The city is moving ahead with the process that could result in a country residential subdivision next to the Lobird Estates Mobile Home Park next year.

Council members unanimously approved first reading of a bylaw to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) on Monday, with a public hearing scheduled for April 8.

Earlier in the meeting, developer Dwight Chalifour told council the 16-lot Highland Estates development could be ready for sales next year if they approve the zoning change in the OCP to country residential from urban.

“After third reading, we would like to start road construction in August and pave it in 2025,” he said. (Third reading is set for July 8 or Aug. 12.)

With road development at no cost to the city and an estimated $80,000 per year in tax revenues, Chalifour said, “this is a win-win for the city, and an economic advantage for the city.”

Chalifour is a co-owner of Lobird Living Corp. It wants to take 12 hectares of the land it owns to make the new country residential subdivision in the middle of what the OCP plans to be a dense, urban neighbourhood one day.

And when city water and sewer services come to the area, Lobird Living plans to develop the flat area next to the existing trailer park to include another 63 mobile homes, Chalifour said.

He was one of three delegates speaking in favour of the development.

Les Walker, the owner of Walker Home Construction, said he knows there is considerable interest in the new development from people looking to build on a larger lot.

“I feel (the development) fills a gap and provides opportunities that have scarcely been available in the past few years,” he said.

Gordon Lau of Stantec Architecture reviewed the work done to date on the project. That included a geotechnical assessment, well water testing (one well on-site), a heritage assessment and a supporting study.

“These studies show Lobird’s commitment to doing this project the right way,” he said.

Councillors quizzed Lau on whether it’s possible to have more lots on the property.

He said there are some “extreme grades” that make denser development very challenging.

While it might be possible to grade some parts of the property, it would be expensive and yield, at the very best, a total of 40 lots, and only if city water and sewer services were available, he said.

City staff had originally recommended against proceeding with the project, as it’s inconsistent with the OCP and could adversely affect the dense, urban development planned for the “South Growth Area”.

Council decided narrowly to reject that advice on March 4 in favour of launching the process to gather more information, including public input.

Council members still have the ability to turn down the rezoning request at second or third readings.

In his presentation, Chalifour cited several references from the OCP calling for a diverse range of housing options.

He noted that the city has several dense infill developments coming online, such as the 380 units in Range Point.

“Lobird Living would like to proceed now because if the city decides to develop the North Growth Area first, then the South Growth Area will not see any improvements for 20 to 30 years,” he said.

Homeowners in the new development, if it goes ahead, would be responsible for septic and well service, as well as garbage/compost services.

The Highland Park development would be similar to Raven’s Ridge. Its access road would connect to Lobird Road.