A landslide along Horn Creek wasn’t caused by – and won’t affect – the proposed construction of an apartment building nearby, according to Abbotsford city staff.
On Monday, council voted to send a proposed five-storey, 73-unit building near the Regency Park towers to a public comment period later this month.
The development site is just to the west of Horn Creek and its well-used trail.
Last fall, a landslide brought down a large amount of debris from the steep slope between the trail and creek. It was speculated “that wood debris/log jam caused the creek to be pushed up against the western bank,” according to a report to council.
When fall rains hit and the creek rose, the erosion ate away at the bank, eventually causing the land above to slide into the water below. The slide forced the city to create a slight detour in the trail through the developer’s nearby land.
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The city has since completed work to stop the erosion, and staff have now developed a plan that hopes to save the trail and remaining trees in the area.
The plan includes “reshaping the slopes in southern areas to be stable and will require the top-of-bank be moved back,” the report says. The city must still receive the approval of the provincial government and hopes to complete the work in August or September.
“Staff have no concern that the proposed multi-family development would contribute to further slope failure provided that the recommendations within the geotechnical assessment are followed,” the report said.
Council unanimously agreed to send the proposal to a public hearing later this month.
Coun. Patricia Ross said she liked the design of the project but added she was “a little bit nervous about the works around the stream.”
Coun. Les Barkman suggested that increased traffic from the building could result in more people trying to turn left onto Gladwin Road.
Director of development planning Darren Braun said an agreement with the nearby Central Park Village is being hammered out to ensure residents will be able to use the signal-controlled light at Garibaldi Drive.
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tolsen@abbynews.com
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