NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT Council entertained a $1 million offer to sell the land at 352 Primrose Drive to a developer who hopes to build a 61-unit multi-family residential development.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The city has accepted a “modern, unique” proposal to develop a green space near the Connaught community, as well as a $1-million selling price on the contentious piece of land.
Council approved the sale, for 3.2 acres that fronts on College and Primrose drives, at Monday’s council meeting to Enclave Development, which plans to build a 61-unit residential development, likely as a bare-land condominium.
That means separated duplexes, townhouses and flat-style buildings, each with a garage and a maximum height of three storeys. An artist’s conception shows flat-topped, boxed design, metal cladding, with patios and pathways in a contained community accessed from Primrose Drive.
“It exceeds my expectations from when we started discussing this lot for development,” said Coun. Jamie McIntosh before members voted 9-0 in favour.
About 40 members of the established community attended the meeting that coincided with the federal election, and some told the News they still have strong objections to the manicured lot being sold.
Connaught resident Randy Ferris can see the land from his house, and still sees potential problems.
“This absolves them (the city) of all the problems with water (table) and parking,” he said.
Another resident, Barb Taylor, has been outspoken about protecting the greenspace and the need for appropriate development.
“They (Enclave) addressed a lot of issues,” she said. “But I don’t think it matches the aesthetics of the community.”
Enclave is the same Calgary-based group behind the Coulee Ridge Development in the city’s southwest.
Sources tell the News they became interested in the land this summer when another potential developer backed away from city restrictions on the style and use of the development.
Those guidelines, such as maximum density and blocking a single-apartment-style complex, were adopted in part to calm concerns in the community.
“It’s quite challenging to do what we’ve done here (with the design),” said Enclave principal Don Sandford. “It’s something that we’ve seen as leading architecture design that’s been used elsewhere, mainly in urban centres.”
It’s time to offer it to Medicine Hat market, he said, while stressing that some features will be finalized as the development is marketed and both prices and interest from buyers are determined.
Couns. Robert Dumanowski and Julie Friesen, as well as Mayor Ted Clugston, opposed putting the land on the market in late 2018 when nearby residents packed a zoning hearing.
On Monday, they said if the land is to be sold, this is a strong proposal.
“If we defeat this what are the possibilities of another sale?” said Clugston.
The sale has a closing date of July 24, 2020, or sooner if conditions are met, including obtaining financing and a development permit by a June deadline.
The plan suggests duplexes (eight), townhouses (18) and single-level units (36) on the land that would sell for $310,000 per acre.
Units would range between 1,000 and 1,600 square feet and will attract “empty nesters, professionals and young families.”
In the fall of 2018, city administrators said the land would be part of a program to sell off “excess” property in the land bank in order to promote redevelopment in mature neighbourhoods and spur private sector activity.
