An unusual 12-acre property that not only has the Coquitlam River bisecting it but also the David Avenue connector is set to be developed - and dedicated as parkland.
The land at the base of Burke Mountain, which on Monday city council granted first reading to rezone it, was bought in 2010 from longtime owner Molly Cooper for $6.5 million.
Now, Infinity Properties plans to have 38 single-family lots built on the forested site at 1388 Gabriola Dr. that, if approved, would complete the New Horizons neighbourhood.
Development manager Quentin Boulton said the company had to go back to the drawing board in 2011 after it received some negative feedback about the lack of green space.
For the new application, more than half of the area will be dedicated as park and for river setbacks. Besides the 5% park dedication required by developers (in this case, 0.6 acres), the property will also have a 3.31-acre riparian buffer on both sides of the Coquitlam River plus 0.42 acres of park next to David Avenue - all of which will be handed over to the city at no cost, Boulton said.
The city also intends to buy 1.92 acres from Infinity, on both sides of the river, for parkland, with funding coming from the new park acquisition development cost charges program, a bylaw that city council adopted in January.
Boulton said since the plans were reworked, Infinity has met with neighbours and environmental stewards, and most of the outstanding issues have been resolved.
Still, there are challenges with the narrow road in the 3300-block of Caliente Place, north of David Avenue, where Infinity plans three single-family lots, at the east end.
He said the company and the city have offered solutions to widen the road for the existing five residents, given the private concrete wall; however, those attempts have failed.
Coun. Craig Hodge said he has followed the proposal closely as it was a source of contention while he was door-knocking during the 2011 civic election campaign.
But, following the open house in February, he said only the regular concerns for a new subdivision exist - namely, extra traffic, lack of on-street parking and noise.
"I'm looking forward to this going to public hearing as we have already heard a bit about this in the community" of New Horizons, Hodge said at Monday's council meeting.
During a visit to the property on Wednesday, Boulton said Infinity "has done its due diligence" and has listened to what the neighbours and stewards want - and don't want.
The TransCanada Trail will be kept intact and new trails will go in. Gabriola Drive will be extended east of Anvil Crescent and two cul-de-sacs will be built within the subdivision.
Ian McArthur of Coquitlam RiverWatch said he's pleased the riparian area has been protected.
"Now that this development is most likely to go ahead, we would like something done to improve the health of the environment in this area," he wrote via email. "We would like to see the storm sewers, which drain Westwood Plateau just south of this proposed development, daylighted from the west branch of Gabriola Drive to the Coquitlam River."
Should the plans be green-lighted following the June 24 public hearing, servicing and road construction would start this summer with home building in late fall, Boulton said.
Infinity, which is currently developing a new subdivision on land formerly earmarked for an elementary school in Prince George's University Heights, used to be called BFW Developments Ltd. Under that company name, it was part of a group that developed 110 single-family homes and two townhouse sites on Burke Mountain, at Coast Meridian and Harper roads.
