Parking priorities
Council hears concern that rezoning home could lead to traffic hazard
City council will be taking concerns over increased traffic and parking into consideration when reviewing a rezoning application to turn a Belvedere residence into commercial office space.
Council held a public meeting on Wednesday seeking feedback on an application to rezone a dwelling at 213 Belvedere Ave. from low density residential (R2) to business office commercial (C1).
The move would allow the applicant and homeowner, Denise Pearce, to rent out part of the residence as office space.
In October, council passed a resolution allowing Pearce to operate her own counselling business from the home.
“It just makes sense to rezone it, so it could all be used as office space,” said Pearce, who is not currently living in the home.
Pearce noted she is also not currently working at her business. She hopes to rent out the residence to international students until she returns to her business.
Carmichael Drive resident Pierre Lalonde told council while he was not opposed to the proposal he was concerned about cars parking along his street and creating a hazard.
“It’s busy enough as it is, especially in the mornings and when people are done working,” said Lalonde. “The corner of Belvedere and Carmichael, it’s seen a few accidents lately because it’s so busy on Belvedere… if additional cars were parked on Carmichael, I think it would create basically a hazard.”
Pearce said she was planning to use a section at the bottom of her front yard for additional parking to meet the city’s requirements.
She also said two of her neighbours are zoned as commercial. With one of them having a big parking lot, Pearce said she may look into the possibility of using some of those spaces.
Mayor Clifford Lee asked her to explore the possibility of using her backyard for parking instead of the front.
“I’m just looking at Belvedere Avenue, and all of those properties seem to have a fairly substantial front lawn with all grass,” said Lee.
“I’m not sure what turning that grass into asphalt does to the streetscape.”
The city’s planning board will be taking any concerns into consideration when meeting on the issue. The board will then make a recommendation to city council before members vote on the application.