OLDS — The Town of Olds' council has approved a request for a duplex 5129 51st St. with both units also housing secondary suites.
Council also voted to extend its compliance incentive for existing secondary suites until February 28, 2026, so property owners have more time to bring their suites up to code under simplified requirements.
"This is a significant opportunity for anyone with a non-compliant secondary suite to legalize it with fewer barriers—supporting safer, more affordable housing in our community," a town news release regarding the extension says.
Duplexes and secondary suites are not allowed on a parcel of land that has a single title, so the applicant applied to have the land divided in conjunction with the application.
Completion of that subdivision is a condition of this approval.
The application was circulated to seven adjacent landowners. No comments were received.
Coun. Heather Ryan said she was “ambivalent” about the proposal.
“I could see the need for this kind of housing, but I’m just wondering why they wouldn't go for a fourplex,” she said.
“What's the difference between doing this and doing the fourplex, except it might cost a little bit more money? So could you tell me, have you had that conversation with the developer as to why they wouldn't just go and build a fourplex on this site?
Development officer Nathan Hill said he had.
He said the applicants wanted separate titles. Besides, he said, building codes are “more “prohibitive with a multiplex versus a duplex with the secondary suites.”
Ryan also asked how parking would be affected.
Hill said if it was a fourplex, eight parking stalls would have to be provided, but because it’s a duplex with secondary suites, only six stalls are required.
Council also approved a request to build a shared garage taller than normally allowed for a duplex with addresses of 5225A and 5225B 51st St.
Plans call for the garage to be 17.42 feet tall, which is 18 per cent higher than the 14.76 standard height. The purpose of the higher height is to accommodate the proposed roof pitch and storage in the ceiling, council was told.
Because the application was for a variance of more than 15 per cent, the town's council had to make the decision whether to approve the application.
“The applicant noted the existing duplex is about 30 feet tall. So with the variance, the accessory building is going to be a little bit over half over half the primary building site,” Hill said.
