Rezoning amendment for 23 Avenue property passes

Posted on October 31, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Coaldale town council has approved a LUB amendment to subdivide a property on 23 Avenue.

During their regular Oct. 7 meeting, Coaldale town council held a public hearing for a Land Use Bylaw amendment.

Land Use Bylaw Amendment 896-P-09-24 would rezone land legally described as Lot 16; Block 12; Plan 5703HJ (2218 23 Avenue) from Residential R-1A to Residential small lot R-1C. This would allow the property owner, who made the application, to subdivide it into two lots to allow for the addition of another residential home.

Cam Mills, director of growth and investment for the town, said the proposed amendment does generally align with the town’s residential growth objectives in the Town Plan, particularly regarding adding different housing types and adding new development in existing areas of town.

The redesignation is needed for the property to be subdivided as subdividing it would create smaller lots than the allowed minimum under the R1A zoning. However, Mills said that the property was large enough that, if it did not have a current house on it, it could be subdivided without the need for rezoning.

“The reason we have a rezoning here before council today is simply because of the position of that house means that subdivision of that lot requires the creation of one very large lot, which would be approximately (62 feet in width), and the remaining lot being 38 feet, and so the R-1C zoning is applied to accommodate that 38 foot width,” said Mills. “The combination of the two lots would still be 100 feet, and so these two lots would still represent, between the two of them, the same width as any other two lots within the block.

“From administration’s perspective, while one lot would be a little bit smaller, nothing about this is creating sort of a larger density that we’ve found at any of the other lots, because two 50-foot lots create the same amount of housing, the same amount of parking needs, the same amount of on-street and off-street parking in particular that is required here.”

Notice of the public hearing was circulated to the entire block, as well as properties in front of and behind the subject property. One piece of feedback was from a neighbor in opposition to the amendment received before the council agenda’s publication, citing concerns about property value’s and making the town into a dense community. Mills said another letter was received after the agenda’s publication, and, when asked about the concerns and administration’s respond to the letter, Mills said he had a chance to speak with the letter writer prior to the letter being written, and they raised concerns on parking. Mills said from a technical position, they have large lots on the block and a back lane that is rarely utilize, so although it wasn’t up to him to say if there were parking issues on 23rd Avenue, there is “sufficient room” for every lot there to have multiple off-street parking options and room to for property owners to create more on their properties.

When asked what type of housing unit would go on the site, Mills said most likely, it would be a single-family dwelling.

Parking requirements would be discussed during the development permit stage should the rezoning occur, but the R-1C zoning does require a minimum of two off-street parking spots.

Following the closure of the public hearing, council passed second and third and final reading of Land Use Bylaw Amendment 896-P-09-24.