Image: City of Chilliwack / Renderings of a proposed 64-unit development at Fourth Avenue and Nowell Street in Chilliwack.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Proposed development in Chilliwack

Updated: Proposed 64-unit residential building near industrial area of Chilliwack sent back to city staff to review

Jun 18, 2024 | 2:05 PM

**Update Tuesday night at 10:10 p.m.: The proposed development application to rezone a mid-rise, mixed use development has been sent back to city staff for review. Even before Tuesday’s city council meeting, the applicant (Precision Building Design Associates Ltd.) was aware that city staff had recommended that their OCP amendment and rezoning application as presented be denied, but wanted to proceed without staff support. Two councillors on the city’s Design Review Advisory Committee, Chris Kloot and Bud Mercer, were supportive of the proposal as presented, particularly in light of the mandate from the province ordering more housing within the city of Chilliwack, but were content with sending the proposal back to staff.**

Original story below:

CHILLIWACK — City of Chilliwack staff have urged council members to reject proposed amendment bylaws connected to a proposed multi-level, mixed use development in an industrial area east of Young Road in Chilliwack.

According to a city staff report authored by planner Adam Roberts, Precision Building Design Associates Ltd. has submitted development variance permit and development permit applications to approve the form and character of a proposed mixed use development at 46068 and 46074 Fourth Avenue, and 9011 and 9023 Nowell Street.

The proposed development calls for a single-storey parkade with a nine-level car elevator, one at-grade commercial unit, six residential floors above the at-grade parkade/commercial unit, 64 units including 18 small-unit apartments and 46 standard apartment units, 96 parking spaces, and 18 trees.

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Roberts wrote in his staff report that a Official Community Plan amendment and rezoning application are not supported because the mixed-use development does not align with the goals and objectives of the Downtown Land Use and Development Plan (DLUDP), and is better suited within existing underdeveloped land in the core area of downtown.

According to Roberts, the DLUDP land uses and policies best position commercial and higher density mixed-use development within the core area to ensure there is a sensitive transition between lower and higher density development. This mixed-use development, as proposed, detracts from the urban quarter land use goals of concentrated density, he said, and does not facilitate what he believes is more appropriate ground-oriented infill housing in this area.

Image: City of Chilliwack / The location of the proposed 64-unit, multi-storey development (in red).

“Given the existing housing form in the vicinity, and ground oriented infill development already occurring successfully along this street, staff are supportive of development that can be achieved under the current land use designation, including housing in the form of small lot single detached dwellings, coach houses, duplexes, row houses or a combination of these under the new Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) provisions,” Roberts wrote in his staff report. “This designation supports a modest increase in density that is integrated with the existing character of the area, and more appropriate given the proximity to existing industrial uses to the east.”

Roberts also referenced likely conflicts if a multi-level storey development were proposed in an area that is largely industrial to the south and east of the properties.

“In addition to the significant departure to the residential character in the area, the proposed increase in density is likely to exacerbate potential land use conflicts generated from the close proximity of existing industrial uses to the subject properties,” Roberts said. “As such, the proposed development is considered incompatible with the adjacent industrial area, and if approved, it is expected that conflict will occur between the existing industrial businesses and future residential tenants which will necessitate ongoing bylaw enforcement intervention.”

Chilliwack council members will consider the proposed developments at their meeting on Tuesday, June 18.