In a unique village like Anmore, open conversations about what’s happening in our community are how we build and keep trust as neighbours. After living here for nearly two decades, I understand that firsthand. Lately, there’s been some conversation about what’s being proposed for Pinnacle Ridge Hillside. When a community is talking about change – even modest change – people deserve the opportunity to ask questions and get answers. The most important thing we can offer, as community partners and builders, is transparency: clear information and open dialogue throughout the process.
As someone who cares deeply about what makes our village special, I understand why residents are asking detailed questions about density, water, septic systems, and village character. Protecting Anmore’s future means making sure our decisions are guided by facts, not speculation or rumours. With Pinnacle Ridge Hillside, our goal has been to do this the right way – through conversations with our community and expert consultants, and facts that stand on their own.
We’ve been happy to answer every question we get on social media or by email – sharing our plans for drainage, our commitment to maintain the character of Anmore, and more. These are legitimate and important questions, the same ones we’ve asked our own engineers and the Village to review in detail. The answers are rooted in evidence and verified through independent oversight.
For example, we’ve heard the questions about septic systems. To explain our plans for septic, and to share the research and technical information, we’ve published a report in the local news explaining that we’ll use Fraser Health–approved Type 3 treatment systems. These systems use biological treatment and disinfection. We also explained there that we will not use large communal septic systems.
We’re also happy to share factual information upfront about scale and impact. The proposal for Pinnacle Ridge Hillside is 269 homes, with up to 53 optional secondary suites — not hundreds upon hundreds of homes, as is sometimes falsely claimed on social media — but just enough for our growing families, for our empty nesters who want to downsize without leaving Anmore, and for a few young families to come and help keep our school open.
We’ve published more than a dozen reports on the Village of Anmore website – including geotechnical studies, three environmental assessments, and a fiscal study that shows Pinnacle Ridge Hillside’s builders will pay about $3.9 million in permits and fees now, and the new homes will bring in about $30 million in property taxes for the Village over the next 30 years.
We’re also pleased to share information and data on slope and runoff both by publishing all studies and reports on the Village’s website, and by responding to questions. Our proposal clusters homes on gentler slopes, preserves more than 20 acres of green space, and includes a new water reservoir to strengthen the whole community’s fire protection and emergency response to fire. Geotechnical studies show our proposal is designed for both current and future rainfall intensities projected through the year 2100, using climate-adjusted data that accounts for the increased intensity of atmospheric river events.
We have nothing to hide because we’re going slow, doing it right, and planning to deliver gradual, responsible growth that fits within Anmore’s Official Community Plan.
And just as importantly, transparency means being clear about why growth is happening at all. The Province of British Columbia requires Anmore to have a Housing Needs Assessment. That study shows we should plan for a minimum of 750 new homes over the next 20 years. We want to shape that growth intentionally and responsibly, as a community, and with our village’s character in mind. Our proposal contributes less than half of the total, phased carefully over a decade, and designed to reflect what residents have consistently said they want: space for families, options for empty-nesters, parks and trails, all nestled among the trees so our view from the bottom of the ridge won’t change.
Development brings change, and change invites anxieties about what can go wrong. Openness is how we keep our community’s conversation grounded in facts and mutual respect. Every step of this process – from environmental studies to council review – happens on the public record.
What I want people to know is simple: as someone who lives in Anmore, Pinnacle Ridge Hillside wants to build community confidence one question and answer at a time. Transparency is the foundation of trust, and trust is the only way any project can truly belong to a community.
To continue to the conversation, we’d love to hear from you on the Pinnacle Ridge Hillside Facebook page, or by email at pinnacleridgehillside@gmail.com.
Tony Barone is a local developer and a long-time resident of Anmore.
