Trouble over development proposal

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This article was published 23/03/2022 (1473 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HEADINGLEY

A group of Headingley residents is concerned a development proposal currently being considered by the RM’s council could cause a slew of disruptions to the environment and their day-to-day lives.

Councillors held a meeting on March 8 where members of the public voiced their thoughts on a proposal by Woodstone Design Ltd. to subdivide a 7.4-acre property at 7633 Roblin Blvd. into seven river lots. Nine letters of opposition and one letter of support were filed leading up to the hearing.

Some area residents, including Michael Fishbach, believe that the number of homes is inappropriate for the subject site.

A drawing of the proposed subdivision shows a series of lots — mostly rectangular — that stretch diagonally from the river towards Roblin Boulevard.

Fishbach has been living on Charlesglen Road since 2001. The 36-year-old physician believes seven properties is too much, but that the developer had little choice but to plan accordingly as the owner listed the property for $2.7 million.

“It would have made sense for there to be a public forum for opposition to be introduced by the community and then for the community and the developer to go back to drawing board and come out with a new, revised plan, or maybe for the RM to buy a sliver of land between the developer’s area and the existing homes,” Fishbach said.

The current proposal conforms with the RM’s bylaws, including the mandate that allows for two lots per gross acre density. And more, the province’s community planning branch and Manitoba Infrastructure have found no issues with the proposal, said Ray Muller, the RM’s development officer.

For the development to proceed, council would need to approve the rezoning of the property from RR5 (rural residential zone) to RR1-C (planned unit development).

More homes mean more traffic. The site plan describes a public access road that would stretch west across the subject site from the property line of 125 Charlesglen Rd. Hunter Romas, the 25-year-old grandson of a Charlesglen property owner, is troubled that lot seven’s driveway could run directly behind his family’s yard, levelling trees and brush to make way.

“There wasn’t much care and consideration put upon the existing homes and neighbours who have been there for 30, 40, 50 years,” Romas said, adding that Headingley’s council members did appear to take residents’ concerns seriously at the meeting.

Romas hopes developers — who plan to build and live in homes on lots six and seven — will reconsider the driveway placement.

“I just want to make sure this is done correctly and with respect to everyone in the area,” Romas said.

The subject site, which lies to the north of Breezy Bend Country Club, currently contains one home and five sheds. All on-site structures would be demolished to make way for the new dwellings.

Some residents say the property is home to a dense forest, including a stand of mature tamarack and an orchard, in addition to being a refuge for wildlife in the ever-developing community.

At press time, the RM’s chief administrative officer, Chris Fulsher, said council hadn’t decided upon the future of 7633 Roblin Blvd. Fulsher expects council will make its final vote during its Apr. 12 or 26 meeting.