A proposed luxury home near the edge of the Southeast Hill has failed to get approval at city council. - NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
A proposal to build a luxury home near the edge of the Southeast Hill has failed to get approval at city council, leaving the uniquely addressed residence in limbo once again.
A council vote on Monday resulted in an 4-4 tie, and therefore denied a permit on the “direct control” property that faces 11th Street on the Southeast Hill. However, it is addressed on Sixth Avenue, which consists at that point as a trail on a steep escarpment overlooking Kingsway Avenue.
That proximity to the coulee overlooking Spencer Street gives it a panoramic view of Seven Persons Creek, but is also outlined in a slope stability study done by the city planing department in 2012.
A new proposal by well-known local home builder Rick Wahl, of Wahl Construction, would see stabilizing work included in a plan to demolish the existing home and replace it with a two-storey, three-bedroom home with a walkout basement large sun deck on the rear and three-car garage on the lengthy driveway.
Four city council members stated it was a good use of the land, in line with redevelopment targets and they trusted a new geomatic survey of the site and conditions set down by planners.
Four others voted against, agreeing with nearby neighbours that disturbance on the sandy Southeast Hill was ill-advised.
“I’m very concerned about erosion over time,” said Coun. Alison Van Dyke following a presentation by planners and a public hearing on the permit.
“We know they (coulee walls) are sand and erode over time, and we’re allowing a large development in a small area.”
Two neighbours on 11th Street spoke against the development with similar concerns about ground disturbance, stating that despite a geotechnical survey, the risk was too great.
Wahl briefly stated the home was to be his personal residence, not built for resale, during the public hearing. He did not respond to request for comment on Tuesday.
Coun. Andy McGrogan, the vice-chair of the planning commission, stated that plan fits with general redevelopment push in the city and there appears to be no issues in a new technical report.
“I think it’s a positive thing, and I can’t discount the engineering report,” he said. “I’ll support it.”
Permit applications that are denied cannot be resubmitted for at least six months. The site is zoned as direct control, meaning council must approve all permits.
A survey and plan showed only a small portion of the home’s back deck was overlapping into area considered at risk for sloughing in the future.
Councillors approved an amendment requiring the developer to sign an agreement waiving the city responsibility.
Also in support of the application were Couns. Cassie Hider, Darren Hirsch and Mayor Linnsie Clark.
“We’ve heard some concerns about the slope stability, and, absolutely, no one wants to be in a situation when their home is in jeopardy in any way,” she said, but said the engineers and planning department should be trusted. “Ultimately, I don’t feel it’s in our area of expertise.”
Joining Van Dyke in opposition were Couns. Allison Knodel, Robert Dumanowski, and Shila Sharps, who stated she would like to see wider survey in order to assure neighbours. Coun. Ramona Robins was absent.
The home is one of the last in the city with an address on the east side of Sixth Avenue, next to the slope. For years it was subject to a standing offer to purchase the home and property toward converting it into environmental reserve, similar to the neighbouring viewpoint on the Sixth Ave. Trail.
In 2015, however, after the land department secured a conditional agreement to purchase the home and lot for $330,000, councillors voted 9-0 to reverse the decision, stating it was a prime redevelopment site.
