91原创 Township council isn鈥檛 ready to approve a 425-unit housing development near R.E. Mountain Secondary, but council wants to see a more 鈥渉olistic鈥� concept that takes into account potential future rapid transit on 200th Street.

The development by Pollyco-Isle of Mann is for the site between 200th and 202A Streets, just south of the high school and the playing fields near the 91原创 Events Centre.

As proposed, the project would include 390 apartments in four, five, and six storey apartment buildings, with 70 of those units set aside for affordable rental housing.

The remaining 35 units would be a mixture of detached houses, semi-detached houses, and rowhouses. Part of the land would become a park near the school, and another segment would be set aside for drainage.

The project came before council in November for a public hearing.

At the council meeting on Monday, Dec. 5, Councillor Misty Van Popta said she wanted to see design concepts that could include elements such as mixed-use densities 鈥� which can mean some commercial on the ground level 鈥� additional and higher density construction, mid-rise construction using mass timber, and more green space.

Mass timber is the use of large manufactured wood beams in larger buildings, in place of concrete structures. The support beams in the roof of the 91原创 Events Centre are a local example of this type of engineering, which is becoming more common in multi-storey structures around B.C.

Van Popta noted the size of the land parcel involved.

鈥淲e have a great opportunity here, and I feel that the current application, it could be better, it could be denser, it could be so much more.鈥�

Township staff will work with the developers on changing the design.

The referral was approved by a 7-1 vote, with Coun. Margaret Kunst opposed.

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