Osborne Village neighbourhood plan has teeth

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This article was published 16/11/2015 (3706 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Councillor Jenny Gerbasi didn’t mince words rejecting a development proposal in Osborne Village.

“I find it quite disingenuous to quote the zoning bylaw and say 60 feet would be allowed when clearly we have an Osborne Village neighbourhood plan that overrides the zoning bylaw and that actually shows a disrespect for the neighbourhood plan,” Coun. Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said during a public hearing on Nov. 10.

The plan, which was rejected at the City Centre Community Committee meeting, called for a 55-foot-tall, 36-unit, four-storey rental development on land located at 378 and 384 Wardlaw Ave.

The apartment building required a rezoning from RMF-M (residential multifamily medium density) to RMF-L (residential multifamily large density) to allow for higher occupancy.

If the rezoning and variances were approved, the building would have held double the number of permitted suites for a development on Wardlaw.

The Osborne Village Neighbourhood Plan is a secondary plan that restricts development in the River-Osborne neighbourhood and supersedes Winnipeg’s general development guidelines (OurWinnipeg).

Developers Geoffrey Milnes and Robert Robson appeared at the meeting, represented by Richard Wintrup and Associates, and said the development would allow for more affordable housing units to be constructed in Osborne Village.

“The price of land in the area is going through the roof in that area,” Milnes said. “At the end of the day, sure we can build 15 units, but it’s going to be condos and not apartments, and not at a reasonable rate.”

“It’s becoming a challenge,” he added.

Those who spoke in opposition to the development questioned how the new apartment block would fit in with the existing neighbourhood, citing parking, density, lot size and the potential of setting a precedent for future development on Wardlaw.

“It will overwhelm the residents of Wardlaw,” area resident Arnold Goetz said. “This development is irresponsible.”

“There should be a really great reason to depart from the city planning standards in such a radical way and I don’t think I’ve heard that,” added resident Ainslie Schroeder.

Though she appreciates the intent to provide affordable housing in Osborne Village, Gerbasi said the cost to the neighbourhood was too great to bear.

“We’ve approved a huge amount of density in Osborne Village. I do not feel in any sense that we’ve been overly cautious and afraid to approve and allow a huge amount of increased density,” Gerbasi said.

“I appreciate the comments about wanting to bring more affordable housing in; that is a problem in the city, but not at absolutely any cost in terms of overriding the neighbourhood plan.”

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