Mudslides and emergency evacuations: Anmore council mulls concerns over Pinnacle Ridge development

A proposed development in Anmore has elicited a host of qualms and criticisms from Port Moody, the Mossom Creek Hatchery, and the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department.

Council discussed those concerns and the staff response at Tuesday’s meeting.

The Pinnacle Ridge development would consist of 261 homes spread over 75 acres on the eastern edge of the village.

The general plan is to put housing on gentler slopes and leave steeper spots for green space. However, the steepness of the terrain was cited as a key issue for Mossom Creek Hatchery, as the group voiced concerns over the possibility of “catastrophic overland mudslides” hitting the creek.

The potential for groundwater contamination from septic discharge was also raised by hatchery representatives, according to a village staff report.

In response, village staff confirmed there will be: “comprehensive geotechnical and hydrogeological assessments” at the subdivision stage, which would follow council approval.

That order of events rankled Anmore Mayor John McEwen.

“To put that all onto the subdivision phase, and then at your sole discretion as the approving officer, I’m not personally comfortable with that,” McEwen said Tuesday.

The project aims to extend Charlotte Crescent, connecting it with Wyndham Crescent.

“I don’t know how that would all work whatsoever,” McEwen said, emphasizing the need for a traffic report.

For Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department, major concerns revolved around getting people out in an emergency.

Handling an emergency evacuation on steep roads around Charlotte Crescent and Road A are a concern, according to the department.

To remedy that situation, the department recommended a cul-de-sac at the north end of Road A and a turnaround at Road A and Charlotte Crescent.

Besides keeping the roads fairly wide and flat, an extra reservoir would be critical for firefighting, according to the department.

The village’s ladder firetruck, which has been “instrumental” in saving buildings from a previous blaze, likely has about five more years of service left, McEwen said. The mayor suggested the village may need a new ladder truck to facilitate the development.

Water works

Port Moody currently supplies Anmore with drinking water. However, the City of the Arts has not confirmed whether they could supply enough water for Pinnacle Ridge.

To take the pressure off Port Moody, village staff are reviewing the possibility of a new reservoir to service Pinnacle Ridge.

On the ridge

The project is set to consist of 59 single-family homes, 42 semi- detached homes, and 160 townhomes.

Approximately 35 percent of the land (26 acres) is being offered to the city as dedicated greenspace and an integrated trail network, which would serve as an interface between the site and the surrounding neighbourhood.