A local developer is calling on the city to keep the same standards it sets for those building private subdivisions.

"Icy Waters simply wants to be treated consistently and fairly,” Jonathan Lucas, manager of Icy Waters, told council Monday night when a development agreement for the subdivision the Arctic char fish farm is planning came forward.

The company, he said, has no problem meeting the standards required by law and expected of all developers.

However, the city engineering department is asking it to go beyond those expectations, Lucas said. That has come in the form of a condition in the proposed development agreement to asphalt the road that will serve five of the eight new lots being created off Fish Lake Road. (A ninth lot is being created near Haeckel Hill.)

By comparison, the 16-lot Raven's Ridge subdivision up the Alaska Highway from the Fish Lake Road is for the most part chip-sealed, with asphalt at the cul-de-sac bulb and entrance.

The Fish Lake Road, which sees much more traffic than the proposed road – suggested to be named Watershed Lane – serving the four properties is largely chip-sealed and gravel.

If the city is content to keep the Fish Lake Road as chip-seal and gravel, Lucas said, it begs the question of why Icy Waters cannot use chip-seal for the main part of its road with asphalt at the entrance and cul-de-sac.

The price tag of asphalting the entire road jumps by an additional $20,000 compared to chip-sealing.

"We're simply being asked to do more,” Lucas told reporters after the meeting.

Brian Crist, the city's director of operations, commented during the discussion the standard for such roads was changed a number of years ago to require new cul-de-sac bulbs be asphalt, though the chip-seal is the requirement for the main part of the roads.

In this case though, he said, the grades in the Icy Waters' development are such that the city is seeking the asphalt requirement for the entire road.

Coun. Doug Graham initially argued in favour of the proposed clause in the development agreement, stating city standards for new roads have changed over the years between the Raven's Ridge development and now.

Lucas, however, hopes a conversation he had with the councillor following the meeting may change Graham's mind before council votes on whether to adopt the agreement next week.

It was after the meeting that Lucas explained to Graham the legal standards hadn't changed, but that Icy Waters is being asked to do more than other developers.

Coun. Florence Roberts, meanwhile, appeared to be convinced by Lucas' arguments.

"Fish Lake Road isn't even paved, for goodness sake,” she commented.

Graham quickly noted that the city had inherited the Fish Lake Road in its current condition.

Lucas hopes his arguments will have won over council by the time next week's vote comes around.

Also at next week's meeting, in a separate vote, council will decide whether to move ahead with a bylaw to officially name the new subdivision and road.

Icy Waters has brought forward Eagle's Eye as the name of the subdivision after its original proposal for Wolf Hill was turned down by city staff for being too similar in name to Wolf Creek. Under the city's addressing and naming, street and subdivision names can't be duplicated or sound the same.

The Eagle's Eye suggestion is a reference to the many eagles in the area.

"Although there is a street named Eagle Place in the Arkell subdivision, administration feels that the use of the word ‘eagle' within the context of the phrase Eagle's Eye will provide a distinct name that will not create confusion from a location perspective,” it was noted in the staff report presented to council by planning manager Mike Gau.

"For example, this would be similar to Spruce Hill subdivision and Spruce Street or Pineridge subdivision and Pine Street or Copper Ridge subdivision and Copper Road.”

Meanwhile, Watershed Lane was proposed for the road to reflect the geographical location between McIntyre Creek and Porter Creek. The name doesn't duplicate any other street or subdivision names in the city or surrounding areas.

Two years of paper work and planning have seen an amendment to the city's Official Community Plan, rezoning of the site, surveying and so on to sell off additional property Icy Waters has but won't be using.

It's expected the first of the lots – with each of the properties ranging from 3 1/2 to four hectares – will go on sale and be developed sometime this summer, Lucas said.