Parking row puts brakes on new Forest Heights deli
A parking flare-up around a proposed neighbourhood deli in Forest Heights is pitting a local business owner against a street full of now-frustrated residents.
Visitors to the popular neighbourhood pub Cartago are already plugging up residential streets, neighbours say, and now Cartago’s Katy Ingraham wants to open a cafe/deli next door.
Neighbours complained to the city. The city used that to deny a permit.
Cartago is fighting to overturn the ruling at the subdivision and development appeal board.
It’s raising a contentious question in Edmonton: Is it a resident’s right to park in front of their house?
And will city council’s push to build vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods across the city inevitably bring congestion?
“Public streets are meant to be parked on by the public. If we want more of these mixed-use and walkable areas, congested street parking is a byproduct of living in that type of city,” said a frustrated Chris Dulaba, who is going to bat for his tenant.
His company, Beljan Developments, owns the new four-storey building, which has 27 apartment homes above two retail spaces.
Beljan built it on a former gas station site on 106 Avenue at 82 Street.
The businesses add important amenities to the neighbourhood, Dulaba said, arguing residents should simply clean our their private garage to park.
The mixed-use building is exactly the kind of project council says it wants to encourage along its key bus corridors, near LRT stations and around employment centres such as the University of Alberta.
Council’s urban planning committee endorsed Step 1 of a new plan to make it easier for developers to build this “missing middle” just three weeks ago.
The city also has a full-scale parking review ongoing, said senior planner Anne Stevenson. But finding the right balance will be key.
“It’s a really important issue … city streets are a shared resource for all Edmontonians.”
Ingraham applied for a development permit to open the cafe/deli last October, asking for a variance because the zoning is general retail. She had a parking impact assessment done, which outlined available on-street parking within walking distance.
Edmonton’s transportation officials reviewed that study and said yes to the deli.
Then they heard complaints
from neighbours, visited the spot themselves and reversed course, said Gail Hickmore, the city’s general supervisor for development and zoning. A week after saying yes, they changed the written recommendation to no.
The issue goes to the subdivision and development appeal board in August.
Ward 8 Coun. Ben Henderson said it’s a serious issue. He found the streets immediately beside Cartago packed with cars while door-knocking there last year. “I literally came around the corner and said: ‘What’s going on here?’ ”
“You don’t own the space in front of your house, but I think you have a reasonable expectation to park within two blocks,” he added. “People were speeding around the corners in desperation to find parking.”
But Ingraham said there’s only so much a business can do. If the residents have an issue, it’s up to the city to impose time restrictions, safety measures and residents-only limits. “We can’t just magically put a parking lot somewhere.”