Developers are making another attempt at installing housing on a largely forested lot along the Englishman River, this time partnering with the BC Parks Foundation to preseve a considerable portion of the property. (Image Credit: Waterfront Properties Corp.)

By Alex Rawnsley

greig road

‘Balances the needs of people, nature and progress:’ new housing pitched for Parksville property

Mar 3, 2026 | 5:33 AM

PARKSVILLE — Longtime owners of an expansive and largely forested south-end property are returning with a new vision of housing.

Waterfront Properties Corp. are looking for Council and public support for the rezoning of 1465 Greig Rd., a roughly 145 acre property, to eventually allow for just over 400 residential housing units made up of multi-storey apartment buildings and multiplex-style family homes.

President Ken Williams told councillors on Monday, March 2, their updated proposal hits what he called “the missing middle” of moderately sized and priced housing for families and working professionals.

“This kind of housing appeals to the entire spectrum, from younger families buying their first home or to upsize as their families grow, to older residents looking to downsize. It’s a way to keep people in and attract new people to Parksville, people who work here raise families here and want to retire here, all while maintaining a neighbourhood feel.”

A past proposal from the owners, then-dubbed ‘Riverside’, was soundly rejected by residents and, as a result, Council, in 2023.

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It called for 800 housing units situated much closer to the Englishman River than the updated plan.

Williams outlined the new vision, which would see around 70 per cent of the property donated to the BC Parks Foundation for their stewardship and protection in perpetuity.

Around 40 acres on the property would be reserved for housing, while all existing trails and public access to the land would be retained.

Homes would range between 600 and 1,500 square feet in size.

Properties would also be at a minimum of 277 metres away from the Englishman River, roughly nine times the setback requirement by the province, according to Williams.

“We chose this area intentionally because it is less environmentally sensitive than the heavily treed section in the northeast which, while outside the floodplain, has been included in the 100-acre portion we’re donating.”

Construction of homes would take place gradually, with Williams optimistically saying roughly 30 to 40 units per year.

He expected, if approved in the coming months, shovels would go into the ground in about three years, with the complete buildout happening over a decade.

Williams believes the proposal reflects the feedback on their initial designs, Parksville’s Official Community Plan and the needs of the community, calling it a “win-win”.

“We’ve worked hard to design something that balances the needs of people, nature and progress. This proposal isn’t just about development, it’s about stewardship. It’s about ensuring the trails, forests, and natural areas that residents already enjoy remain open and cared for forever.”

Improvements to the Tuan Rd. and Hwy. 19A intersection would also form part of the project, with a traffic study estimating between three and four cars per minute during peak morning and evening times would travel through the intersection to access the new area.

No decision on the viability of the project was made by Council Monday, instead they voted 6-1 in favour of advancing the project to a public open house stage, to be run by the developer.

Multiple councillors said they were generally in favour of the project, but wanted to gauge the wider public support before it proceeded further.

Coun. Joel Grenz said the updated vision “does a much better job of listening to the community”, calling its past iteration “quite tone deaf”.

“This one does start off on a better foot in listening much more to the community, and this is part one of a new conversation. Hopefully, we can put aside some of the past conversations on this and look forward to what is a vision for this property, what is a vision that our community can get behind.”

Opposition to the project came via coun. Amit Gaur who said this version has some positives and negatives.

He cited considerable green space being retained as a major win, but questioned whether residents would want to see this land developed.

“That density…I don’t know if it really belongs there. As being proposed, it does not really fit with the OCP vision of the surrounding properties. To me, it sticks out…it does not really blend in to the neighbourhood.”

Gaur also raised concerns regarding demands on Parksville’s infrastructure, including water supply during the warmer summer months.

A public open house for the development will occur at a yet-to-be-scheduled date.

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