Abbotsford council gave the thumbs-up to a proposal to build a new apartment building in the city’s core, despite traffic concerns from neighbours.
A developer wants to construct a five-storey, 97-unit apartment building on Emerson Street, just northwest of Mill Lake Park.
The building would include 40 two-bedroom units and five three-bedroom suites. The rest would be one-bedroom or studio apartments. The project’s amenity space would include a children’s play area and a putting green.
Several neighbours expressed concern that Emerson Street was already too busy to handle more traffic.
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“Emerson is getting increasingly busy,” said Emma Frost, who was representing the strata council of a nearby condo building. “There is already too much traffic, too much speeding along Emerson.”
Several other speakers expressed the same concern, while another resident said she was worried that a building that included families wouldn’t fit in with the seniors-only buildings in the neighbourhood.
Another commenter, though, said families would “add to the flavour of the neighbourhood.”
Rob Isaac, the city’s acting engineering general manager, said the roads in the area were evaluated during work on Abbotsford’s new transportation master plan, and Emerson was found to have enough room to move the increased traffic that will come from future development. The road is set to eventually receive better bike lanes and sidewalks, Isaac said.
Council voted to allow the project to proceed.
Coun. Brenda Falk said a family-oriented building would be well-placed in an area where parks, schools and shopping are all within easy walking distance,” she said.
“I think it’s really important to have a community that brings everyone together.”
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tolsen@abbynews.com
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