The public will have an opportunity to have their say on a rezoning and official community plan amendment for a property next to the Prestige Harbourfront Resort.
The parcel at 131 Harbourfront Dr., owned by a numbered company represented by Martin Skjerpen, came before council in 2008, when it approved a development permit application for a taller condominium-apartment building with 61 ‘dwelling units’ above commercial space.
The lot still sits empty.
The rezoning application, from C-6, tourist/recreation commercial zone, to R-4, medium density residential zone, would allow a portion of the parcel to be developed as residential without commercial on the main floor.
The official community plan amendment would redesignate a portion of the parcel from CC, city centre commercial, to MR, medium density residential.
The new plan for the site is to subdivide the property into two separate parcels, one R4 and the other, C6. The R-4 parcel would house a total of 12 units in three two-storey fourplex townhouses, facing the lake. The second, which would remain C-6, would face Harbourfront Drive, and would house another 12 units above commercial – to be developed in the future.
Council was told at its June 8 meeting the market has not had the capacity to accommodate the number of units planned for the building in 2008.
Coun. Chad Eliason expressed concern about rezoning part of one of the last remaining commercial properties on the water to residential. He said he would like to research when and why the property was zoned C-6.
“It’s a big decision to change the official community plan,” he said, noting the plan is relatively new.
Coun. Kevin Flynn agreed it’s a big decision, but one that’s made all the time. He said he sees the change as a small extension of the residential zoning next door. He noted it would be better than an empty lot.
The motion to move the application forward passed unanimously, with Coun. Alan Harrison encouraging citizens to come to the June 22 public hearing to voice their opinions.
