Sylvan Lake residents fighting to keep two proposed fourplex buildings from being built in their neighbourhood are expected to soon learn the fate of their efforts.
Residents living near the proposed 48 Street developments crowded council chambers in the Town’s Municipal Government Building on two separate occasions last week — the second of which was on Wednesday for a Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) hearing.
The application in question was submitted by Hafso Homes Ltd. in April and subsequently approved by the Town’s Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) in June.
It calls for the construction of fourplex units at 4629 and 4633 48 St. near 47 Avenue, with a parcel coverage relaxation for one of the units from 55 to 61 per cent. It also includes the relocation of a 900-square-foot accessory building (garage) and the demolition of other existing buildings.
The developments are proposed discretionary uses within the R2-zoned (medium density residential) district.
In late May, Town staff received 11 responses from adjacent landowners objecting the application. By late June, following MPC’s approval of the application, eight formal appeal letters had been received.
At the appeal hearing, adjacent landowners expressed concerns pertaining to parking, congestion, traffic, privacy and garbage facility accessibility.
“It’s an extremely densely populated area, and it’s medium density — not high density,” said Loretta Hermary, a resident of 48 Street, addressing the SDAB. “If you allow this to happen, you will open up a can of worms you won’t be able to close, and you will see the repetition of these same problems.”
Ches Hafso, president of Hafso Homes, speaking in support of the application, noted that the developer has “had very great respect from neighbouring properties in past situations in both in Red Deer and Lacombe.”
The units proposed, he added, would be “very well managed.”
“They’re nice, nice units, and they attract a very strong and good clientele. They’ll be adding to the neighbourhood, and not detracting in any way.”
The SDAB was to make its decision within seven days, with further time allotted in which to make the decision public.