OLDS — The Town of Olds' council has passed a bylaw allowing for the rezoning of a chunk of land in the west end of the Vistas from urban reserve to R1 (low density) housing.
Council made that decision last month after holding a public hearing on the proposal.
Infrastructure and planning manager James Crozier told council that notice of the public hearing was advertised on the Town of Olds' website and in the Albertan.
He said information about the plan was also circulated to “relevant agencies” and 32 neighbouring property owners.
Two letters from residents objecting to the rezoning were received; one from a Vantage Crescent and another from a couple who live along Imperial Drive.
No responses in support of the rezoning were received.
Concerns expressed in the letters included a fear that the development would increase traffic and noise and reduce property values.
It was also argued that the urban reserve currently serves as a habitat for local wildlife and provides recreational opportunities for residents.
If that habitat is lost, that could lead to “increased pollution and reduced biodiversity,”
In fact, it was argued that if the urban reserve is developed, “affordable housing and mixed-use developments that promote walkability and reduce reliance on cars” should be created there instead “rather than contributing to urban sprawl.”
Coun. Darren Wilson asked how the rezoning would mesh with the Town of Olds housing strategy, which includes a goal of creating more multi-unit housing.
The town's chief administrative officer, Brent Williams, admitted that the municipality's housing strategy and housing needs assessment tend to call for more multi-unit housing rather than single-family homes, but indicated there's room for both.
“They play a really important role, because there is demand in Olds for continued R1 development. And right now, it's just the Vistas and the Highlands that are leading that,” Williams said.
“But I think broadly, the housing strategy is that we build more homes or enable private developers to build more homes that people want to buy and just diversify the housing stock,” he added, describing the change outlined in the bylaw as “a fairly modest rezoning.”
