A total of 158 units of affordable housing are one step closer to reality after Nanaimo city council passed the first two readings of a zoning amendment. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

low cost housing

Affordable housing expansion on Prideaux St. moves forward

Sep 3, 2021 | 5:30 AM

NANAIMO — Replacing several aging downtown low-cost apartments appears within reach for the Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society.

City councillors unanimously approved a staff recommendation to pass the first two readings of rezoning five Prideaux St. properties off Comox Rd. to build 158 new non-market affordable units.

Obtaining the necessary urban node land use designation for increased height and density would vastly bolster the Society’s housing stock on the street by 96 additional units, up from the current 62.

The City’s manager of current planning Lainya Rowett told this week’s council meeting the proposal was viewed favourably by the public and two local neighourhood associations.

“Amendments proposed here would achieve a number of City policies and objectives, including revitalization of the downtown urban node, increase supply of rental housing and renewed affordable housing stock.”

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Councillors also offered partial approval to removing the neighbourhood zoning designation for five nearby Comox Rd. properties, not currently up for redevelopment.

“It made more sense to create an extension of the existing urban node boundary given its centrality to existing commercial services, employment and a number of major public amenities,” Rowett said.

The City would encourage including three and four bedroom units when design discussions occur, Rowett said, in response to a question from Coun. Sheryl Armstrong.

While acknowledging the scale of the pending developments are greater than other buildings in the area, the City noted Comox Park, the E&N rail line, the City’s parks yard and Comox Rd. provide buffers to limit potential impacts on area residents.

Five properties on Prideaux St. are planned to be eventually torn down and replaced with larger, more dense developments. (Google Earth/NanaimoNewsNOW illustration)

The City elected to waive community amenity contributions to incentivize affordable housing.

A public hearing and final endorsements from city councillors are required for the Society’s vision to proceed to the design phase.

The Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society owns and operates 17 low cost housing complexes in Nanaimo, assisting hundreds of people in a range of ages and circumstances.

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ian@nanaimonesnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes