A 1.3-acre lot near 20th Street and Division Avenue in Crescent Heights is the subject of a land zoning proposal to allow a single-family home to he hived off a multi-family parcel.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A zoning proposal is testing a new philosophy for redeveloping existing neighbourhoods just weeks after it was adopted.
The city’s new Municipal Development Plan, adopted in October, ends the practice of putting specific density requirements on residential projects.
Instead it sets goals for the general area, to be accomplished by centring larger, more intense development in several specific areas, called urban villages.
One such area is in central Crescent Heights, where, the municipal planning commission heard Wednesday, a developer hopes to hive out a portion of bare land parcel for one large family home.
On the remaining three quarters of the lot, located at 104 20th Street NE, would remain as a medium-density residential zone. If developed as such, it would be in order of goals for the nearby urban village.
“It will allow the property to be in alignment with the MDP, but a zoning change is required,” said Munir Baruwa, a senior development officer with the planning department.
He said the land is near amenities, parks, rec facilities, a major road and commercial district, and that the goal of the MDP is to provide best use for underutilized land.
The proposal is also a brokered solution, wherein an unnamed private developer originally wanted to build five single-family homes on the 1.3-acre parcel. After consultation with the planning department, he is now proposing one home, on a third of an acre, for himself, then eventually townhouses on the remainder.
Members of the MPC sent the recommendation to council for a public hearing and zoning change, but not before questioning the process and potential future of the lot.
Commission chair Coun. Brian Varga wondered about the certainty that townhouses would follow.
“I question whether they’ll be allowed to build more single-family homes,” said Varga.
“It’s going to be a house that will be a lot different than what’s on the end of the block.”
Staff said they consider that to be the plan, but public MPC member Frank Devine questioned why the city doesn’t rezone the whole area.
“I don’t know why the city would discourage people from building five large homes on large lots in established neighbourhoods,” he said.
The land was originally slated for potential use by the city as fourth fire station.
More recently it was part of an effort by the land department to sell off surplus land in the hopes of spurring redevelopment and private-sector investment.
It’s now in private hands, said planners.
The MDP was passed in early October and notes the city council’s strategic priority to help intensify redevelopment projects in established neighbourhoods to add to the tax base without adding costs to bring roads or utility lines to new communities.
The “North Urban Village” is outlined as areas along Division Avenue from the intersection with Rotary Centennial Way (formerly 23rd Street) and 20th Street, including Northlands Co-op and Northlands Pointe commercial plazas, the Family Leisure Centre.
