Courtenay council gave second reading Monday to a bylaw amendment pertaining to a Habitat for Humanity multi-residential development at the corner of Lake Trail Road and Willemar Avenue, across from Lake Trail School. A total of 10 units, two with four bedrooms and eight with three bedrooms, are planned in four construction phases.
Habitat’s mission is to give deserving families a ‘hand up,’ as opposed to a handout. They don’t give away homes free of charge. As a down payment, future homeowners invest 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ by volunteering at the ReStore and at build sites. Habitat then sells the house with a no-interest mortgage set at no more than 30 per cent of a monthly income.
Coun. Doug Hillian said that many letters supporting the project are a “testament to how badly this is needed in the community.”
Council will not request amenity contributions from Habitat relating to the application.
A public hearing will be held Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. in council chambers before third reading is considered.
•A rezoning application for a secondary suite at 2500 Mission Rd., near Queneesh Elementary, received second reading. The application garnered a few negative comments from residents. One said that legal suites “change the face of the area in a negative way,” in terms of extra vehicles. Another is concerned about sufficient parking space.
A public hearing will be held Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. in council chambers.