Concerns voiced at public hearing

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This article was published 17/11/2017 (2892 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A marathon meeting of the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee went well into the night and the next day, starting Nov. 7.

Following an hour addressing reports and approving grants, the public hearing portion of the meeting began between 6:30 and 7 p.m. A pair of zoning agreement amendments were approved before a number of subdivision, zoning, conditional use and variance hearings were held.

“This might be one of my most difficult evenings as a community councillor, starting now,” Coun. Jason Schreyer said at the outset.

The first concerned a proposed housing development on lands owned by the Immanuel United Church at 755 Golspie St. Bob Kenyon, Gordon Gray, and Barbara Myers spoke as proponents of the project, which would see a vacant residential, single family zoned parcel of land to the east the church rezoned to accommodate a multi-family, affordable housing complex. Another 24 people were registered in support.

“After undertaking a feasibility study, the congregation chose to undertake housing development to provide housing for long-term residents of East Kildonan, first hand housing for young people, open the doors of the church to new residents,” Canyon told the committee, adding that affordable housing was needed in the area, and fit the church’s mandate.

The proposed development includes three three-storey buildings comprising a total of 22 townhouse-style units built along Kimberly Avenue to the south, a hydro transmission line corridor to the east, and a public lane to the north.

“There seems to be a war in the area on single family homes,” Glen Simmonds, one of six people registered in opposition to the project. “It’s almost like, to hell with the older areas of the city.”

Concerns were also heard with regard to parking in the area, safety, and what local residents felt was a lack of consultation.

In the end, the hearing was adjourned until the Dec. 12 committee meeting. The applicant was encouraged to do further consultation with area residents, and to provide committee with a copy of a shadow plan, based on the height of the buildings proposed.

Following a heated and lengthy public hearing on Oct. 17, John Wintrup, representing the applicant Richard Wintrup & Associates Ltd., returned to committee for a second public hearing seeking rezoning and variances on a property at 1320 Molson St.

“We listened to a lot of people who live in the neighbourhood,” Wintrup said. “We’ve come back with a number of modifications of plans, based on feedback.”

Wintrup presented a number of changes to the plans presented originally which, he said, aimed to address concerns by reducing height and density, and addressed privacy matters. The revised plans called for a three-storey, 28-unit stacked townhouse style building rather than the original six-storey, 55-unit apartment style building proposed in October.

“We’ve tried to listen to all the concerns of people,” Wintrup added. “This is what we’re bringing forward.”

Sixteen other people were registered in support of the project. However, 28 people were registered in opposition. Once again, concerns were raised about safety, parking, and the height of the buildings, among others.

“I continue to have several concerns with revised submission,” said Dawn Hendricks, one of many Eaglemere residents opposed to the development. “I’m concerned with an increase in vandalism. My family alone has had a single vehicle theft and three vehicle vandalisms to date.”

At the end of the long hearing, the committee approved a multi-family small rezoning, for a maximum of 19 units.

“This is what it comes down to,” Schreyer said. “This is our democratic process at work. I’m grateful that the developer, in respecting the process, wishes to continue to develop in the area based on the decision made today.”

The final public hearings were continued on Nov. 8. A subdivision, rezoning, conditional use and variance on a parcel of land in Transcona, southeast of Ravenhurst Street and Pandora Avenue, bounded by the Perimeter Highway to the east, the CNR line to the south, and the current housing Canterbury Park housing development to the north.

The application had been previously discussed on Sept. 24, and had been laid over at the Oct. 17 meeting. The new development, referred to in planning documents as Canterbury Crossing, includes over 150 single family homes, along with dual and multi-family housing, a place of worship, green space, and public streets.

Susan Russell, of the McGowan Russell Group, addressed the committee on behalf of the developers. Nine other people, including EdgeCorp’s Keith Merkel, were registered in support of the project. Nobody was registered in opposition.

Committee approved the application, following a long list of amendments from the public service. The developers will return to committee for plan approval prior to undertaking construction.

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