Members of the Municipal Planning Commission sit in council chambers for a meeting Wednesday.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
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Members of the municipal planning committee approved Wednesday two development permit requests to go before council, as well as formally adopting a land-use permit for a greenhouse to grow vegetable starters and cut flowers.
Among the development permit applications now headed to council include rezoning of a vacant property in the Flats to medium-density residential.
The parcel of land is located at 965/969 Second Street SE, close to the Unison At Veiner Centre, and is currently classified as low density residential. The parcel is completely vacant aside from a small shed.
Previously a semi-detached residential development of two units stood on the land until it was demolished in March 2016.
Rebecca Arabsky with the city’s planning and development services authored a presentation for members of the committee and said the intent of the rezoning is to accommodate future medium-density residential use on the site.
The current low-density zoning only allows for two units to be developed on the site. If rezoned to medium density, a larger housing building with more than two units could be approved for development.
Following the presentation committee members inquired about the impact a development could have on street parking along Second Street. Arabsky said once a permit application for a multi-unit building has been approved, any development will have to abide by parameters within the city’s regulations.
“One of the parameters within the development regulations says all parking and parking access must be accessed from the rear alley,” explains Arabsky.
The committee also approved the application of the demolition of two garages and a shed at 3180 Gershaw Dr.
City council will now decide upon final approval.
Greenhouse
The committee voted last month to proceed with a land-use bylaw change that will allow Bevo Farms to repurpose the greenhouse facility that was originally built to grow cannabis by Aurora along Box Springs Road.
Because the land was rezoned as a direct-control district in 2018 when the project was announced, council is required to approve a change of land use for the site.
On Wednesday, the committee formally adopted the development application, which members reviewed July 18, to change the use of the greenhouse, and it will be presented to council on Aug. 19.
— with files from Collin Gallant
