cabelasAn OCP and zoning amendment to allow a major retail development anchored by a Cabelas store received first and second reading at last night’s Abbotsford Council meeting, meaning it will now move to public hearing in two weeks.

While staff supported the notion of the project, there was concern about how much residential land would be rezoned commercial.

Mayor Henry Braun says that’s something that will have to be discussed.

“That discussion hasn’t happened around the council table yet. We want to hear now what the public has to say and then council will have to wrestle with this.”

Councilor Dave Loewen didn’t oppose the vote, but he did reference the staff concerns about how the rezoning would affect the walkability and accessibility of the area.

“I’m raising a red flag on this project, how much of this rezoning, this amendment to the zoning, is driven by the developer and is perhaps is an overkill if I can use that term, in terms of reaching their ultimate objective of developing this site.”

One of the potential problems that the staff reported is that if the development makes the neighborhood less walkable and accessible, that could  be contrary to the city’s official community plan and plans for the nearby U-District.