By Colleen Dane - Comox Valley Record - June 10, 2008

The reality of three major development projects proposed for the Village of Cumberland was right there in black in white — in a 250-page council agenda this week.

With bylaws for Trilogy, Cumberland Green and Coal Valley Estates all on the docket, residents and agents for the projects packed the council chambers — eager to hear the next steps in three projects, any one of which could almost double the village’s current housing stock.

“Times change — and we have said many times that we need to be prepared,” said Mayor Fred Bates during the question period at the end of the meeting.

First reading was given for Official Community Plan and zoning amendments on the remaining Trilogy lots — mostly those on the east side of the Inland Island Highway.

Staff asked council to consider not amending the zone on lot 11, near Maple Lake, because it is currently used as a gravel extraction operation. “Pre-zoning” before the new-zone use is needed could mean fewer amenities, said planner Judith Walker.

Trilogy planner Clive Grout warned council, though, that the company expected all or nothing — saying that if any of its 11 lots is not zoned as it wishes, it would not build any of it because of the high cost of initial infrastructure requirements.

“Trilogy is not in a position to proceed ... if we do not have the zoning secured for all lots,” said Grout.

Council approved first reading of the rezoning and OCP applications for all the lots — with Coun. Gwyn Sproule opposed, and Coun. Dale Frame absent. If built to the capacity proposed by Trilogy, those lots could represent 750 residential units. That’s over and above the 600 units on their lot 9b, and the other proposed mixed commercial-residential lots.

“It is the sheer scale of each of these developments that is causing concern for the residents of Cumberland,” said Sproule, calling for scaled-back projects that suit the village.

Cumberland Green, the inclusive seniors’ housing project proposed for the old Jenks property on Bevan Road received second reading at Monday’s meeting. Its proposal of condos, apartments, seniors’ care facilities, luxury hotel, golf course and commercial facilities would add 1,740 “doors” to the village if approved.

“Can Cumberland absorb this kind of growth over the next ... 20 years? Does it want to absorb that growth?” said Sproule.

She added that they gave this project first reading a few weeks ago, despite the application’s lack of extensive study for the site, and was disappointed to see it up for second reading without any further information available.

“I suggest that it’s unwise to move ahead on any of these developments without more information,” said Sproule.

Council agreed that for Cumberland Green, information should be made readily available before a public process starts — and so while they gave the project second reading, they also passed a resolution stating that all studies had to be handed in two weeks before they would set a public hearing date, which requires 10 days notice.

Phase five of Coal Valley Estates is catching up with the developer’s phase four application. The OCP and zoning amendment applications were given first reading for a property behind the north side of Camp Road, running up beyond the top of Egremont.

Phase four of the project, which is stuck at second reading because of the ongoing water service issues in the village, is proposed to have 98 units in fourplexes and 34 single-family homes. Village residents have been told that Coal Valley envisions 1,000 units over both phases — an estimated 850 in the phase on the table this week.

While the steps are preliminary ones in the development application processes, the potential impact of the building boom in Cumberland raised frustrations from some in the audience who asked about the scale of the projects, the removal of the residential containment boundary and the impact of these projects on the Valley’s regional growth strategy.

Council said there would be time for public feedback — and that initial readings are required so that information is prepared.