The island

Letters dispute proposed Denman housing development

A July public comment and a presentation to trustees offered contrasting views on a proposed housing project at 5400 Northwest Road.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2026-02-12 · compiled 2026-10-01

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At a July 15 Local Trust Committee meeting, a member of the public raised concerns about pre-zoning land and limiting building size, including the proposal for 5400 Northwest Road.^[1]

The speaker said pre-zoning could limit public input and disrupt planning discussions about housing, density banks and cluster housing. The minutes record the speaker’s view that the proposal’s density appeared tied to revenue generation and that it was unclear how building-size limits had been determined.^[1]

The project’s delegates described a different approach: a not-for-profit housing co-op with 10 units in two clusters, along with a campground, community garden and shared areas. They said the proposal aligned with the Official Community Plan and Denman Housing Action Plan, and that concerns about traffic and tourism would be considered.^[1]

The planner said the conventional route was a rezoning application, while the committee could also consider an Official Community Plan review and site-specific pre-zoning.^[1]

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