Zoning Amendment PL2024-086

Lot 1 Ackerman Road - Electoral Area G

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has received a zoning amendment for the property legally described as Lot 1, District Lot 126, Nanoose District, Plan EPP117467. The subject property is currently zoned Rural Residential 2 District F (RR2F) (see Document Library), which allows a range of rural uses including agriculture and two dwelling units per parcel with a minimum parcel size of 2.0 hectares.

The subject property is approximately 3.68 hectares in area and is designated within the Wembley Neighbourhood Centre in the Electoral Area 'G' Official Community Plan (OCP). The Wembley Neighbourhood Centre is part of an urban node, consisting of the Wembley Mall shopping centre in the City of Parksville and its peripheral residential areas located in both Electoral Area G and within the City of Parksville.

This land use designation is intended to provide for the changing housing needs of residents by supporting increased density through the rezoning process. Please visit the Document Library to read the Wembley Neighbourhood Centre Land Use Designation. This land use designation supports up to 50 dwelling units per hectare depending on the amount of green space being provided.

The proposal is to amend the RR2 zone to a Comprehensive Development Zone that would permit a total of 116 dwelling units including a maximum of 30 single detached dwelling units and 86 attached units (apartments). The proposed density averaged across the subject property is approximately 32 dwelling units per hectare with at least 25 per cent green space. Therefore, the proposed development is consistent with OCP policies relating to rezoning for increased density.

In summary, the proposal includes the following:

• community water provided by EPCOR;
• community sewer provided by the RDN;
• an onsite stormwater management system;
• the construction of Ackerman Road between Church Road and Wembley Road as a condition of subdivision (connection to the Island Highway in the future);
• the provision of an active transportation pathway linking Church Road to Wembley Road as a condition of subdivision as identified in the Electoral Area G Active Transportation Plan;
• provision of park land and/or cash in lieu of park land which will be considered at the time of subdivision; and,
• preservation of approximately 27 per cent of the parcel as greenspace representing areas that will remain free of development.

Section 464 of the Local Government Act, specifies that a local government must not hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning bylaw if the proposal is consistent with the official community plan and the sole purpose of the bylaw is to permit a development that is, in whole or in part, a residential development.

As the proposed zoning amendment is solely for the purpose of residential development that is consistent with the OCP, a public hearing must not be held. This also limits the RDN's ability to seek public input on the proposal through other means such as public meetings.

While we are unable to host a public hearing, we are interested in hearing from you to assist us in working with the applicant to refine the proposal prior to Board consideration.

Please use the application input tab below to share your local knowledge of the parcel or area with us or your ideas on how the proposal could be improved. Do you have any ideas on how the proposal could best serve the community? Do you have comments on the mix of unit types, the green space proposal or public amenities?

A few ways you can learn more and share your thoughts are by:

• Check out our Document Library which includes the conceptual site plan and supporting studies
• To see the status of the application and next steps visit our Process
• Submit your questions and we will provide an answer for all to see in the Ask a Question tab below
• Project updates will be shared in the What's New tab as the project moves forward
• Connect with our team by email or phone - see our contact info in Who's Listening