After a presentation to Squamish officials, a proposed development along the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel appears to have a smooth road ahead.
The Kingswood project hit the District of Squamish council's Committee of the Whole table on Nov. 19.
Staff are keen to engage council and seek direction, district planner Sarah McJannet said.
Of the approximately 80 residents who attended a September open house regarding the proposed 425-unit development, traffic and building density topped their concerns. Property access the lots sit adjacent to the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel and Hospital Hill's escarpment has plagued the project since its predecessor, Red Point. Despite having Ministry of Transportation approval to direct all project-generated traffic onto Highway 99, council rescinded its approval in 2007.
Under the new plan, northbound traffic heading up Highway 99 or out of the development will use a right-in/right-out Scott Crescent intersection. Southbound travellers along the highway and exiting the development will travel along Clarke Drive. Having explored six alternative road schemes over the years, engineers went back to the simplest option, Bunts and Associates president Peter Joyce said.
Bunt's study indicated the development would generate 184 vehicle trips in the one-hour peak morning period and 244 vehicle trips in the peak afternoon period. Of the morning traffic, two-thirds is anticipated to use the Scott Crescent/Highway 99 intersection, while one-third would travel southbound along Clarke and Behner drives. That equates to 57 vehicle trips through the neighbourhood in the morning less than one vehicle per minute.
In the evening an estimated 55 per cent of vehicles would travel through the neighbourhood, translating to three to four vehicles per minute.
Coun. Patricia Heintzman questioned the 7 to 9 a.m. time frame at which the morning traffic was counted to produce the estimates.
I would hazard that a lot of our Vancouver traffic leaves before 7 a.m., she said.
People may turn off Highway 99 at the entry to Mag's 99 Fried Chicken, cut behind the Shell gas station and cross the highway to Scott Crescent as a shortcut, Heintzman warned.
Attention needs to be given to pedestrian and cyclists throughout the proposal, Coun. Susan Chapelle said. Overall she said she's looking forward to more people moving to Squamish.
I love density in the downtown. That is exactly where density should go, she said.
