The complex issue of mitigating flood risk to lives, buildings and property along the Squamish/Mamquam, Cheakamus and Stawamus River floodplains continues to concern council, district staff and affected landowners.
On Tuesday, council’s committee of the whole considered its overall direction in terms of land use mitigation options presented by district staff in front of an audience of about 20 landowners.
The committee chose to pursue a relatively permissive land use management strategy – conditional rezoning of density in high-hazard areas that are deemed residential neighbourhoods in Squamish’s Official Community Plan, if applicants can meet seven conditions. The conditions include, among others, developments being raised by soil to the point the structure is no longer in the hazard area, in other words raised up to be protected from a one in 200-year flood level; the flood proofing, however, must also not transfer flood risk to neighbours.
This option would not be simple or inexpensive for developers, according to district municipal engineer David Roulston and planner Matt Gunn, who presented to council.
Councillor Doug Race said risk can never be completely avoided and the mitigation option chosen finds a balance to address risk but also allow growth in the area.
“It contemplates some significant development permit guideline requirements to assist us and help us mitigate against potential flooding and to reduce the risk to a level I think is tolerable,” Race said.
A moratorium on new and in-stream rezoning and Official Community Plan amendment applications for Brackendale properties within the high-risk flood areas will remain for another four to six weeks.
A pause was put in place in October to allow staff time to work out details of how the mitigation option chosen would impact development permit applications.
Council will consider going back to processing the applications at an upcoming committee of the whole meeting.
Former Squamish mayor Greg Gardner’s application is the only development stuck in midstream. His application is to put a single-family housing development on seven of his 14 acres at 41601 Brennan Rd. in Brackendale. He encouraged council not to wait several months before allowing applications to process, but he said he understood that figuring out mitigation took time. Gardner said they are “important decisions – and not easy ones.”
An earlier report to council showed a dike breach along the Upper Squamish River/North Mamquam River, for example, would cost $190 million, displace 7,000 people and generate 20,000 tonnes of debris. The district’s flood hazard management plan is expected to be completed this summer.
