Redevelopment plans for one of Red Deer’s oldest neighbourhoods will encourage attractive development, reduce piecemeal zoning, and promote public art.
The Riverside Meadows Area Redevelopment Plan, plus the Community Plan and its residential design criteria, were endorsed in council chambers on Monday.
“It’s time for that area to regenerate and this gives them the plan and guidelines to go ahead and do that,” said Councillor Cindy Jefferies.
She predicts that over the next decade, the neighbourhood near the Red Deer River will see a lot of “investment and redevelopment.”
The redevelopment plan encourages a mix housing types and higher densities in the area once known as North Red Deer.
It also cleans up a number of zoning issues, such as properties that don’t comply within the land use district. A site specific exception will be created in the land use bylaw, so that these sites can be allowed to redevelop as they have been. An apartment building within a single-family land use district could redevelop as an apartment.
“It’s going to make everything more clear for developers and the owners,” said Marileen Cowan, president of the Riverside Meadows Community Association.
The Community Plan offers a 15-year vision to guide decisions relating to more detailed planning. For example, it recommends making 58th Street along the river a focal point. As a suggestion, a black iron railing or fence, less than 90 cm in height and open in design, could be placed along the top of the bank.
The plan also recommends adding interactive art that reflects the neighbourhood’s heritage. One example given is a replica train sculpture that could be installed at the north end of the CPR bridge.
The residential design criteria gives rules for everything from garages to building entrances. For instance, there shall be no more than six multi-attached units in one building block.
tester@www.reddeeradvocate.com