The District of Kitimat has nixed a controversial recommendation aimed at increasing housing density at the northern periphery of Strawberry Meadows.
A report on the Strawberry Meadows Neighbourhood Plan put forth nine policy recommendations for council’s consideration before the public consultation process of potentially incorporating the changes into Kitimat’s Official Community Plan. Policy 8 would have increased allowable density on eight properties on the south side of Quatsino Blvd. District staff wrote the intention was to align with the District’s goals of cultivating “compact communities,” as defined in the Climate Energy and Emissions Plan of 2021. Additionally, the policy aimed to bolster housing options, following the Housing Action Plan and Needs Assessment.
However, during an Aug. 28 Committee of the Whole Meeting, about a dozen Strawberry Meadows residents voiced their strong disapproval.
Lisa Medynski, who owns a home on one of the affected lots, presented a petition bearing signatures from around 40 neighbors opposing Policy 8.
“We don’t want it to be rezoned,” she said. “We want it to stay as country living in the city. That’s why we bought it. That’s why we’re there. We have livestock, we have horses, we have sheep, we have pigs … we don’t want multi-family in our neighbourhood. We have it across the street … and that’s fine, it was there when we bought. but I don’t want it behind me.”
Numerous attendees echoed Medynski’s stance, expressing concerns about noise, activity and a rumored apartment complex, which they felt would compromise the neighborhood’s character.
Mayor Phil Germuth stated unequivocally that no apartment proposal existed for Strawberry Meadows. The District’s planner further clarified that the density proposed under Policy 8 — 30 units per hectare — is not large enough to accommodate apartment complexes. “The discussion is around duplexes or triplexes, at most two stories high,” he said.
Despite these assurances, Councilor Mario Feldhoff proposed the rejection of Policy 8. Council voted unanimously for its removal.
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Policy 7, detailing preferred land uses in the neighborhood, sparked further debate. Listed uses, such as home occupation, agriculture, bed and breakfast, or daycare, intentionally excluded numerous commercial practices. The District noted these exclusions arose from past public nuisances and safety incidents. The revised policy would not prohibit commercial development applications, but rather guide future decision-making by stating the preferred zoning of the neighbourhood.
However in a letter to the district, Strawberry Meadows developer Jack Oviatt wrote the policy embeds a bias in the OCP for not supporting existing commercial uses, including temporary use permits.
“Did they [planners] forget there’s commercial businesses in Strawberry Meadows, or are you trying to eliminate it? If you embed Policy 7 into the OCP, what are you going to do with the existing commercial that’s in there?”
The committee didn’t respond to Oviatt’s presentation, but Germuth later expressed solidarity with residents, saying, “Everyone I know in Strawberry Meadows bought there for residential … they didn’t buy it to be next to a truck shop.
“Putting this forward we’re at least giving the people of Strawberry Meadows a little comfort, we’re looking out for them. For their dream home, their dream neighbourhood, we’re going to do what we can to keep it that way.”
Council voted in favour of supporting Policy 7, and will meet again for a special meeting Sept. 11 to give first and second reading to the Strawberry Meadows Official Community Plan amendment. A public hearing prior to the third reading is scheduled for Oct. 16.