If we build them, they'll move in!

The first housing development in many years for Prince Rupert is one step closer to approval, as city council heard an application to develop a parcel of land off of 11th Avenue East which would run parallel to Alfred Street.

If approved, the street which on the books would be called Edward would feature 16 homes, expected to sell in the 300,000 dollar range. Two Prince George companies are behind the rezoning application, having decided that with the current anticipation of better times with the Fairview Port construction that the city is ready for some new housing to be developed.

The Daily News featured the details on the project in the Wednesday paper.

HOUSING PROJECT TRIGGERED BY PORT'S EXPANSION
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

For the first time in close to half a decade, council had an application for a sizeable subdivision Monday night.

L & M Engineering Ltd applied to build a 16-home subdivision off 11th Avenue East. They made the application to rezone the property on the edge of McClymount Park on behalf of CIF Construction; both are Prince George-based companies.

“Prince Rupert is in the headlines on almost a daily basis and we see great things for the community when you open your port this fall,” said David McWalter, president of L & M Engineering.

With the opening of the container port, they expect there to be a need for new housing.
“We are here because we can see there are opportunities and we want to be part of that. We are working on additional projects in Prince Rupert with the same project team,” he said.

The subdivision is a cul-de-sac with the entrance off 11th Avenue East, running parallel to Alfred Street. It will not impact any access to the trail system in the area, although the tops of some houses may be visible from the trail.

CIF Construction is proposing to build 16 single- or two-family homes in the $300,000 range. Each lot in the subdivision is about 15 metres in width and 30 metres in depth, and the homes would be in the range of 1,100 to 1,400 square feet.

Clayton Williams, a real estate agent and long-time Rupert resident, said he believes the homes will be a good fit for the area.

“I’ve lived in Rupert for 25 years and I think we are on the cusp of something big,” said Williams. “I am proud of the members that have come before us here and I think we can do a good job on the new subdivision.”

Wayne Ward, Northern Capital Wood Products, described homes with hardwood floors and accents that fit the natural surroundings.

“We are trying to introduce a good quality and really good value home,” he said. “We do want to make sure we are not outpricing the market.”

In order to approve the subdivision, council had to approve the rezoning of land from ‘parks, open space and amenities’, as well as ‘public utilities’ and ‘residential’ to ‘low density and two family residential’. The amount of land rezoned from open spaces to residential was only about two lots worth.

Coun. Kathy Bedard questioned the loss of green space, because the subdivision backs on to the green space that runs along Hays Creek.

“As much as this community is looking forward to a wonderful future, there is always a concern that our community will change significantly and one of those concerns is around preservation of natural habitat. You are always going to have some fear that all of the trees will be taken down,” Bedard said. “There’s a lot of ownership of the McClymount Park area.”

“As a citizen of Prince Rupert, I like the walkway a lot and for visitors, it is a gem because there aren’t many cities with a wilderness park,” said Andree Fawcett, the only member of the public who spoke at the hearing.

Zeno Krekic, the city’s planner, said only a fraction of a per cent of the overall green space is being lost.

Ward added that part of the attraction of the area was the green belt in behind.

“I think when you introduce that subdivision there, what you will find is a sense of ownership and responsibility for the green belt,” he said.

In addition, they don’t see future development heading further in to the green belt because of the topography, the steep drop off.

“Every council of the day has the right to make those land-use decisions but I think you will find council is pretty sensitive,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond. “If the proposal was to build it over the trail system, I doubt we would be here tonight.”