Council approves apartment project
Mayor Lyn Hall broke the tie among a divided city council Monday night, voting in favour of a housing complex on O’Grady Road after a long and contentious public input session.
“If anyone knows me, I’m all about development,” Hall said. “I do understand the arguments made regarding traffic and this must be addressed if this development happens or not.”
The proposal call for 167 units to be built in two six-storey buldings.
But residents from the neighborhood were quick to voice their concerns with the main issue being congestion and safety.
“I am concerned about traffic. Even now, it puts my child at risk and we’ve had near death experiences at the intersection,” one resident said. “Yes it might be about location, location, location, but this area is already so congested.”
Developers from Broadstreet Properties for Cantana Investments Limited Inc. concluded that based on a traffic impact study done in the area, traffic is set to increase 1.5 per cent a year over 25 years, concluding that there will be less impact with the rezoning change from commercial to mid-rise residential.
The current zoning also allows for structures 20 metres, in height however the housing complexes would only reach a height of 18.5 metres.
Other residents told council they were worried the height of the buildings would affect views, would change the character of the neighbourhood and introduce more crime.
“People in rentals seem to equal transients and I reject that,” Coun. Susan Scott said. “I have received many calls from people looking for alternatives, people who just want to downsize and stay in the area.”
Coun. Terri McConnachie also received the same calls regarding rentals in the city.
“I support this 100 per cent. I have received many calls from people requesting rental housing. Developers do their research. They are not in this to lose money.”
Residents were concerned about the location, saying that the proposed location is not suffering with all of the big chain box stores in the area, including Canadian Tire and Walmart.
Coun. Albert Koehler said the city urges development downtown but doesn’t force it.
“Then we shouldn’t have allowed shopping centres in the O’Grady Road area,” he pointed out. “We must consider investors. I am in favour of this and traffic will increase one way or another.”
“We are always campaigning to revitalize the downtown area. I think this is one of those opportunities,” another resident said. Not all residents were opposed. “We can’t force people downtown. This isn’t done on a whim and traffic is not the issue.
This is a big development that the city needs and rentals are needed. It’s a big opportunity for the city,” the resident said.
Coun. Brian Skakun was one of four councillors that voted against.
“Unless your live in it, you can’t say traffic isn’t an issue. And it is a nightmare without this development. I think we don’t need it at this point. I support the residents,” Skakun said.
Coun. Jillian Merrick also voted against the building complex. “I will not support this,” Merrick said. “Rentals are in demand yes, but investors must work with what the community wants and needs.”
Also voting against were Coun. Frank Everitt and Coun. Murry Krause.
Coun. Garth Frizzell joined Koehler, McConnachie, Scott and Hall in approving the development.