OLDS – Town council has approved three multi-unit housing projects for the community providing a total of 24 units in east Olds.
Council gave the green light for those projects during its May 13 meeting.
Two of those anticipated projects are located right next to each other; a four-plex at 4814 51st St. and an eight-plex at 4812 51st St.
A third proposed project, featuring 12 units, is planned for a piece of property at 4601 47th St., right alongside Highway 2A, across from Olds College.
Three units in that building would have two bedrooms. Nine would contain one bedroom each.
The land for that proposed building looks like a triangle with the point cut off.
CAO Brent Williams told council that because of the shape of that lot, nothing has been built upon it in the 80 years since the subdivision in which it’s located was created.
Lots of discussion was held about parking for tenants of these buildings.
Development officer Shari Edgington noted that in the case of the 12-unit building, the developer asked for “variances” in some town requirements to make the project feasible from their perspective.
In return, Edgington said, that developer has pledged to do things like pave an access from Highway 2A into the alley to the west property line.
The developer also offered to work with the municipality on the provision of walkways and to provide some bicycle racks.
“Being that this is an 80-year-old subdivision and it’s a unique lot, we’ve looked at some flexibility, recognizing historical barriers and respecting the character of existing communities,” she said.
By doing so, she added, “we can achieve a collaborative path forward to stable development in a more prosperous Olds.”
Edgington also noted that the development permit application for this project needs approval from Alberta Highways & Transportation, which may be subject to certain conditions.
In at least the case of the eight-plex, it was agreed that the developer would be required to provide cash in lieu to the Town which would go toward construction of a nearby parking lot to provide parking for tenants.
Several councillors said the municipality may have to call for a cash in lieu or other strategies in the future for other projects to ensure there’s enough parking for people living in such developments.
In the case of the 12-unit building, chief administrative officer Brent Williams and Coun. Dan Daley, a former instructor at Olds College, suggested those suites might be filled with students from that institution, especially students from outside Canada.
Again, some concerns were raised about the availability for tenant parking.
Daley pointed out that Olds College students can obtain parking passes for parking lots on campus.
Mayor Judy Dahl, who also served as Olds mayor in previous terms, said cash in lieu for parking is not a new concept for the town.
“It was very common to use cash in lieu of parking and then it kind of just phased out. But it is very effective; it does work,” she said.
Coun. Heather Ryan said the municipality needs to structure cash in lieu agreements to ensure it has enough money to fund parking lot construction and operation.
“I certainly support densification of housing and affordable, sustainable housing, Coun. Darren Wilson said.
However, he said residents need to know that the town is entering into “a little bit of a paradigm shift” in which access to parking for residents may not be available in quite the same way it has been up until now.
Williams said administrative staff will provide council with a report on the cash-in-lieu for parking in the future.
“The paradigm shift that Coun. Wilson mentioned certainly is happening quicker than we would have thought,” Williams said.
“We’re already in May of 2024 and we’re approving in the dozens of units at the moment, which is positive. But a case-by-case is warranted, certainly in this regard.”
It was also pointed out that this cash-in-lieu-for-parking-lots concept would not necessarily have to be implemented everywhere in town in the future.
Williams assured council that “behind the scenes when we prepare this and as we talk about future developments, we have that context in mind; that we don’t want to get in a situation where residents – or communities – are placed with significant adverse effects because of these.”
Williams told the Albertan he's not sure of any target completion dates for these projects. He noted that all development permits have a a one-year window for completion, with the option to apply for an extension if necessary.
During a previous meeting, council also approved a development permit for an eight-unit apartment at 5129 51st Street with a variance given to driveway width.
