DIDSBURY - Council has approved the redesignation of three lots in the Shantz Village district to allow for possible future high density residential development.
The move came by way of motion at the Feb. 28 council meeting, held in person and on YouTube, with mayor Rhonda Hunter and all councillor in attendance.
The three lots had been zoned institutional district and were proposed to be redesignated to residential district high density. The lots are located at 1000, 1100 and 1200 Shantz Drive within the Shantz Village area structure plan
“Surrounding property to the west has been developed for commercial uses,” administration said in a briefing note to council. “The subject lots are undeveloped and there has been a demand for housing and multi-unit apartment development which will help fill the demand for units within the town.”
The town’s land use bylaw states that the residential district - high density designation “provides for the development of moderate to high density multiple-unit dwellings which are connected to municipal sewer and water systems.”
Permitted uses under the designation including dwelling row house, dwelling stacked townhouse, dwelling townhouse, and public utility, while discretionary uses include dwelling duplex, dwelling multi-unit apartment, and accessory building.
Council granted first reading to the amending bylaw on Jan. 10, and carried second and third reading on Feb. 28.
Council also carried a motion amending the area structure plan to reflect that the lots involved will be identified in the residential policy area.
Mayor Rhonda Hunter said although no official application has been made to build residential property at the site, the redesignation opens that option.
“We need housing here in Didsbury and this certainly helps leverage to provide housing options and even apartments, so a positive rezoning and we are happy that it did happen,” Hunter told the Albertan.
“We’ve had interest so we wanted to get ahead of it so we don’t have to go through (the redesignation) when people are starting to get committed to building the facilities.
“We’ve had a lot of inquires and we thought if people are interested in the residential side we’d rezone to have it residential so that for the people who are already inquiring it is already ready for them if they chose to develop in Didsbury. And we hope they do.”
The Shantz Village area is located on the town’s northwest boundary.
“It is really staring to develop out there,” she said.
