A 36-townhome development that is planned for a long-vacant parcel of land at 388 West St. N. is nearing the completion of its application process, pending a peer review of a hydrogeological study.
The proposed Landen Homes development includes 36 executive, three-storey townhomes spread across four "blocks" on the West Street property, built in a compact, 'back-to-back' style, featuring rooftop patios.
As the property partially sits on what's deemed a "significant groundwater recharge area," the hydrogeological study needs to be completed to assure that groundwater recharge areas will not be negatively impacted.
On Monday afternoon, during a special planning meeting, city councillors voted to bring the project’s applications and zoning bylaw amendments to the next available meeting for consideration, pending the completion of the hydrogeological study.
Applicant Dennis Bottero, from Landen Homes, questioned whether the project’s draft plan of subdivision might receive pre-approval to move the process along.
“At this point, we've done (numerous reports), and peer review, albeit it's something that's been implemented with the city, it's sort of come at the 11th hour,” Bottero said. “We're in the process of completing the recommendations (from the study). My question is, what is the harm in getting draft plan approval prior to having that peer review?”
The study, which is being carried out by consultants due to a lack of city staff who are experts in hydrogeology, is necessary to understanding whether the project conforms to the city’s official plan, said Jeff Duggan, the city's senior planner.
“The reason that we're not recommending approval immediately is simply because planning staff cannot provide a professional planning opinion at the current time until that's completed, as we don't understand, we don't know the specifics of whether the Official Plan policies related to stormwater management and groundwater recharge had been adequately addressed,” he said.
“We're essentially halfway through that process now, so the peer review has been undertaken,” he said. “The comments have been provided back to the applicant, so at this point it is entirely within the applicant’s realm to respond to those comments.”
Coun. Ted Emond praised the proposed development’s "creative use" of the land for intensification.
“I believe this is an exceptionally creative use of intensification design within our city,” Emond said. “We are very much aware of the debates going on in our community between urban sprawl and intensification, and here we have a development that is very intense, fits a particular piece of property, but has built into it not only the amenity space but the rooftop terraces, which provide individuals with the kind of relaxing outdoor space that backyards typically have provided to the more traditional single family homes that we experience in our community.”
-- With files from Tyler Evans
