The Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) has turned down a proposal by a developer and property owner to redevelop a house into four rental suites, saying in the commission's view, there weren't enough parking spaces, even though a planning official said there's enough room for seven parking stalls plus an eighth if necessary.
Development officer Carey Keleman pointed out the proposal for the property in question, at 5017 49 St., involves knocking down an existing garage to provide parking room. She said there is also lots of opportunity for parking on the street and in an adjacent lot.
Although it turned down that proposal, the MPC did vote in favour of a suggested revised plan which would feature three suites and six parking stalls.
Developer Cody Becker says property owner Keltie Grass and her husband are mulling over whether to appeal that decision to the regional Subdivision and Appeal Board (they have 21 days from the Dec. 21 decision to do so), change the plan to house three suites, or sell the property.
The initial plan called for redesigning the existing single detached home, built in 1951, to house two suites in the basement, one on the main floor and another that starts on the main floor and continues into the upper floor.
Two would feature two bedrooms and two would be one-bedroom suites.
Becker and Grass told the Albertan the plan is to rent them out to college students or low income workers; for example, labourers working in the cannabis production industry in town.
Keleman noted the proposed development is a "multiplex" as defined under the town's land use bylaw.
She said that bylaw normally requires two (parking) stalls per dwelling unit in the multiplex classification.
The applicant asked to have that requirement "relaxed" to allow 1.75 stalls per dwelling, which would amount to seven parking stalls rather than eight. Those stalls would be located in the rear of the property.
However, she also noted the plan does call for an eighth stall if needed, which would be located on the front of the property.
Keleman said the proposal was circulated to 35 area property owners and by the time the matter came to MPC on Dec. 20 none had registered any concerns about it.
"Planning and Development are in support of the proposal as we believe it is supported by the Uptowne Area Redevelopment Plan and the proposal would not unduly affect or affect the use or enjoyment of the neighbouring parcels of land and therefore, we support the application," Keleman said.
However, Coun. Mary Jane Harper and commissioner Dave Harris expressed concern that the plan didn't provide for enough parking.
"I still have a concern over the amount of parking," Harper said. "We live in Olds Alberta and people bring their work trucks home, they bring their half-ton trucks home, and parking is always an issue.
"And I don't have a problem with seeing this particular property developed to three suites, but I have a problem with the four suites, because they're asking for relaxation because they're doing four suites.
"They wouldn't need the relaxation if it was only three suites. They could have provided plenty of parking that way," she added.
Harper also said the eighth stall would result in drivers backing out on to what she considers to be a rather busy street.
Harris also wondered if there's enough room for garbage bins for all those suites.
Director of operations Scott Chant said residents or the landlord could go with bins or with big Dumpsters — one for recycling and one for garbage.
A motion to approve the four-suite proposal was defeated.
Commissioners then went in camera (behind closed doors) to discuss their reasons for turning it down.
When they reconvened, they passed a motion approving the project if it's redesigned to house three suites instead of four and provides six parking spaces.
Becker said if the property owners do decide to develop the house into suites, the project could likely be completed by late spring.
