A large high-density housing project on a 2.17-hectare property on Paddle Road in North Cowichan is about to begin its first phase.
But in order for the project, which is being developed by Chilliwack-based Kerkhoff Construction, to proceed, North Cowichan council agreed at its meeting on Jan. 15 to close the northern portion of Paddle Road and transfer the lands to the developer in exchange for the new road alignment and improvements.
Council also authorized the municipality to enter into a land-exchange agreement with the owners of five properties on Paddle Road to dedicate part of their property for a road in exchange for the road closure area.
Bill Corsan, North Cowichan’s general manager of corporate services and community relations, said there are no financial implications for the municipality if it authorizes the road closure and land exchange.
“By providing approval for the road closure and land exchange, the road dedication requirements will be met and the developer can continue developing the property as proposed,” he said.
The developer intends to construct several multi-family dwellings in up to five stages, including four apartment buildings, three of which are planned to be six storeys and the fourth one would be five storeys, as well as town homes, and two-family dwellings.
A total of 348 apartments, eight townhouse units, and 10 two-family dwellings are envisioned as part of the project.
The project also included significant amenity contributions, including a $1.2-million contribution to a new park and a high level of energy efficiencies.
When the project first came before council in 2022, some North Cowichan councillors took issue with the fact that the developer was offering little in the way of an affordable-housing component for the housing project.
But council gave the green light for the project to proceed after the developer agreed to earmark 37 housing units to be affordable rentals that will rent at 7.5 per cent below market rates.
