The city is moving forward with plans to provide more residential infill lots, including 10 to 20 at the top of Pine Street and 10 to 15 at the south end of Tamarack Drive.

Infill planning is also moving forward for the areas immediately south and north of the Northland Mobile Park with:

• up to 40 mobile home lots or a maximum of 75 multi-family units in the area between the mobile park and the intersection of Range Road and Mountain Drive; and

• up to 15 lots north of the park, or a maximum of 40 multi-family units.

City council confirmed its wish to proceed with the infill projects at a recent meeting.

The infill areas were identified in the updated Official Community Plan (OCP) adopted last October.

City planner Mike Gau said last week the intent is to have fully-serviced lots available for the market next summer, in each of the four areas identified.

Infill areas, said Gau, were identified in the OCP because the existing water and sewer mains are large enough to service the additional lots, which already have other infrastructure like playgrounds nearby.

The 19 infill lots sprinkled throughout Porter Creek and Crestview are scheduled to be sold by lottery Sept. 20. They were the first group of lots identified by council for development.

Gau said council also approved using the $50,000 left over from planning the first wave for further geo-technical work in the south end of the downtown to determine the extent of vacant land available for residential development.

Before the city can look at the infill opportunities identified in Riverdale, it needs to see the results from a wellhead study, the contract for which is not expected to be released until next year, he said.

Gau said it's much the same with the proposed Porter Creek D expansion, and how the city staff need the results of the ongoing Wildlife Corridor Assessment along McIntyre Creek before it can prepare a summary for city council's consideration.

Each of the infill exercises will be substantial. They will require the preparation of background material and analysis of the sites before the city can go out for public consultation, he said.

Council will have to approve moving into the final planning and design phase in each case, as well as approve any required zoning changes, which is an exercise in itself.

The intent, however, is to have the necessary contracts out for tender in time to complete the subsurface and surface work so the lots will be ready for the market next summer.

The infill area identified along Pine Street sits at the top of the hill, directly across from Ponderosa Drive, immediately south of Grove Street.

The location south of Tamarack is in the area at the south end of the street, between the street and the new Whistle Bend Way.

Unlike the 19 lots up for lottery later this month which are all attached to existing streets, creating the four new areas next summer will require new streets, Gau explained.

By Chuck Tobin

Star Reporter