Speaker after speaker addressed Lantzville Council with concerns regarding potential new zoning rules. Council postopned voting on third reading of Zoning Bylaw 180 until March 9. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Lantzville zoning

Lantzville residents tee off on proposed changes to secondary suites, traffic volumes

Feb 25, 2020 | 12:49 PM

LANTZVILLE — Interest in sweeping land zoning changes proposed in Lantzville is so high a public hearing had to be moved to accommodate large crowds.

Public opposition to the bylaw featuring efforts to densify housing was fierce at a Monday, Feb. 24 public hearing at the Lantzville Legion. Twenty-four speakers addressed council, with only two upper Lantzville residents backing the initiative.

Under the bylaw, secondary suites would be considered on most properties in Lantzville, while carriage houses would be permitted on larger lots. They would come with numerous conditions, including parking provisions to prevent on-street cluttering.

The updated zoning bylaw builds on a 33-year-old plan from the Regional District of Nanaimo.

Overwhelming opposition

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Concerned Clark Dr. resident James Dale canvassed his neighbourhood and said residents are overwhelmingly opposed to the higher density zoning because of community safety concerns.

“With an increase in traffic those rural country roads are not set to handle an increase in traffic,” Dale told councillors.

He said potential changes to Lantzville’s rural characteristics was also an issue raised to him by community members.

Some Lantzville residents are concerned about increased traffic using streets lacking sidewalks and crosswalks which are often dark because street lighting is sporadic throughout the community of 3,600.

Several people spoke against the late inclusion of secondary suites in the Foothills development in upper Lantzville and how additional traffic would negatively impact community safety on feeder roads below.

Carriage houses remain outlawed for the planned 730 home Foothills neighbourhood located off the top of Harwood Dr.

Another primary concern residents voiced during the lengthy public hearing was the District’s plan to restrict the size of home businesses to 50 square meters, including storage.

Bayview Park Dr. resident Clint Smith said larger home-based businesses and their workforce could be severely impacted.

“To ignore their needs to be able to continue employing people in the Lantzville district is detrimental to the economic base of which the taxpayers are able to support the expansion of Lantzville,” Smith said.

Coun. Karen Proctor mentioned the idea of a separate consultation process with concerned home businesses operators, but a motion to that effect was not presented.

“What’s the rush?”

Coun. Proctor, Jamie Wilson and Will Geselbracht voiced support for the zoning bylaw, while mayor Mark Swain and coun. Ian Savage lodged their opposition.

Mayor Swain believed the public wasn’t properly consulted during the previous six months since the draft bylaw was presented.

The mayor said Monday night’s hearing was only the second official community engagement event.

“I don’t think we’re giving fair consideration, we’re just going to push this forward, and again what’s the rush?”

Swain called the District’s conduct “really concerning” and “troubling.”

Coun. Savage said he intends to put forth a motion outlining 19 further amendments to the bylaw.

“What I heard tonight and I’ve heard in letters and from people I’ve talked to (is) this needs more work and more public process,” Savage said.

Coun. Wilson highlighted the desperate need for more housing options in Lanztville as a reason to revamp zoning guidelines.

“It’s time to move forward,” Wilson said. “We haven’t moved forward in Lantzville for a long time. Look at the downtown, it’s the same as it was, in fact it’s worse than when I was a kid.”

Wilson said a lack of housing has forced many seniors out of Lantzville.

Voting on a third reading was postponed until March 9. Since the public hearing is now closed councillors can no longer accept correspondence on Zoning Bylaw 180.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes