35 townhomes are projected to be built on a wooded lot off Tanya Dr., an offshoot of Lost Lake Dr. (City of Nanaimo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

NEW DEVELOPMENT

New north Nanaimo townhouse development proceeds, traffic concerns raised

Mar 2, 2022 | 11:57 AM

NANAIMO — City Council isn’t standing in the way of a new townhouse development in north Nanaimo, at least not for now.

A development permit was unanimously granted to a 35 townhouse development off Tanya Dr., an offshoot from Lost Lake Rd.

It would feature 25 three-bedrooms townhouses and 10 two-bedrooms on a steep slope overlooking the Salish Sea to the north.

“The property does contain rocky bluffs and a significant ridgeline and is in an area surrounded by similarly zoned…properties,” Jeremy Holm, director of development approvals told Council on Monday, Feb. 28.

Rows of townhomes would sit on two natural benches in the land, smoothed and graded to allow for construction.

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The properties themselves would be situated in the middle of an expansive property, nearly 20 metres away from other homes on the north and south side.

Site of a planned housing development off Tanya Dr., not far from Linley Valley Cottle Lake Park. (Google Maps)

While Council voted 9-0 in favour of the development permit, including a height variance on the buildings, concerns were raised impact to surrounding residents.

“I still am concerned about traffic that we’re introducing onto Lost Lake Rd,” Coun. Don Bonner told Council. “The reason I voted against [another agenda item] was it was a rezoning, this is a [development] permit and it’s my understanding that you don’t deal with issues like that, so there’s no issues for me not to support this.”

Coun. Tyler Brown shared similar concerns but supported the project for largely the same reasons as Bonner.

Lost Lake Rd. was the site of a traffic calming project in May 2021 where several speed bumps and additional signage were placed on the road in a bid to slow down vehicles and make the route less appealing as a shortcut route.

A building permit is required for the Tanya Dr. townhouse project to proceed.

A formal update from the City on the Lost Lake Rd. traffic calming effort is expected in the first half of 2022.

A map of the new speed bumps and signage installed along Lost Lake Rd. in 2021, to slow vehicle speeds. (City of Nanaimo)

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