OLDS — Town council has set the date for a public hearing on a bylaw amendment that, if passed, would change zoning in Phase 7 of the Vistas area structure plan (ASP) to allow duplexes and/or townhomes in the area.
Council set the date for that public hearing as Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. in council chambers.
Specifically, a town memo says if passed, the bylaw amendment would change zoning in that phase from R1 single-family detached housing to R2/R3 multi-family zoning to facilitate the development of duplexes and/or townhomes.
Municipal planner Kyle Sloan Sloan told council that the zoning change is requested by a developer.
He also said that while this change would technically increase density in the area, the overall result would actually be a smaller population.
"Since 2006 when the plan was first created, actually, the projected population is lower despite that, because there are fewer people per household in this most recent census,” he said.
Another change proposed is to allow for a second route for water distribution.
“The second, or the new proposed route that’s added here is to the west, basically straight along where Vista Drive will continue west out of this ASP,” Sloan said.
Council also agreed to set Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. in council chambers as the new date for a public hearing on a proposed bylaw to make a suite in the Pregnancy Care Centre fit zoning requirements.
Council had previously set Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. in council chambers as the date, time and place for that hearing, but missed the deadline in the newspaper to advertise it for two consecutive weeks, as required under the province’s Municipal Government Act.
“This happens somewhat frequently; two times this year, I believe,” chief administrative officer Brent Williams said.
As a result, he said the town is looking at “more avenues than just the newspaper” in which to get the word out about such things.
He said ideas to accomplish that include via utility mail-outs, social media and the town website.
“But for now, we got caught a little bit (so we’re) asking for council to re-set this date,” Williams said.
