The District of Lantzville could become home to a specialized education centre.
Bob Wall Contracting has submitted a rezoning application to the district for property located at 7170 Lantzville Rd., on behalf of Shannon Barnsley, a psychologist who plans on opening up a centre called The Learning Clinics, which would provide educational support for children with dyslexia. The property is currently zoned as residential, however Bob Wall Contracting is seeking to have that designation changed to commercial in order to allow the project to proceed. Councillors would have to approve any rezoning applications.
Donna Hais, general manager for Bob Wall Contracting, said the existing 138-square-metre building on the property will be renovated and improved but won’t change in size.
“We are not changing the footprint, but we are re-cladding everything and adding more of a commercial and updated element to it, as well as parking,” she said, adding that 19 stalls will be added to the property.
The rezoning application request comes less than a year after a rejected rezoning amendment bylaw request for a proposed mixed-use development at 7143 Caillet Rd., directly beside 7170 Lantzville Rd. Hais said everyone involved in the application is aware of what happened with the adjacent site and while there is an “air of being nervous” going forward, they remain confident.
“Our clients and ourselves are from Lantzville and we believe this is the right community to have this service for the public and our kids,” she said. “We are pretty committed to being here.”
Frank Limshue, the district’s community planner, said the project requires the applicants to come before council and request an OCP amendment.
“It would be consistent with our draft OCP and where we are going. We are looking at re-designating this area from residential to commercial village,” he said.
Limshue said the rezoning request for the development is fairly straightforward and that the project is just to improve an existing building and add more parking, unlike the Caillet Road project which he said had more unknowns and was mixed-use.
“They have figured out the parking and I think the big difference between the two is that we are talking about an existing building that is being refurbished,” Limshue said.
Coun. Will Geselbracht said he’s supportive of the project and the architects have come up with some great designs.
“It’s a business that is needed,” he said. “It’s something that is needed in the community. We have a dentist office, we have some doctors’ offices, a pharmacy and this would be another addition of professionals. This is what we want along this street.”
Should everything proceed as planned, Hais said the intention is to begin construction by the end of August or early September and have the centre operational by December.
The rezoning application has yet to be voted on by councillors.
nicholas.pescod@nanaimobulletin.com
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