Based on feedback from more than 60 local residents attending Tuesday’s (Oct. 11) public hearing, the majority of the Pemberton community appears to support the proposed Ravens Crest development that was up for discussion.

Of the dozens that spoke during the well-attended meeting at the Pemberton Community Centre, those supporting the project outnumbered those opposed by approximately a four-to-one ratio.

The project, which calls for a small segment of the Hillside lands recently incorporated into the village’s jurisdiction to be zoned for residential use, was viewed by most as a positive step forward for inevitable growth in the Spud Valley.

“I feel it’s an important crossroads for Pemberton and this will pave the way for future opportunities,” local resident Beau Craig said early into a public comment period that lasted nearly 90 minutes. “There have been several business opportunities lost in the last number of years and we don’t want to see that happen again.”

Opponents of the project worried that the village is moving forward with the proposal too quickly while pointing to other residential developments in the region that remain unfinished.

“I just don’t see the demand at this point,” said Niki Vankerk.

David Dorrans, director of lands for the Mount Currie band, said the Lil’wat Nation is generally in support of the Ravens Crest proposal but has concerns with loss of use of the lands. The band also wants to ensure Mount Currie residents have access to any major amenities going up on the Hillside lands, said Dorrans.

“For Lil’wat, it’s a matter of balancing the potential economic and other benefits against the loss of these areas,” he said.

Much of Tuesday’s discussion centered specifically on the community amenity that is almost certain to come hand-in-hand with the development of the Hillside lands.

The developer is required to contribute on a per-unit basis into an amenity reserve at the time of subdivision. If full build-out of the proposed 60 single-family lots and 230 multi-family units is achieved, that reserve will hold nearly $2 million to spend on a community arena, pool or something similar.

Some of those opposed to the development described the amenity as a “carrot” the community is chasing while turning a blind eye to future impacts of development. Others like Rob Kersbergen said it was about time for Pemberton to have a rink of its own.

“Why do we have to travel to Lillooet to go to a tournament? Or why do all these people have to go to Whistler with their kids (for hockey)?” asked Kersbergen. “In winter, the kids wander the streets in the snow. They don’t really have anything to do.”

Preservation of iconic trails seemed to be an important issue even for those in support of the proposal. In addition, many commenters said they want to see a completed Friendship Trail as part of development.

But one of the more colourful statements of the hearing came from Rob Szachury, who applauded the efforts already made by developers on the issue.

“I’m amazed how much time has been spent talking about bike trails when (they’re) trespassing on property — it’s their land,” said Szachury. “The developer has made nothing but concessions and that’s phenomenal. This is smart growth.”

Computer generations of what the Hillside would look like after build-out were also presented and the views from two locations on the valley floor showed minimal visual impact to the area with only a handful of rooftops visible.

Ravens Crest representatives on hand for Tuesday’s hearing said they were pleased by the community’s support, and it’s apparent that trail access is still a high priority for many.

“We had a sense of the importance of trails to the community and certainly that was emphasized again tonight,” said Nyal Wilcox of Ravens Crest. “We’ve been pretty forward in saying that we’ll work with the (Pemberton Valley Trails Association) to create trails. Obviously, with houses there will be some trails disrupted, but we’ll do our best to address that.

“We took some notes here tonight, we’ll review some of those comments and see if there’s other adjustments we can make to make it a better project for the whole community.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Jordan Sturdy said council will take all of Tuesday’s comments into consideration before the OCP and zoning amendments up for discussion receive third reading at the council table.

“It certainly factors into our deliberations over the next few weeks or months,” said Sturdy. “The planning staff will take the feedback, synthesize it and follow up to ensure we have some of these things covered.”