Image: Google Maps / The property owners of 9868 Thompson Road in Popkum, which appears near the intersection of Parkwood Drive and Thompson Road (above), would like to build a 14-lot subdivision on a 4.6-acre parcel. The Fraser Valley Regional District board gave first reading to a rezoning application Thursday night that would rezone the property from Rural Residential 1 to Suburban Residential 4 to facilitate a future 14-lot subdivision.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Popkum residential subdivision

Residential subdivision of 14 lots proposed for 4.6-acre parcel on Thompson Road in Popkum

Jan 27, 2023 | 7:08 AM

CHILLIWACK — The Fraser Valley Regional District board of directors gave first reading Thursday night (Jan. 26) to a bylaw that would rezone property located at 9868 Thompson Road in Popkum, in preparation for a future public hearing and a proposed 14-lot subdivision.

FVRD Bylaw 1680, 2022 aims to facilitate the redevelopment of the Thompson Road property, which is 4.64 acres in size. It contains a single-family home that was built in 1990.

The proposed 14-lot subdivision will now head to a public hearing.

To encourage higher-density living, FVRD staff are proposing the creation of a new suburban residential zone that allows for secondary suites.

The FVRD completed a housing needs study for its electoral areas back in 2021 and estimated that Electoral Area D encompassing Popkum and Bridal Falls would need an additional 40 dwelling units by 2026 to best meet the anticipated housing needs by residents in that vicinity. The housing needs report also found that Popkum within Area D had limited rental unit availability. As a result, FVRD recommends in-fill development, including rezoning to maximize Official Community Plan potential, as one way to create additional housing supply.

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An FVRD staff report indicates the applicants, identified as Natalie and Michael Stasiuk, have not requested secondary suites for the 14 lots. However, the FVRD noted in a staff report the OCP supports secondary suites and the housing needs study identifies a need for secondary suites.

Image: FVRD / This is the proposed location of a future 14-lot subdivision on Thompson Road in Popkum.

FVRD says an integrated water system in Area D is available to service the proposed subdivision, but this section of the water system did not take into consideration authorized secondary dwelling units when it was designed and built. The developer’s engineer is required to confirm the capacity of the water main servicing the site.