Residents of Alder Avenue can breathe a little easier knowing a section of their street won’t be rezoned to allow for commercial businesses to expand into that area.
A motion came to city council during its Jan. 13 regular meeting to amend the zoning bylaw to rezone the properties at 834 and 844 Alder Avenue to C2 high density commercial district from R3 high density residential district. Perhaps it was due to negative emails, the presence of nearly a dozen area residents in council chambers, or both, but council eventually voted against approving the zoning bylaw change.
During the first reading of the zoning bylaw amendment, council voted 4-3 in favour; councillors Brian Swanson, Scott McMann and Heather Eby were opposed, while Mayor Fraser Tolmie and councillors Chris Warren, Crystal Froese and Dawn Luhning were in favour.
On the second reading of the bylaw change, council voted 4-3 against the motion. After calling for the vote, Tolmie looked left and right to count the hands in the air. Pausing for a moment, he then said, “Sorry, that’s been defeated.”
Voting against the motion were Swanson, Froese, McMann and Eby, with Warren, Luhning and Tolmie in favour.
A few seconds later, the residents from the Alder Avenue neighbourhood slowly left the meeting.
Background
Rezoning the area would have facilitated the sale of 834 Alder Avenue for commercial use, a report to council explained. The purchase inquiries the applicant had received so far consisted of using the existing building for office space. The block is primarily zoned as C2, with 834 and 844 Alder Avenue being the last residentially approved properties on the block.
City administration recommended the rezoning application since it aligned with the existing C2 area on the block, including the adjacent property at 824 Alder Avenue, and, the rezoning meets many of the criteria in the official community plan.
Concerns from five adjacent property owners revolve around the potential for future development that would cause problems with the surrounding neighbourhood, the report continued. These concerns have focused on the vacant lot at 844 Alder Avenue being used for parking; some property owners believe the property is more readily available for redevelopment since it is vacant.
Other concerns included:
- The safety of pedestrians if high density commercial is allowed on the block;
- Effects to street parking if a high demand business locates in that area;
- Increase in traffic after redevelopment;
- Effect on property values and the ability to sell adjacent properties;
- The ability to maintain housing around downtown if the commercial area expands.
“This neighbourhood has been around since the early 1920s, making it a neighbourhood full of heritage,” wrote Cal Carter. “Changing this space to be commercial would go against the majority of the people who live here. Thank you for your consideration in this matter because it matters to us as a community.”
Leanne Stadnyk wrote that many businesses would not be beneficial to the area, while increased traffic would produce more noise than is already occurring from nearby shops.
“The children in this area (also) get on and off the bus at the north corner of the block,” she added, “and we are worried for their safety if traffic were to increase, as well as the presence of more crime.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Jan. 27.
