In the end, the promise to preserve an important parcel of greenspace was too good to pass up.
View Royal Council unanimously passed a bylaw clearing the way for a large residential development on the Thetis Lake Campground property following a public hearing Tuesday night.
The proposal by Limona Construction calls for 350 residential units, mainly in a combination of four five-storey buildings, with about 46 townhouses as well.
“We had received some correspondence for and against with more for,” said View Royal Coun. John Rogers.
The fact the proponent offered to donate a 14-acre property that is a wildlife corridor adjacent to the Capital Regional District’s Mill Hill Park appealed to many people, he noted. The success of the Lakeside Village development, which involved a similar donation of greenspace in a sensitive ecosystem helped as well, he added.
The owner has also raised the compensation for people living in the campground to $14,500, an increase of about 15 per cent, Rogers said. Another positive for many is that 30 to 40 per cent of the development adjacent to Thetis Lake will be preserved as greenspace, he added.
Rogers said the major concern was about traffic, but the traffic consultant who was on hand explained that it would be negligible. “We all expect the McKenzie Interchange will make it easier to bypass the Six Mile on the way to Admirals Road,” he said. “That will be more preferable once the interchange is completed.”
Rogers expects discussion with the CRD on the property View Royal received to begin soon.