Appeal denied in Mill Creek Ravine house controversy

An appeal over a contentious house proposed in Mill Creek Ravine was denied Friday.

The city’s subdivision development appeal board rejected an effort to block development of a single-family home west of 93 Avenue off Scona Road. The city had granted a permit for a threestorey home and a two-car garage last month, which was upheld.

The board’s final written decision with reasons will be issued within 15 days. Residents spoke to the board Thursday, arguing the house was far too large for the lot and that the driveway will cut across a bike path. The Sierra Club and community members said at the hearing that the development would cause erosion and damage the ecosystem.

The lot’s owner, Robert Weinrich, earlier told Postmedia the net-zero home will make his family the “stewards of the ravine.” He said he wants the house to be a safe place for people to run to if they feel in danger in the ravine at night.

While the city tried to expropriate the land in 2004, the property ’s previous owner garnered 5,000 signatures on a petition backing him and the city backed down.

The bungalow that used to be on the property caught fire in 2006 and again in 2007 when it was owned by Michael Wild.

When Wild tried to rebuild in 2013, he listed the property for $1.5 million, but eventually offered to sell it to the city for $997,000 in 2015. The city refused, as it was priced at double the assessed value. Instead, Weinrich bought the property. City lawyer Michael Gunther told the appeal board it needed to respect landowners’ rights and the permit as it existed gave the new landowner the right to build the new house unless the board overturned the decision.