Neighbours concerned about proposed development on Cedar St.

Residents of the Cedar St. area are concerned about a proposed row house development in their neighbourhood.

At a public hearing Dec. 7, they shared concerns about roads, parking and the potential of landslides.

The proposal could see a four or five unit row house built, which, according to city staff, is intended to be used as long-term rentals.

Built on stilts due to the steep slope in the area, car port parking, storage space and patios, would be located at the back of the development.

READ MORE: Row house development proposed for Cedar St. in Revelstoke

The neighborhood currently consists of 13 homes. Residents are concerned that the proposed 5,000 sq. ft. unit would theoretically double the population of the neighborhood, and that the ‘apartment style’ complex does not reflect the feel of the area.

They also worry that it would change the way the area develops in the future.

Guy McLintock, architect on the project, called the development ‘modestly scaled’, adding that it’s not not significantly larger than most of the single family homes in the area.

McLintock said the area on Cedar St. is a prime location for a strategic and relatively light increase in density, and will push development in Revelstoke in the direction that the city wants to go.

According to McLintock, the rural character of the neighborhood is somewhat in conflict with it’s adjacency to the downtown core.

Virginia Thompson, a local who owns property directly below the proposed development, expressed concerns over a possible increased flood and landslide risk in the area due to the proposed development, something she called an ‘ongoing issue’ in the area.

Thompson directed council’s attention to the amount of forest they would have to cut in order to build the development, and cited a publication from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry form 2019 which challenged “well-established wisdom on how logging affects flood risk”.

The publication, which was read into the record, states “floods can be sensitive to even small rates of forest harvesting, depending on location within the watershed”.

McLintock stated that all geotechnical consultation has been completed to the satisfaction of the city prior to approval.

“If something happens there, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” said Thompson.

City council will consider third reading at their next meeting.

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