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Council passes third reading of zoning changes for new development north of Wildstone

Development to see creation of up to 582 dwelling units in a mix of housing types, according to proposal
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A new development north of Wildstone was approved by city council last week. Photo courtesy development application package/City of Cranbrook.

A new development in the Wildstone Heights area is moving forward following a lengthy debate by mayor and council on appropriate locations for high density residential areas of the city.

The Wildstone Heights development, on the north end of the city adjacent Echo Field Rd., has a proposed build out density of 582 dwelling units on an 18 hectare property. Under a mix of low, medium, and high density zoning, the property will include housing types such as duplex, fourplex, apartment units and single family dwellings.

Mayor Lee Pratt, along with councillors Norma Blissett, Mike Peabody, Wayne Price and Wesly Grahan voted in favour, while councilors Ron Popoff and John Hudak were opposed.

According to the developer’s application, the property is set to be split into three sections; a 10-acre south section for single-family residential, a middle section of two five-acre parcels for high density multi-family residential, and a 20 acre north section for low density multi-family residential.

Broken down further, the south section proposes 19 units of single family, the middle section proposes 320 units in apartments and condominium units, and the north section proposes a maximum of 133 townhouse units and 110 single or attached units.

The high density element touched off much of the discussion on the proposal.

Those in favour of the project noted it is shovel ready right now and pointed to the city’s recent housing study that identified a need for more housing and a more diverse mix of housing types.

“We’ve added a lot of doors but we need some more,” said Councillor Wesly Graham. “This just makes sense because it can happen right away, as waiting three, four, five years out for density in Victoria or downtown — which I also support — but I think this makes sense to address a need right now and it’s not a burden to the taxpayer.”

Mayor Lee Pratt concurred, noting that that infrastructure grant funding from senior levels of government may not come to municipalities that are seen as holding up housing development.

“If you’re seen as somebody that’s been delaying or not approving it, you’re not going to get any money out of that pot,” Pratt said.

According to the mayor, the high density element of the project will be done by Broadstreet Properties, the same company behind the new apartment development on Innes Ave.

Speaking against the high density element, Coun. Popoff said he was concerned about a high density development being too far away from the downtown core and away from a central hub of goods and services.

“The further out we push housing in and around the outsides of Cranbrook, we’re left with a big hole in the middle, which is where all our goods and services and trades and professions and transit and everything else is, and we’re continuing to allow development to happen on the doughnut and we have this void in the middle,” Popoff said.

Coun. Hudak agreed.

“I’ve gone on record saying that I’m in favour of development but I’m in favour of the right type of development,” Hudak said, “and the one thing that bothers me on this particular development with this particular developer is the fact that we asked him to consider to take high density out.”

The discussion also touched on the larger issue of where high density development should occur within the city, such as inside the downtown core and along Victoria Ave, which is set for a massive reconstruction project in the coming years in order to accommodate more capacity.

“What I understand from staff is, if the developers that own those pieces of properties in and along Victoria Ave. that would hook up to Victoria, if they know what our timelines are now…that should give those developers some confidence that they can start going through their planning and development permitting processes and start construction,” said Coun. Popoff. “So that while we’re completing Victoria in those three, four years, they can go through their processes and get their construction ready to go and coincide it with the access to greater water and sewer values that we’re going to be building on Victoria.”

Despite the need for increased capacity, recently approved apartment projects on 4th St. N and Kootenay Street will be able to hook up to the existing infrastructure, added Popoff.

Coun. Price said he would prefer to see high density development on Victoria Ave, but noted that the city needs housing now.

“My vision for Victoria was that was going to be our high density corridor and high rise corridor,” said Coun. Price. “We’ve just been advised by staff..that Victoria can’t accommodate this right now and we’re basically four to five years out before Victoria can accommodate it.

“If Victoria can accommodate this, and we’re going to get Victoria done in the real short term, I wouldn’t consider this project [Wildstone Heights] up there. But now, we’re five years out before Victoria’s done, then you know the whole development thing, how long that takes. We’re looking six or seven years before we can develop down there.”

While councillors debated the merits of the Wildstone Heights proposal, a number of residents with property near the development wrote letters opposing the project. Much of the opposition echoed similar issues debated by council such as allowing a high density aspect to the development, along with safety concerns from increased traffic and a lack of access to transit.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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