Terrace City Council opted to pass a Community Plan and partnered zoning amendment following a well-attended public hearing.
Earlier this year, Council was presented with a plan to add a new barelands strata zone to their Official Community Plan.
A barelands zoning would allow for smaller, more affordable, homes to be built on the subdivided property, on which residents would share certain ammenities.
In order to add a new zone to the Plan, the City must pair the change with a zoning amendment to incorporate the change.
To fill this requirement, the owners of 4921 Halliwell Avenue proposed to rezone and subdivide the property to allow the new style of home.
During the hearing, held prior to Council’s regular meeting, residents brought up concerns over population density, elimination of green spaces as a result, and space and safety concerns related to sidewalks and fire safety, among others.
Some residents also pointed out the precendent set by approving a project which already required variances as the first instance of a new zone.
Ultimately, while they shared many concerns voiced, Council chose to go through with the amendments.
Council was informed that most of the concerns would be addressed at the subdivision stage, and they agreed that the affordable housing will be needed in the near future.
