First reading of a bylaw that will shrink the required parcel size for row housing in Penhold was passed during the regular council meeting Oct. 22.
The bylaw would amend the Land Use Bylaw from requiring 275 cubic metres for interior row house lots to 185 cubic metres. Corner lot requirements would be lowered from 325 cubic metres to 240 cubic metres.
Jolene Tejkl from Parkland Community Planning Services presented a report to council about the bylaw and said they'd checked other Central Alberta communities' row house lot size requirements.
“Your guys' was pretty large in comparison,” she said. She said the proposed reduced sizes would bring Penhold's parcels into line with other communities.
Representatives from Hawkridge Estates, which is the development where the row housing parcels would be, were in the audience and addressed some concerns from council.
“They should like quite a drastic alteration,” said Coun. Danielle Klooster.
Coun. Heather Klein asked if the prices would shrink with the lots.
Gary Will and Garth Dushanek, both from Hawkridge, told council the prices will depend on several factors. Will said they can get an extra five parcels with the new sizes, which would add more property taxes to the town's coffers.
Klein pointed out those five extra parcels are being added to Hawkridge's profits as well. Cooper said the pricing of the homes is not within the town's realm.
“We're not in the business of selling or setting prices,” Mayor Dennis Cooper said.
Will said the smaller parcels would help make the townhouses competitive with Red Deer and other nearby communities.
Council passed the first reading of the bylaw, with Coun. Kathy Sitter absent. A public hearing was set for Nov. 26, at 5:45 p.m. where public comments can be heard before council proceeds to second and third readings of the bylaw.
