Revelstoke residents were vocal at the public hearing for the proposed Mackenzie Village bylaw zoning amendments but despite substantial opposition, city councillors approved the third reading of the motion unanimously.
Resident comments began positive, with many noting the need to attract vibrant people to Revelstoke and how the proposed development will fill the need for housing options that Revelstoke currently lacks.
“Change is inevitable, it’s often scary and uncertain as a community need to be open to change,” Selkirk Planning and Design engineer Fraser Blyth said. “We must manage change to ensure a positive effect. A community that never changes, and never progresses, is setting itself up for failure.”
“I think it’s really important that we have something like this, so we can attract young families and mountain lifestyle seekers who want that different lifestyle,” Chamber of Commerce executive director Judy Goodman said.
But soon the statements became a barrage of opposing opinions as more and more Arrow Heights residents stood up to speak, the audience supporting them with emphatic applause. One resident, Gordon Murray, said that the people who supported the project were not the ones who had to live nearby.
“We don’t want to see a high density vacation rental, with cars zooming up and down the street,” he said. “The people that should be listened to are the people that have to live by it.”
The timeline to reach “build-out” for Mackenzie Village is anticipated to be 10-15 years with a total population of approximately 2,300. The project features narrow streets, which developer David Evans said was common in mountain communities, and limited car parking.
Resident Gilles Lussier questioned where all the trucks hauling sleds would find room to park and said the development would have a negative impact on the area.
“I think many of us in the neighbourhood, we love Revelstoke, we love to see it grow in a responsible way,” he said. “And we are not against newcomers or development in our neighbourhoods. It’s not a not-in-my-backyard issue, it’s just what constitutes proper governance and development, in a city-driven agenda, not just a developer-driven agenda.”
Comments from residents reflected a feeling that many would have paused before buying if they knew the zoning of the properties nearby would change. Many were also concerned about illegitimate vacation rentals cropping up instead of long-term residents.
“Short-term stays do not always create the same vested interests as a traditional neighbourhood does,” Tina Miersch said in a letter that was read out to the forum. “People come for a short-term, have a good time, party and make the most of their experience. Mixing this casual attitude into the area, [there will be] many strangers walking among the children and families in the neighbourhood.”
Despite the plan for Mackenzie Village to be scaled out over a number of phases and in-line with market demands, meaning the number and sizes of accommodation will fluctuate from the projected 1,200 mixed-housing options, many opponents focused on high-density.
“I’m concerned about the intensity of the development,” Tuliki Tenant said. “I think it is too much of a building on that property.”
The strain on infrastructure was a concern with residents who wondered how the development could handle the extra traffic and sewage but a report by consultants McElhanney states Revelstoke’s sanitary system can handle the increase. “…the existing … mains downstream have sufficient capacity for the buildout flows from Arrow Heights and RMR, including the Mackenzie Village development. No upgrades to the existing collection mains will be required.”
A preliminary traffic study has also been completed, which evaluated the future pressure on the local roadways.
After about two hours, it was the council’s turn to move the proceedings forward and discuss their positions.
“I think this development has been brought forward, and a lot of work as been done and a lot of thought as been put into it,” Councillor Brothers said.
“One of the things I see as a councillor is that we need housing in this community. We need housing very, very badly. We lose residents. People can’t come to stay here … unless they have places to live.”
Councillor Gary Sulz spoke briefly in support of the motion. “I feel that this necessary development for our community,” he said.
Councillor Aaron Orlando also commented and stated that the proposal had been at council for over a year, with progress checked along the way.
“One of the big issues I’ve heard, what I heard when I was standing for election, was affordability, housing affordability,” he said. “I do feel that we are long overdue for increasing our stock of new housing and having a different variety of housing types and I feel that this project will achieve that.”
The development still requires a Master Development Agreement to be reached prior to final adoption of the zoning bylaw.
Councillors also discussed adding a covenant to the property to restrict vacation rentals. City of Revelstoke development services manager Dean Strachan said that he could prepare a report to council on the option at a later date.
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