Neighbours of a rezoned 8th Ave. NE property will have to live with any increase in traffic future development will bring.
At its regular meeting on Monday, council approved the rezoning of property at 1151 8th Ave. NE from single family residential to medium density residential, so as to accommodate a proposed six-unit strata complex.
Councillors considered this a compromise, noting the area in which the property is located is designated in the city’s official community plan for high density development. This allows for the development of up to 23 residential units on the property.
“To do our job would be to deny this application and say come back with a plan for 23 units,” commented Coun. Chad Eliason. “This is a compromise.”
A public hearing on the rezoning preceded council’s decision.
Local architect Bernd Hermanski presented a plan on behalf of the developer for three two-unit buildings – a reduction from the seven units proposed earlier on.
Several neighbours of the property who spoke at the hearing expressed concern about the increased traffic more residents will bring to the already busy dead-end road.
Several letters of protest and a petition with 50 signatures opposing the re-zoning were also distributed to council.
Tom Brighouse, whose property backs onto the subject property spoke in support of the re-zoning and the densification of the downtown area in general.
“You can equate densification with saving farmland,” he said.