INNISFAIL – The Town of Innisfail has moved another step closer to developing a vacant westside 12-acre parcel of land for future housing needs in the community; a plan aimed at solving a current “housing crisis” in the municipality.
On Oct. 28 town council unanimously approved second and third readings of two bylaw amendments to move forward on a residential and commercial development plan on town-owned land in the Napoleon Lake South area near the intersection of Highway 54 and 42 Street that has triggered passionate opposition from several residents in bordering neighbourhoods.
Council was first tasked to amend the land use zoning of the municipal property from Highway Commercial District to Direct Control District.
The second proposed amendments were to various land use districts, from single detached residential to more affordable types of housing, such as duplexes and townhouse type development, the latter which the town says is an area that is lacking in the community.
Both issues were subject to public hearings and several attending residents, whose homes back onto the subject property, voiced serious concerns about the development proposal.
They included increased traffic, noise, parking and adverse impacts on property values.
Some residents are especially worried about the impact of proposed high density rental units, specifically a proposed four-story apartment building they say could cause view loss, sun shadows, reduced property values, and even crime.
“We've only been here for two weeks, and I'm so worried about security that I've already installed eight CCTV cameras around the house, and that's just for peace of mind,” said resident presenter Jordan Bass. “I'm just worried that having this apartment building with people moving in and out of different walks of life (and) how that's going to affect the crime in the area.”
Bass was then asked by Mayor Jean Barclay if he considered renters “bad people.”
The former Calgarian countered he was “not necessarily saying that” but was worried about how the dynamics of the area could change, from long-term home ownership to renters seeking short-term housing solutions.
“If you're renting and you only plan to stay somewhere for a year and a half, you don't necessarily care about how the neighbourhood is going to end up or treating people with respect in the neighbourhood,” said Bass.
And then there was resident presenter Sheldon Stotts’s concern over the plan’s proposed commercial component, specifically a gas bar, which he said would attract long distance truckers, and then drugs and prostitution.
“That's the one thing we don't need in the neighbourhood,” said Stotts.
Council members repeatedly insisted the development plan as it now stands is only at the “concept” stage, and many issues raised by concerned residents, such as parking and high density, will be seriously considered as the plan moves forward.
“It's important for us to take that feedback and give it serious consideration as we move forward on this, from valid concerns around parking and the amount of density,” said Barclay following the Oct 28 council meeting. “Right now, this is just a concept we are looking at, so there's certainly nothing that's formalized.”
And Gordon Shaw, the town’s manager of community development services, told council that while there is a developer who's interested in developing commercial, or mixed commercial and residential on the property, the development plan as it now stands is a “preliminary design concept” and is subject to change depending upon market conditions and development trends.
However, Barclay is nevertheless adamant the town needs to move forward with a housing plan that will meet the needs across a wide spectrum of the community.
“What we're looking at right now we could categorize it as a bit of a housing crisis,” said Barclay.
The mayor noted there are currently 18 houses for sale in Innisfail, with seven selling for under $430,000.
“We haven't had a rental building built in this town probably since the 1980s,” said Barclay. “We have some developers that are certainly stalled out there. They're not moving forward.
“We’re losing people all the time to other communities because we don't have housing across that housing spectrum for them,” added the mayor. “We have people that want to downsize, older adults. We have nothing young people want to move into, or kids and grandkids of people that live here (and) want to stay here, they can't find anything.
“So, that's the challenge that's in front of us right now.”
Coun. Janice Wing noted that council and the community has been “very deliberate” about growing the town’s business and industrial sectors, and there has been success.
However, added Wing, there is a sector in our community that needs affordable housing and those include local school and hospital workers, bank tellers, secretaries, and retail and convenience store workers.
“Those are individuals that require assistance in finding an affordable place to live, and so I think the assumption that along with that group of people will come disarray and slums is really unfortunate,” said Wing.
“I feel strongly that having a highway commercial district will support employers and employees that are working in that vast industrial area that's growing like crazy, as well as providing opportunities for people that need to get out of their homes, and for people that are looking for other kinds of housing.
“I think this is educated and quite an intellectual development, and I'm proud to be a part of it.”
Meghan Jenkins, the town’s director of community services, told the Albertan following the council meeting that next steps for the Napoleon Lake South area development plan will include detailed engineering and finalization of the subdivision plan in either November or December.
She said there will also be preparation of financial projections that will be presented to council for consideration in the upcoming 2025 budget deliberations.
Jenkins added the development of the property, including installation of underground infrastructure and roads, will be proposed as a possible 2025 project.
