Council agreed to create site-specific requirements for a three-storey condo building in Upland Aspen in order to attract a developer for the project.
During its regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 27, council discussed the next step to allow for a 36-unit building for construction on a one-acre piece of land. In June, a request to redesignate a half acre of public space to increase the lot size was rejected by council after public outcry.
“This is what we could promote if a developer walked through the door,” explained Helen Dietz, chief administrative officer for the town. “A mixture of different types of housing is good for a community. You need all types of housing for all types of income levels and people that form in a community.”
Parameters agreed upon included the following:
-providing on-site parking at a rate of two parking stalls per dwelling unit
-limiting the height of the building to three stories and 44 feet at the east side of the building
-using a minimum dwelling unit size of 1,200 ft. sq.
-retaining as many trees as possible and adding trees to break up the appearance of the building
Coun. Heather Taylor said the finished product could present a good living option for people moving from a city who want to live across the road from a golf course or farmers looking to retire in style.
It has to look nice, she stresses.
“People in Upland Aspen don't want a box built there,” she said. “We directed administration to do up some proposals.”
Mayor Jim Romane says if done right Upland Aspen would have a “low impact” on transportation in the area.
“We want to develop it responsibly,” he said. “We hopefully would encourage an adult-type development there.”
Coun. Brian Spiller said the condo would help pay for previous development in the area, adding such builds are not new to Innisfail.
“We already have five or six different condos like that spread throughout the town,” he said.
