A long vacant lot at Ross Street and 40th Avenue in Red Deer is ready for some kind of a commercial development following getting C-5 zoning on Monday.
What kind of future business will be built is still unknown, but developer Brett Salomons told city council he is thinking of a “typical corner convenience” type project.
Coun. Lee suggested a coffee shop, or a commercial development with some residences on the upper level.
“It’s very appropriate to have commercial in that location because that proved successful in the past,” Lee added.
The corner property, while vacant and weed infested since 2001, previously housed a car service station and car wash. The contaminated soil was then remediated.
Red Deer city council gave unanimous approval (Coun. Dianne Wyntjes was absent) to the C-5 mixed-use district rezoning after a public hearing on Monday after no one spoke in opposition.
Council heard that some neighbours had previously voiced concerns when C-4 major arterial development zoning was suggested for the R1A semi-detached residential lot. There was less public concern when city administration asked the developer to agree to a C-5 rezoning, which has more restrictions.
While Salomons would have preferred C-4 as he could then set the building back more from the street, he told council he would settle for the C-5 zoning for the half-acre lot.
Coun. Cindy Jefferies believes neighbours will be happy if some kind of development goes in that beautifies that property. “They will have an interest in seeing how it becomes part of that community.”
Salomons will require a development permit from the city for whatever project he proposes.
