The plan to guide future growth and redevelopment of the Riverlands area in downtown Red Deer will be at council for first reading on Monday.
Riverlands Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) and amendments to the Land Use Bylaw came to council on Sept. 12 at which time it was tabled to allow city administration time to prepare further information.
The plan has the same purpose, objectives, vision and guiding principles as the 2011 Riverlands ARP, but expands the overall concept for downtown riverfront community.
Right now, the Riverlands area is primarily a light industrial/commercial area directly west of the downtown commercial core on the bank of the Red Deer River. It includes the former city public works yards, Cronquist Business Park, Inland Cement, Carnival Cinemas and the Old Brew Plaza and other commercial businesses.
About 300 residents live in Riverlands in townhouses south of 43rd Street and The Quarry Condominiums along the river.
Much of the area was built out in the 1960s and 1970s.
The vision is to create a mixed-use urban neighbourhood with lively commercial streets, a variety of medium and high-density housing and public spaces that will draw people year round.
The ARP includes the realignment of 47th Street (Alexander Way) further north starting at Sentinel Storage for servicing and infrastructure needs and the opportunity for a large public space adjacent to the river. No development of the existing road right of way for a minimum of 10 years is proposed.
The plan also proposes a building with a maximum height of eight storeys in the southwest corner of Riverlands, about 100 metres from Welton Crescent in West Park. A small portion of the building would be visible from West Park.