A controversial development in the south commercial block of Willow Street is beginning to take shape.
Three years after obtaining a development permit for a 39-foot high, three-storey commercial/residential building, demolition of the house on the property took place this week.
Jason Meng of MC Builders, says work on the new structure will be begin shortly.
“We have the building permit,” Meng said as he surveyed the removal of debris from the site next to the Secret Garden. “I think we should get started later this summer.”
The new building, approved by North Cowichan council in March 2022, will have eight apartments on the two upper floors and two commercial units on the main level.
When the development application came to council it was not without controversy.
Ward Yeager, owner of the properties adjacent to the project, home to the popular Hansel & Gretel’s Candy shop, opposed the development for several reasons. Yeager said the lack of parking for the residences would put pressure on Willow Street parking and negatively affect businesses on the street.
The owner paid the Municipality $96,000 to be placed in a reserve fund instead of providing all of the 21 parking units that would otherwise be required. It’s a solution that several other developers have been forced to embrace over the years.
Yeager, who claimed to have the support of 34 other business and property owners in the immediate area, said the height of the building will be nine feet higher than the Chemainus Theatre.
Led by Mayor Rob Douglas, council voted unanimously to approve what will be the first significant development in downtown Chemainus in several years.
Douglas said the development meshes well with the existing Official Community Plan (and now the revised OCP) as well as the Chemainus Revitalization Plan.
“(It puts) emphasis on densifying in our existing commercial cores and getting ground-oriented commercial space with residential on top rather than spreading out our development to other areas,” Douglas said in voicing his support for the project.