Public hearing ordered for Banks Crescent plan
Proposal for 5 six-storey buildings on what is now agriculturally-zoned land has been controversial since it was first proposed in 2016
Following a lively discussion of the controversial proposed Banks Crescent project, council directed staff on Monday to schedule a public hearing at a yet-to-be determined date.
The hearing will provide an opportunity for members of the public to speak on the numerous, often contentious, issues that have arisen since the Lark Group’s applications for an Official Community Plan amendment and rezoning in 2016.
If approved, the proposed project would involve the construction of five six-storey buildings over three levels of underground parking on formerly agricultural zoned land in a bowl-shaped site east of Bristow and Solly roads.
The project has been a magnet for dissent since its inception.
Concerns about the risks of damage to the underlying artesian aquifer and associated springs that supply the Summerland Trout Hatchery, stability of the soil and surrounding clay banks and impact on associated roads and nearby neighbourhoods have been at the forefront, along with potential liability of the municipality.
The hearing will be held at the earliest time that meets the statutory requirements for notification, when suitable facilities are available and all councillors are able to attend.
The week of Feb. 5 is a likely possibility, according to chief administrative officer Linda Tynan.
To accommodate as many people as possible, the hearing will be held in at least two sessions, such as an afternoon followed by an evening session, she said.
“If too many people want to speak, the hearing will be temporarily adjourned to another day,” Tynan added.
She recommended that council meet as soon as possible after the hearing to consider third reading on Lark Group’s applications, because the chances of council inadvertently obtaining new information increase with the length of time between the two events.
The latest parcel of new information came last week in the form of a thirdparty report, which seems to have already raised some councillors’ eyebrows.
“So we are going to build a giant hole and assume that it won’t penetrate the aquifer. Do we have certainty that it won’t?” Coun. Erin Carlson asked early in council’s discussion of the report, which was commissioned by the municipality and prepared by Golder Associates to evaluate Lark’s proposed Aquifer Protection Strategy.
Carlson’s comments were prompted by Golder’s statement, “The aquifer has not been mapped by the province and the extent and classification (yield, vulnerability, and demand) have not been determined.”
Aart Dronkers, a structural geologist, told council during the public question period that the aquifer is the biggest concern associated with the project and that mapping the aquifer would be very expensive.
Dronkers has consistently warned that the sediments (glacial till and silt) beneath the proposed development could easily be put into motion by pressure or water.
He said that Bristow Valley is a funnel for underground water and disruption of the aquifer there could stop the flow of water as far away as Prairie Valley.
Vertical compaction of the soil would be presumably minimal; however, horizontal or sheer movement of water and the resulting sloughing of soil due to vibration could be a problem, according to Golder.
In the peer review summary, Golder states, “ground vibrations from construction have the potential to trigger new sloughing, or an increased frequency of sloughing in the marginally stable wet to saturated ground within or adjacent to the area of the (Shaughnessy) springs.”
“If turbidity would occur, what would happen?” Coun. Erin Trainer asked.
“Construction would be stopped,” replied director of development services Dean Strachan.
He also said the hatchery can recycle water for only a short period of time, and potential danger to the facility has been a paramount concern throughout consideration of the project.
“Why is the council even considering building such a large condo development in an area of such high risk?” new resident Chris Haessig asked at the end of the meeting.
A marine biologist with an extensive background in geology, Haessig moved from the Lower Mainland to an area just above the proposed development this past November.
Council also wrestled briefly with what constitutes an amenity contribution as compared to a development cost charge and the amount and designation of the amenity contributions proposed by Lark in its Jan. 4 letter.