Council approved a subdivision application that will kick off Phase 1 of the Palisades development in Penhold.
Palisades, the second development for Laebon Homes in Penhold, would attach to the Park Place development at Mann Drive in the southeast part of the community. It's estimated the development will add another 939 residential units to the town at full build-out.
Jolene Tejkl of Parkland Community Planning Services presented a subdivision report to council at the start of the regular meeting Nov. 26.
She said the subdivision would have 47 residential parcels, three municipal reserve parcels and one remainder parcel.
There were some concerns received in response to the application, which Tejkl went over.
“An individual is concerned with the intent to build within a one-in-100 year flood plain (fringe),” she said. Other concerns included the plan to move Waskasoo Creek and its impact, the planned closure of Boundary Road and drainage issues.
“They're not going into a flooding area, they are going into a flood fringe,” Rick Binnendyk, the town's chief administrative officer, said of concerns about the flood plain. He said going onto the fringe is permitted.
Mayor Dennis Cooper asked for clarification on whether or not a storm pond would be built as part of this development. Because there isn't one, he asked if drainage is going to be dumping into the creek for the moment.
“For now, yes,” Tejkl said.
This part of the development can proceed without approval for the planned move of Waskasoo Creek, council heard.
Coun. Chad Hoffman asked if the development can go ahead without the formal closure of Boundary Road and heard it was a condition of the approval that the shutdown be processed first.
Hoffman inquired about whether or not consideration had been made for property owners who worried about not being able to access their farm with equipment. Binnendyk said they can access their land from the south.
Council voted unanimously to approve the subdivison subject to the conditions. Councillors Kathy Sitter and Danielle Klooster were absent.
