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What is happening at Woodland Park?

There is a proposal to redevelop Woodland Park into a complete community. The proposal includes a partnership with BC Housing to deliver approximately 325 affordable rental homes, approximately 2,000 strata homes, a new community centre including child care and a maker space, retail/commercial opportunities, a new active park and multi-use trail, and enhancement of the environmentally sensitive areas.



Why is this happening?

EDGAR purchased Woodland Park in December 2018 as an opportunity to redevelop the property, and renew the aging rental stock. The buildings at Woodland Park are fast approaching the end of their life. The buildings were built in the 1960s and the typical life-span of buildings is 60 years. With a large site (approximately 23 acres), there is an exciting opportunity to redevelop the site in a comprehensive, thoughtful way.



What will happen to tenants?

The goal is to avoid displacement and facilitate relocation of tenants into replacement rental housing. EDGAR and BC Housing will follow the City of Port Moody’s Tenant Relocation Assistance Policy. A Tenant Relocation Plan is being drafted with staff and will be communicated to tenants. Some of the components of the policy include: - Right of first refusal: All tenants residing at Woodland Park at third reading of the Official Community Plan amendment and the rezoning will receive the right of first refusal to move into the affordable rental housing. This means that they will be provided with the option to move into affordable rental housing before anyone else. - If a tenant chooses not to move into the affordable rental housing, they will be eligible for financial compensation and will be provided with assistance finding new accommodation, if requested.



Will tenants have to relocate during construction?

The intent is to minimize disruption and avoid tenant displacement. To do so, the construction will be phased over a number of years so that tenants will not be displaced until the new housing is built. The first phase will include the affordable rental housing, of which tenants will have right of first refusal to. To facilitate the relocations, property management has been providing tenants with the opportunity to move from the buildings where the affordable rental housing is planned to be constructed in the first phase to buildings that would be demolished in later phases.



Who will manage the affordable rental housing?

A non-profit housing operator will be selected by BC Housing and EDGAR through a Request for Proposals.



Where in the planning process is this project?

An Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment and rezoning application was submitted in December 2019. A project timeline is also available on the "Project Updates" page. There are a number of steps in the planning process, outlined below: - Presentation to the Community Planning Advisory Committee (CPAC) – March 3, 2020 - Presentation at the City’s Special Council Meeting (Committee of the Whole) for early input from council – April 21, 2020 (virtually) - Council consideration of the policy and zoning changes – Late 2020 (TBD) - Public Hearing – Late 2020 (TBD) - Final approval of the bylaw – Spring 2021 (TBD) - Approval of development permit – Spring 2021 (TBD) - Apply for building permit(s) and other permits required – Mid-late 2021 (TBD)



How long will construction take?

We are anticipating 7 phases of construction to allow for gradual growth. The first phase is proposed to start with the affordable rental housing. If the project is endorsed to move forward, each phase will take approximately 2 years.



What will the unit mix be?

Townhouses and apartment units will be provided. Units will range from studios to 3 bedrooms, with square footage ranging from 350 SF up to 1,195 SF. Over half of the units will be family-oriented (2-3 bedrooms).



How much parking will there be?

We will provide underground parking for the entire site. There will be more than a 1:1 ratio of parking to units. This will include accessible stalls, visitor parking and parking for the amenities and commercial/retail (child care, retail, community centre).



How much will the condominiums be?

As we are early in the process, we are uncertain as to how much the condominiums will be, but prices will be determined by a number of factors including construction costs, the market, etc.



How tall will the buildings be?

The OCP permits heights between 3 and 6 storeys. We will be seeking an OCP amendment to permit 12 – 26 storeys in some areas, strategically placed on the steeply sloped area of the site. The heights will help make the community benefits such as affordable housing, a new park, and green space viable.



What amenities are being built for the community?

The proposal includes approximately 325 units of affordable rental housing, protection and enhancement of 5.2 acres of the environmentally sensitive areas, public realm improvements (includes landscaping, sidewalks and bikeways), a new active park (1.15 acres) and active multi-use trail spanning approximately 1.5 KM around the site, a community amenity centre/maker space, a child care centre, and a commercial retail component (café and grocery store).



How will this proposal impact traffic and parking in the neighbourhood?

Our traffic and engineering consultants are working with city staff on a strategy which will address access and traffic. The consultants will also analyze opportunities to improve walking, cycling, and transit connections. Some of the opportunities that we are exploring include: - Enhanced cycling infrastructure including storage and bicycle maintaince work stations - Car share co-operative spaces and vehicles (e.g. Modo) - Electric e-bicycle program and stations - Drop-off areas for carpooling and ride-hailing services



What will happen to the trees?

Our goal is to protect the environmentally sensitive areas (ESA) which contain a lot of the mature trees on-site. Our proposal includes keeping buildings outside of the ESAs. We have retained an arborist to assess the health of the trees and will work to minimize the loss of mature trees.