Some confusion is occurring amongst residents in Clearview North over two pieces of undeveloped land offering a range of uses, including affordable housing, says a City of Red Deer senior planner.
Orlando Toews said that residents expressed some confusion during Thursday’s open house about a City of Red Deer four-acre parcel along Caribou Crescent.
The open house didn’t deal with a bigger parcel, west and southwest of Carrington Drive, being developed by Genstar Titleco Ltd. of Edmonton. But there were some people questioning what was going on that land as well.
A letter from an anonymous resident was sent out to homes, talking about the two pieces of land and that the new plan would include 30 to 40 low-income rental housing, a native friendship spiritual centre, a social care site, a church, 72 detached dwellings, and a utility lot.
More than 60 people attended Thursday’s open house, said Toews.
Many wondered about traffic as well as concerns about affordable housing, he added.
“A lot of people had this memo stuck in this mailbox and so we were trying to clarify what was being done on the four acres and what the developer was proposing,” said Toews.
Toews said the proposed affordable housing development is along Carrington Drive, a collector road.
“There’s also transit stops along Carrington Drive,” he added.
Genstar’s 33 acres will be up for a public hearing on Monday, starting at 6 p.m. First-reading to amend the land-use bylaw has already been approved.
The lands will be rezoned from A1 Future Urban Development District to R1 Residential (Low Density) District, PS Public Service (Institutional or Government) District, P1 Parks and Recreation District and A2 Environment Preservation District.
This would create 72 detached dwellings, one church site, one social care site, five municipal reserve lots, one public utility lot, and one environment reserve lot. Second and third readings can be approved on Monday.
“The developer is rezoning land in accordance with the Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan,” said Toews. “This plan has been around for five years, which predates anyone living in this area. The developer is not deviating from it at all.”
As well, city council will consider the four-acre parcel, consider amending the Clearview North Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan and giving first reading to amend the land use bylaw.
Toews said the four-acre parcel has been identified for low-income housing, but there is no number attached to it. So he’s not sure where the 30 to 40 figure came from in the anonymous letter.
The four acres were provided by the provincial government for affordable housing. The amendment would replace a cul-de-sac and single family and multi-family residential designations with a multi-family residential/place of worship/assembly designation.
The city is working with the Red Deer Native Friendship Centre on developing affordable housing, along with a place of worship/assembly. The number of lots come at the development stage, said Toews.
“They would lease the land from the city,” said Toews.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com