Your Weekly North Vancouver Island Construction News
In this week’s Editor’s Note:
- Bamfield: referendum for $18 million sewer connection
- Cumberland and Comox: $47 million expansions at two schools
- Powell River: proposed 54 residential lots with up-to 4 dwelling units each
Bamfield: referendum for $18 million sewer connection
A referendum for the Bamfield Sewer Connection is expected this Fall. If residents approve proceeding with the project, District staff will proceed with applying for grant funding and issue a tender for Conceptual Design. The estimated cost of the infrastructure is over $18 million, with East Bamfield requiring $9.5 million and West Bamfield requiring $9.6 million. This cost is only for the regional infrastructure, with each property owner responsible for costs to connect their property to the service. The collection system connection will be brought to the property line, and property owners can connect to the service at any time. If the referendum passes and the service is created (and the ACRD is successful in getting grant funding for the remaining costs for the project) then all properties in the service area will be required to pay for their portion of the capital upgrades, at a maximum of $1500 per year for 25 years, as well as $1500 to $2250 per year for operation and maintenance costs. If the referendum passes, property owners will be provided a list of local qualified contractors. Property connections are estimated to cost $11,000 on the high side of the connection to $25,000 on the low side. The project will only move forward if grant funding is successful.
Cumberland and Comox: $47 million expansions at two schools
The Province has announced $47 million in expansions at the Cumberland Community School and Arden Elementary School in the Comox Valley. Details includes a 16-classroom addition at Cumberland Community School, which will add 345 new seats to the school and replace the annex building and portables on site. The addition will also include a neighbourhood learning centre, which will have a commercial kitchen for student and community programming. At Aspen Elementary the project includes an 11-classroom prefabricated addition, which will add 270 new seats to the school. The use of prefabricated materials means students will have modern learning environments, such as multiple classrooms connected by corridors.
Powell River: proposed 54 residential lots with up-to 4 dwelling units each
The city has received a Zoning amendment application from Inclusion Powell River for their 4.09 hectare lot at 6831 Artaban Street. The lot currently houses Inclusion’s Child Development and Family Resource Centre. The intention is to leave the Resource Centre on a .99 hectare lot, and create a 3.1 hectare lot zoned residential with the potential for 54 residential lots of less than 400 sq metres, each with the ability to house up-to 4 dwelling units per provincial legislation (Bill 44). Access would be by an internal road network via Mitchell and Artaban Streets and the application is proposing rock pits and detention ponds rather than expanding the City’s storm sewer infrastructure. Staff are recommending a number of conditions including completion of a subdivision application before zoning is approved; a Section 219 restrictive covenant designating the internal road network and storm water utilities private infrastructure owned and maintenance by the strata corporation; a second Section 219 restrictive covenant that requires a minimum density of at least two dwelling units per lot to achieve desired density; a third Section 219 restrictive covenant that any future subdivision be via bare land strata; a fourth Section 219 covenant that any future subdivision be in keeping with the proposed layout provided in the application; and a fifth Section 219 covenant designating a tree retention area. Finally staff are recommending the city request a voluntary community amenity contribution from the applicant in the form of affordable housing units, secured by a housing agreement. Council agreed the application is in keeping with legislation and a public hearing is prohibited. Council will consider first reading at a later council meeting.
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