COQUITLAM, B.C., Nov. 3, 2021 – Feedback from hundreds of residents and other stakeholders earlier this year will help shape the draft plan and policies being developed for northeast Coquitlam’s Hazel-Coy neighbourhood.
Coquitlam recently wrapped up six months of extensive community consultation as part of its process to create a comprehensive Hazel-Coy Neighbourhood Plan.
Part of the Northwest Burke area north of existing Burke Mountain neighbourhoods, Hazel-Coy is a semi-rural area that was identified for a mix of detached houses and townhomes in the Northwest Burke Vision (NBV) adopted in 2017.
Planning Process Based on In-depth Community Engagement
The City conducted two rounds of public engagement from February to August 2021, starting with direct consultation with Hazel-Coy residents and property owners, community groups, external agencies, City advisory committees and other key stakeholders through virtual sessions, phone calls and meetings to collect initial feedback and learn the current neighbourhood issues and sentiment.
The consultation then opened up to the broader community, with an online survey and virtual and in-person information and feedback sessions for youth and the general public.
As Coquitlam staff begin to develop the draft Hazel-Coy plan and policies, they will seek to respond to the comments, suggestions and concerns raised over the past several months. Another public feedback opportunity will follow the draft plan’s presentation to Council-in-Committee in spring 2022.
What the City Heard
Hundreds of people participated in the various engagement methods over the six months, including 209 in the survey, 79 in information sessions, almost 500 who clicked links on social media, and more than 1,600 who read or interacted with the engagement website www.letstalkcoquitlam.ca/hazelcoy.
The consultation revealed mixed opinions about the plans to develop Hazel-Coy as outlined in the NBV. About 40 per cent of the Hazel-Coy property owners and Burke Mountain residents surveyed support new development in the Hazel-Coy neighbourhood.
Other feedback results:
- More than half of survey respondents supported increased access to Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, primarily by hiking or walking trails from Hazel-Coy.
- Survey respondents, residents and stakeholders expressed the need for more Burke Mountain amenities, including trails, parks and daycares near schools.
- City advisory committees, interest groups and 86 per cent of survey respondents raised concerns about the impact of development on wildlife habitat and movement, watercourses, tree canopy, wildfire risks and human-wildlife conflict.
- Some stakeholders raised concerns about street safety and construction traffic.
An infographic summarizing this feedback is available at letstalkcoquitlam.ca/hazelcoy.
Next Steps
The Hazel-Coy Neighbourhood Plan planning process is rolling out in four phases:
- Phase 1 – Winter/spring 2021: Research, analysis and introductory engagement with directly-affected stakeholders.
- Phase 2 – Summer/fall 2021: Broad public engagement to share findings from the first phase and collect input to confirm the plan’s direction.
- Phase 3 (current phase) – Fall 2021 to spring 2022: Development of draft plan, servicing assessment and policies.
- Phase 4 – Spring to fall 2022: Development of final neighbourhood plan, including an implementation plan.
Work in Phase 3 will address specific feedback provided through engagement including:
- Further refinement of the transportation network, including confirming the alignment of the Oxford Street collector and a funding approach for the proposed Hyde Creek crossing;
- Completing further environmental studies and technical analysis;
- Exploring options for safe access to Crystal Falls; and
- Establishing a vision for the recreation and tourism potential related to Pinecone Burke Provincial Park.
Following the development of a draft plan, the public will again be invited to provide their feedback. To be informed on opportunities for input, subscribe to project updates at letstalkcoquitlam.ca/hazelcoy.
About the Hazel-Coy Neighbourhood
Hazel-Coy will be Burke Mountain’s fifth neighbourhood, following Lower Hyde Creek, Upper Hyde Creek, Smiling Creek and Partington Creek.
About 70 hectares (175 acres) in size, Hazel-Coy’s serpentine shape meanders up the middle of the Northwest Burke area and is bounded by Hyde Creek to the south and east, the sloped Coquitlam River escarpment to the west, and Pinecone Burke Provincial Park to the north. An estimated 40 hectares (100 acres) of the land may be suitable for development.
The Hazel-Coy neighbourhood planning process will build on the Northwest Burke Vision (NBV), adopted in 2017, to create a comprehensive plan for the Hazel-Coy neighbourhood that includes a vision, guiding principles, land use and transportation network concepts, a servicing assessment and amenities strategy, as well as land use, environmental, transportation, utilities, wildfire mitigation, parks, recreation and open space policies.
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Media contact:
Genevieve Bucher
Director, Community Planning
604-927-3490
gbucher@coquitlam.ca