Note: This application was rejected by City Council on July 7, 2020, when it did not receive first reading.
July 7, 2020 Council Minutes-Item 3.29
A planning application (map) has been rejected for a property at 611 167 Avenue NE.
The application proposed to rezone the site from Agriculture Zone (AG) to Single Detached Residential Zone (RF1), Public Utility Zone (PU) and Public Parks Zone (AP).
A separate, associated subdivision application is also currently under review.
Application Details and Revisions
Since the application was first submitted in November 2019, the proposed rezoning has been revised in response to comments obtained from City departments and utility agencies during the technical review process. Please refer to the application information illustrating the subject site, planning process, and what the City considers when evaluating a rezoning application.
Neighbourhood Plan
The site is adjacent to the Quarry Ridge subdivision and within the Horse Hill Area Structure Plan (ASP), which designates it as Existing Residential. Currently, there is no approved Neighbourhood Structure Plan (NSP) for the area. Land ownership in this portion of the ASP area is fragmented, making the preparation of an NSP difficult.
City administration does not typically support rezoning applications in the absence of a neighbourhood level plan, as it provides more detailed land uses, roadway layout and infrastructure servicing design. The applicant is proposing a method and means of providing utility services for the site independent of a neighbourhood plan in order to move this application forward and obtain a decision from City Council.
Housing
Previously, the proposed rezoning contained an area of (RF4) Semi-detached Residential Zone located at the northwest corner of the site. This was removed to provide single detached housing that is compatible with existing homes. Please note that the proposed RF1 Zone also allows for the development of other low-density residential housing, such as semi-detached housing and duplex housing with opportunities for secondary suites as permitted uses.
As per the Horse Hill Area Structure Plan policy, new residential development should sensitively integrate with existing residential lots by providing appropriate buffers and should seek to preserve hedgerows and trees on existing residential land, where feasible and appropriate.
Pocket Parks
Two small pocket parks have been removed, as they did not provide adequate space for park programming nor were they connected to the larger ecological network identified in the Horse Hill Area Structure Plan.
Roadways and Shared Use Paths
At the time of subdivision, the developer will be required to construct a shared-use path within the proposed Public Utility Zone (pipeline corridor) to provide a connection from 167 Avenue NE to connect to the existing shared-use path to the south. With development of the Marquis Neighbourhood to the north, Meridian Street will be upgraded to the first two-lanes of urbanized arterial roadway to the north of 167 Avenue NE, but will continue to have a rural cross-section to the south of 167 Avenue NE. The Meridian Street and 167 Avenue NE intersection will be upgraded with additional turning lanes on all approaches. However, there is currently no confirmed timeline for construction.
Transit Service
The property is outside the service area for the 2020 Bus Network Redesign. Initial implementation of bus service to Rural North East Sturgeon in the future will be dependent on demand, neighbourhood build out and available funding for transit. The closest bus service is available in the Evergreen neighbourhood, located approximately 1.2 km from the site.
City Council Public Hearing Date: Tuesday July 7, 2020
Reference File Number: LDA19-0547
Planner: Email Carla Semeniuk or call 780-496-1582 for more information.
