Cranbrook may soon have a new subdivision on the Northwest part of town. Council approved the first two readings of a zoning amendment bylaw that would permit rezoning for development on 6th Street NW.
The property in question is located just above Farbrook Auto Wrecking.
The owner of the 7.8 hectare property, Bain Developments, sent an application for rezoning to the city, asking for consideration of a subdivision and low-density residential development of the property.
“It’s going to be a mobile home park and low income housing,” Mayor Lee Pratt explained. “It’s northwest, in the Slaterville area.”
The proposed rezoning will enable the consideration of the development. The preliminary subdivision plan indicates approximately 93 lots for mobile home or single family dwellings.
Coun. Ron Popoff noted that the application talks about designated land for a park, as well as a required park dedication to provide a local park area for young families.
Roy Hales, director of corporate services, said that the city wouldn’t require all the land that it could have by way of dedication.
“So rather than taking all of that land, the applicant has agreed to provide a portion of monies that could be devoted to facilitating a smaller park,” Hales said. “That all will be negotiated as part of an understanding.”
The park would be part of the second phase.
Hales said the developer would be building up from the lower part of the hill up, and the park would be located in the upper section.
CAO Wayne Staudt said the cost of putting in the park would paid by the developer, but the operation and the maintenance would be done by the city like any other park in town.
Staudt also explained the zoning.
“What this report here is dealing with today is simply changing the zoning to allow for the subdivision,” Staudt said. “When we get into the actual subdivision discussions with the owner then we can negotiate what the park will look like and what cost will be incurred by developers. This is the very early stages of the subdivision proposal.”
Coun. Norma Blissett said it seems like a great idea.
“Providing more affordable housing next to an existing adjacent neighbourhood, we’ve already got bus service over there, and I think they’d have a great view from up the hill,” Blissett said.
Coun. Danielle Cardozo asked about the safety of being vicinity of some of the industrial properties, like Farbrook and Cullen Diesel, and whether the city may be setting itself up for failure.
Staudt noted there will be a 10 meter buffer from the industrial zones and the properties that back onto Farbrook are longer.
“The buffer will go across the back, and part of that will be a boarded fence and a no build covenant — registered on title,” he said. “There’s a limit to how much we can do from our OCP (official community plan) and it’s usually the person that comes second that is responsible for creating it.
Council passed first and second reading, the latter included referring the the proposal to Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for approval and a public hearing.
The public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19.
