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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

Residents in Juniper may get a second route out of their neighbourhood as a developer plans to pave a road now only used for emergencies.

Juniper West Developments is planning to build more than 100 homes in one of the city's fastest growing neighbourhoods, extending Coldwater Drive to the nearby Rose Hill neighbourhood, according to a city staff report going to council on Monday, June 12.

Once paved ownership of the road, which is currently gated and opened only during emergencies, would be passed over to the city.

Juniper residents began demanding another exit from the area when a wildfire sparked within open space on the eastern edges of the neighbourhood.

Traffic was backed up as residents tried to escape through the single access road on Highland Drive around 11 p.m., July 1, 2021. Residents were evacuated a second time when the fire flared up again around 1:10 a.m., but no homes were damaged in the 15-hectare blaze.

Nearly two years later, Highland Drive remains the only access road residents can use to get in and out of Juniper.

The Coldwater Drive to High Canada Place egress route can be opened is both directions, available if Rose Hill residents need to evacuate in that direction.

There's no timeline for when public access will be available but the report suggests it will be paved and open when the "final phase" of the subdivision is completed.

Council will consider whether to rezone Juniper West and allow for denser housing than the original 121 single family homes that were planned.

On 16 of those 121 lots, the developer is looking to build duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, but the staff report doesn't yet provide details on those plans.

The city expects Juniper to absorb 19% of its future population growth.

If approved by council the rezoning application will head to a public hearing before getting final approval.

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