OLDS – Council chambers were packed June 26 for a public hearing on changes that would allow for higher-density housing in the south end of town.
The hearing lasted for just over two hours. In the end, council voted to go ahead with the changes.
The area in question is Miller Meadows. The 40-acre parcel of land is located off 57th Avenue, bordered by 60th Street and 53rd Avenue.
Up for approval were an amendment to the Miller Meadows Area Structure Plan and an amendment to the land use bylaw.
About 15 people spoke against the idea, citing concerns fears of increased crime, greater traffic volume, a massive increase in population and a lack of doctors to serve those new residents.
Only about five people, including an urban planner, spoke in favour of the development.
Sarmand Abbasi of Parkland Community Planning Services said the higher-density housing allowed would only be three to four storeys high.
Abbasi said the concept calls for the total number of dwelling units to rise to 881 from current plan of 672 units.
He also said the developer has pledged to provide a buffer of green space between the apartments to be built and the developments to the north.
He also said future plans include signalization on 57th Avenue and 54th Street to deal with increased traffic.
Several speakers cited concerns about safety due to a storm retention pond in the area.
Abbasi said improvements will be made to that pond “to address any concerns.”
Peter Mal, vice-president of student experience at the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology (OCAT) was among those speaking in favour of the changes. He spoke on behalf of OCAT president Ben Cecil.
Mal said the college is looking to grow its student population and that in turn will mean an increase in staff and instructors, all of whom will need housing.
He said diversifying housing stock in town not only benefits those looking for affordable housing, but thereby brings in more residents who help boost the economy.
“We are excited about the opportunity to support the growth at the college, but we cannot do that without the support also of our town and community,” Mal said, speaking on his own behalf.
James Murphy, who is working with Miller Meadows developer Doug Bender, also spoke in favour of the changes.
In regard to concerns about density, Murphy said the plan is actually to only create 150 units per acre, with 24 units in each building, designed to accommodate seniors as well as students and other segments of the population.
In regard to traffic congestion, Murphy said students tend not to have cars. However, opponents of the changes strongly disagreed with him on that point.
Murphy noted that the foreign students the college is looking to lure to town will be paying much higher tuition than Canadian-born students and that could bring lots of revenue to the community.
His understanding is the college currently has a student population of just over 1,500 students and the college hopes to grow that figure to 2,000 or so.
“These people on average are going to generate 12-and-a-half million dollars in revenue to the town if you increase from 1,500 to 2,000 students,” he said.
Murphy said the goal is to build attractive buildings.
“We’re not interested in ugly buildings, we’re not interested jam-packing sardines into a density,” he said.
Earlier this spring, during panel discussions in the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, Brent Williams, the town’s chief administrative officer stressed the need for affordable housing in Olds.
To that end, he decried what he called NIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard-ism).
“We have to get over ourselves first and realize that the Canada and the Olds of our childhood, our parents, is not the Canada we’re going forward with,” Williams said at that time.
In response to that quote, several opponents to the proposed changes to Miller Meadows proudly proclaimed themselves to by proud NIMBY-ers.
A few also said they enjoyed the many birds and animals that come through the woody area and they fear all that will be destroyed when construction commences and the subdivision is built.
A petition in opposition to the proposal was presented, signed by 56 residents.
Several councillors told opponents that they heard their concerns and added they can be dealt with when actual planning of the area begins.
Most councillors said the need in the community for affordable housing is simply too great and the opportunity with a developer willing to build that housing, is just too good to pass up.
Statements by Coun. James Cummings were typical of those voiced by councillors.
Cummings said three surveys on housing needs have been undertaken by groups independent of the town and all have found a strong need for affordable housing in the community.
At least one person suggested that instead of developing Miller Meadows, land north of Walmart should be developed for medium or high-density housing.
Cummings responded to that suggestion.
“A lot of folks talk about ‘well why aren’t we developing here’ and ‘why aren’t we developing there?’ The Town doesn’t develop land. We have no say in it,” he said.
“When we say it’s not ready for development it’s because the developer, the land owner, has no interest in developing it right now. No matter what incentives we throw at them, they have no interest in doing it.”
Cummings said he’s one of many employers in town whose employees can’t afford to live in the community. Even his own children can’t afford to do so.
“If you sit outside of Highway 27 or any other roads coming from Bowden or Didsbury in the morning, you’ll see a plethora of folks driving into our town to work in our town because they can’t afford to live in our town,” he said.
Cummings and other councillors said the town is working hard to address problems like crime, traffic issues along 57th Avenue and elsewhere, as well as the need for more doctors and other health care professionals.
