OLDS — Town council has passed a couple of bylaws enabling a property at 5102 48th Ave. in Olds to be rezoned from general residential (R2) to medium density residential (R3).
“The applicant is exploring the redevelopment potential of the property and seeks to develop more residential dwellings than would be permitted under the R2 land use district,” a request for decision (RFD) from town staff says.
The RFD notes that similar zoning changes have been made in the area, including a change this year that allows a multi-family development with a total of 12 dwelling units.
It was also pointed out that some land parcels to the south on the same block, but fronting on 52nd Street, are already zoned for medium-density residential development.
“Concerns of increasing density encroaching farther into the East Olds ARP area is mitigated by the physical boundary of 48th Avenue, and it would be appropriate to limit similar rezoning applications to only this block of 51st Street,” the RFD says.
“Administration believes that changing preferences for higher density residential development can be accommodated on this block and supports approval of these amendments,” it says.
Municipal planner Kyle Sloan appeared before council during a public hearing to outline the proposed bylaw changes.
“In looking at the history of the evolution of this block and how it’s been redeveloping in recent years, the proposed amendment makes sense, and administration supports approval of it,” he said.
Sloan noted that at one time, the area was virtually all single-family homes but that has been changing over the decades.
