to the school at 50950 Hack Brown Road.

Image: City of Chilliwack / Site map of proposed development on Hack Brown Road in Eastern Hillsides.

The applicant envisions construction on the site within two phases, with the commercial development and the elementary school in phase one, followed by the middle school in phase two. Phase one would only activate minor traffic improvements, whereas additional information regarding potential traffic impacts and associated road improvements would be required. As such, the applicant has agreed to register a voluntary restrictive covenant on title which would limit development to phase one until further analysis is completed.