More than 100 Squamish residents have signed a petition urging officials to reject a development proposed along the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel.
The 425-unit Kingswood project along Scott Crescent would pour traffic into the Hospital Hill and Smoke Bluff neighbourhoods, Hospital Hill resident Marion von Dehn said on Monday (May 5).
Vehicle access to the property 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 Despite having Ministry of Transportation approval to direct all project-generated traffic onto Highway 99, council rescinded its approval in 2007.
The most recent plan directs northbound traffic heading up Highway 99 or out of the development to a right-in/right-out Scott Crescent intersection. Southbound travellers along the highway and exiting the development will run along Clarke Drive.
Last February, the District of Squamish council directed staff and the project’s proponents to examine the feasibility of realigning Behrner Drive after officials received a petition signed by 40 residents on Clarke Drive.
But, the latest petition calls for council to scrap the project outright. Either route will directly impact residents’ quality of life, van Dehn said.
“We are not OK with any road,” she said.
When the proponents bought the land beside Highway 99, they were aware of the site’s access challenges, van Dehn said. The property was not originally zoned for high density, she added, noting she doesn’t think it can accommodate the proposed massing.
The area is already experiencing increased congestion as developments such as Crumpit Woods subdivision get underway, van Dehn said. There’s seniors’ housing, a hospital and an elementary school in the neighbourhood that would see increased traffic, she noted.
Residents who signed the petition want council to know they don’t support the project even if the Behrner is realigned, van Dehn said.
“We submitted our letter to the district today because we wanted local officials and Kingswood to understand how strongly opposed our neighbourhood is to the proposed development,” she said.
The proponents should go back to the drawing board and submit a smaller project that protects the environment, sensitive species, trail networks, recreational interests and quality of life for the neighbourhood, van Dehn said.
Proponents are examining the 400-metre extension of the drive through Hunter woods, Kingswood representative John Moonen said. If supported, the new route would be on municipally owned property, he noted.
The project’s rezoning bylaws are to be brought to council in June. The feasibility review of the Behrner Drive extension will be part of the report for consideration, District of Squamish acting director of planning Sarah McJannet wrote in an email.
