More affordable housing could soon be built in Lake Country.
The District of Lake Country and Urban Matters, a community contribution company has created a non-binding agreement to work towards an affordable housing project that would see up to 200 units on Jensen and Hill Roads.
Urban Matters recently partnered with EllisDon Corporation and The Society of Hope to develop and manage the project, according to the district’s staff report which will be presented during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
A zoning amendment bylaw is also being brought forward to council, to rezone the property on Jenson Road from rural residential to medium density multiple housing.
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“The plan for the property is to construct a 109 unit development consisting of 24 row house units and an 85 unit apartment building to house families and seniors, on the condition that the project is able to secure funding from BC Housing and the northern portion of the property is to be dedicated to the district in exchange for a like amount of district-owned land at 3151/3165 Hill Rd,” according to the report.
“The applicant plans to construct a mixed-use development at 3151/3165 Hill Rd. consisting of an apartment building with 77 affordable housing units, and approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of institutional/civic space on the ground floor that is to be dedicated to the district as part of the land exchange agreement,” reads the report.
“This is a fairly ambitious project since there are two sites and we’re interested in doing family housing,” said Society of Hope executive director, Luke Stack. “The housing would be very similar to the housing that we’re doing in the rest of the community.”
Society of Hope manages the sites of Woodsdale Place, Providence Meadows, Cedar Court and Pinewood Villas.
A traffic review was conducted and the impact is considered to be minimal along Jensen Road, according to the report, at 41 trips in the a.m. peak hours and 51 trips in the p.m. peak house.
“The applicant will dedicate to the district a road along the eastern edge of the subject parcel which will facilitate a connection between Jensen Rd. and Bottom Wood Lake Rd. to further accommodate traffic volume in the area,” the report said.
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The Jensen Road property is also located next to Agricultural Land Reserve land owned by BC Tree Fruits.
“BC Tree Fruits comments there is significant commercial activity at the site at certain seasonal times, and notes there may be nuisance effects of noise, dust and commercial traffic. BC Tree Fruits requests it be a requirement that future tenants indicate in writing they understand and accept the presence of the BC Tree Fruits operation,” according to the report.
“The Memoriam of Understanding is contingent on funding being awarded to EllisDon on their request for proposal (RFP) through the Build BC: Community Housing Fund from BC Housing. The intake for applications closed on Sept. 17 and it is hoped that award recipients will be notified prior to Dec. 31,” reads the report.
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