A small cable railway that would whisk riders to and from homes supported by stilts has been proposed as part of a 16-unit development on a steep hillside in Tofino.
The trip on the funicular from bottom to top would take 45 seconds, Bridget Reichert told Tofino council. She is one of three owners of two adjacent lots at 711 and 712 Campbell St. where the project would be built. The funicular would be “very quiet, very easy on the environment, on the topography that is already existing.”
After purchasing the lots, the partners looked at how to work with the property they have named Tofino Highlands. “We started looking at some creative ideas and came back with a funicular,” Reichert said.
The owners are seeking a rezoning to allow the lots to be consolidated to permit construction of 16 homes under a comprehensive development zone. Each home would have one parking spot at the foot of the property. A staircase would also be built..
Tofino council directed staff at its Dec. 14 meeting to review the zoning application. Staff will prepare a report addressing questions raised by council about the site plan, access for emergency services, and preparation for an emergency such an earthquake.
Mayor Dan Law said council’s decision was a cautious endorsement for the project backers to work with the planning department on the proposal.
Reichert said the project would suit middle-income individuals and families. Some affordable housing would be part of the plan, council heard. Old-growth cedar trees would be preserved.
Housing is scarce and prices have soared in Tofino and nearby Ucluelet, both busy tourist destinations.
Tofino planner Peter Thicke told council that even if the lots were not rezoned, they could be developed with multi-family housing; four to five lots could be created, each with two suites, for example.
Coun. Duncan McMaster said the application is interesting but his biggest concern is access for emergency services, especially ambulances, an issue echoed by other council members.
Coun. Cathy Thicke said she was reluctant to support the proposal because the density is too high for the topography and the number of parking spaces is below what the municipal bylaw requires.
