The president of the Cloverdale Community Association raised school overcrowding concerns at a public hearing last Monday night (April 15), in response to two development applications being considered in the Cloverdale town centre.
The CCA is opposed to a proposal to divide a lot into two housing units, but in support of a proposal to build 10 townhomes on two lots about 500 metres away.
The first development proposes to split a single-home lot at 5738 172 Street into two lots, both 50 feet across.
At the public hearing on Monday evening, CCA president Mike Bola spoke to council to ask them to “wait for infrastructure to catch up in the area.”
“We’re not supporting this particular project only because we don’t think it’s the right time,” he said.
The catchment schools for the development project are George Greenaway Elementary and Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, and according to the city report, one student is projected to be added to each school as a result of the development.
Many of the houses in the area near the school “have multiple suites,” so while the Cloverdale Community Association has supported development in the area in the past, this project would put an additional, unneeded strain on local schools, roads and amenities, Bola said.
The second development is just around the corner. The developer is proposing to build 10 townhouse units on two vacant lots at 17394 and 17414 58 Avenue.
Two three-storey buildings would be built, each with five townhouse units. The three-bedroom units will all have about 1,500 sq. ft. of space and side-by-side double garages.
The applicant is requesting about a dozen setback variances for each of the two buildings. There will be no indoor amenity space provided, which is contrary to city requirements for a townhouse project of this size. Instead, the developer will be required to pay a $15,000 fee to the department of parks, recreation and culture.
According to the city report, the development is projected to add three students to George Greenaway and one student to Lord Tweedsmuir.
Bola said the community association would defer to the Cloverdale Business Improvement Association’s decision on the development, as it “falls under Cloverdale Town Centre [Plan].”
The Cloverdale BIA wrote in support of the application as the development is within about a five-minute walk from the commercial core of the town centre.
“Had [the townhouse] project not been under the Cloverdale Town Centre, we would not be supporting it due to the fact that the schools are being overcrowded right now,” said Bola.
As of now, the proposal to subdivide a lot in two on 172 Street falls just outside of the “Town Centre.” It will, however, be included in the new Cloverdale Town Centre Plan, which is in the final draft stages and is expected to be presented to city council in the fall.
Both applications passed third reading at council.
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