New development beginning approval process in Dawson Creek

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – The Dawson Creek City Council gave the first two readings to an amendment to their Official Community Plan that will kick off Woodlands, a new mixed-use housing development in the southwest of the city.

Woodlands, if approved after public consultation, will sit on 31.25 hectares of land south of 116th avenue and east of 17th street. It is in a development reserve three kilometres from downtown Dawson Creek. 

The development requires a land use designation change but does not require any land removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve.

The designations would change based on the different portions of the development. With the land, 2.57 acres will be used for low-density residential land (or single detached homes), 4.94 acres of medium-density residential (which includes townhomes or row housing), and 10.71 acres for high-density residential (a mix of multi-family apartments and seniors housing).

The new neighbourhood will be centred around a park that sits against the edge of the Woodlands development.

The first stage of the development also proposes a daycare and a commercial kitchen in the high-density residential area to support both families and seniors. Though the daycare was supported by city staff, the commercial kitchen raised several questions. 

The neighbourhood community plan that outlines Woodlands must be approved by the council as an amendment to the city’s Official Community Plan. It was developed with the help of city staff and submitted for the final time in May 2022. 

To approve the plan after giving the bylaw its first and second readings, council will hold a public consultation and public hearing to consider residents’ comments or concerns over the changes to the land use designation.