City council approves London Road apartment projects

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on January 22, 2025.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge city council voted on Tuesday to approve several projects that were the subject of public hearings on Dec. 10.
Two of those projects which call for the construction of a pair of 39-unit apartment complexes on 13 St. S. were the focus of considerable opposition from a neighbouring grocery store and other area residents concerned with possible parking issues.
The project developer has in its plans parking for 0.5 stalls per unit, a matter which the owners of London Road Market and other property owners feel isn’t enough for all rental units at the two proposed sites.
The location of one unit is located on the parcels of land at 537, 539 and 543 13 St. S. The other proposed building is situated at 524, 528 and 532 13 St. S. Both parcels are presently vacant.
While Bylaw 6460, an amendment to the London Road Area Redevelopment Plan regarding 524, 528 and 532 13 St. S., passed unanimously, land use bylaw amendment 6461 was only approved by a 3-2 margin.
The project by the same developer of the site consisting of 537, 539 and 543 13 St. S. was also approved by the same 3-2 margin.
Councillors Ryan Parker and Rajko Dodic along with acting mayor Jeff Carlson, who had recused themselves from debate during the Dec. 10 public hearings on the proposals, also recused themselves from Tuesday’s votes leaving a minimum quorum of five council members to vote on the projects.
Councillors supporting the project acknowledged the concerns expressed by area residents but cited a need for more housing options in the city. Councillor Belinda Crowson noted that communities in North America that have removed parking minimums for housing projects have seen housing built quicker than in other communities.
She said, however, the projects aren’t a perfect solution to the housing shortage here and she isn’t blind to concerns of neighbours.
Deputy mayor Nick Paladino while stating his opposition to Land Use Bylaw amendment 6461 said he had concerns about the height of the proposed buildings and the shadows that would be cast on neighbouring buildings as well as the lack of parking that will be available.
In a recent interview with The Herald, Kendal Hachkowski, managing director of developer Sumus Property Group, said he feels the projects will enhance the neighbourhoods and that the company has made efforts to mitigate concerns about those projects and a similar one proposed for 510 6 Ave. S., the site of the old Alberta Meat Market.
With the projects located on major transit routes, the apartments are geared towards those who don’t need vehicles and each building will have main floor interior bicycle parking for up to. 77 per unit.
And the height of the buildings – another source of controversy among residents – is being reduced from six stories to five with parts of the buildings facing existing residential housing having setbacks of three stories.
Plans also have eliminated all main floor windows that face residential buildings.
Council also voted to approve another development planned for 404 and 408 12 St. S. That project involved a request to rezone properties at those locations to Direct Control to allow for their consolidation and the development of 12 dwelling units to appear as four townhouses with secondary suites and a fourplex.
A report to council in December says the properties are situated on the periphery of the London Road Neighbourhood and are within walking distance to downtown. They are situated in a mixed-use area of the London Road Area Redevelopment Plan with the area acting as a transition between the public and institutional uses of the Civic Centre block to the west and the residential nature of the neighbourhood to the east.
At a July open house last year, property owners had concerns about the impacts of street parking with the report saying the applicant explained there will be as much off-street parking as possible.
Crowson opposed the project expressing concern that one of the houses to be demolished dates back to the 1890s and is only one of about15 such homes of that era still in existence here.
Council gave unanimous approval to another proposed housing project, however. It voted in favour of Bylaw 6464 — Amendment to London Road Area Redevelopment Plan regarding 605 5 St. S. And 510 6 Ave. S. and Bylaw 6465, a land use bylaw amendment for those same properties where Sumus is planning to construct a building similar to the ones planned for 13 St. S.
Crowson noted that while the old Alberta Meat Market building dates back to the 1920s she could live with its demolition because of the new housing that will be created downtown.

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