Despite vocal and concerted efforts by the residents of west Henry Road, it appears inevitable that the 100+ mobile home development is going ahead. It does not comply with North Cowichan’s OCP; however the zoning change is a legacy from years ago, changed by a council that failed to consider future impacts on a number of fronts not dealt with in this letter.
The Morgan Maples (9090 Trans Canada Highway) development application was changed to avoid using Henry Road as a primary access, instead utilizing the access at Country Maples. This modification allayed some of the residents’ concerns – one of several is that the narrow Henry Road now services 38 homes and to add traffic from 100+ more would likely result in a situation like a mall parking lot at Christmastime.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure subsequently deemed it necessary to use Henry Road as the main access, in its efforts to limit direct highway access. This raises significant issues:
– The right of way extension is unconstructed and goes over a creek and fragile wetlands that drain to the Chemainus River, which is a subject of great concern for the Ministry of Environment and Department of Fisheries.
– So many municipalities are promoting Active Transportation Plans and getting significant grant funding to make safe places for people to walk, ride, bicycle or otherwise enjoy the outdoors. Henry Road has that right now. Adding the traffic from 100+ homes will very likely make it unsafe even to walk to the mailbox.
– Devaluation of the Henry Road properties, ALR and otherwise.
MoTI should be using a broad lens when considering potential impacts, negative and positive, in its review of development applications.
Cathy Nugent,
Chemainus