Arlington recommendations released

City council should consider a low-density development with a range of single- and multiple-family dwellings for 70 Arlington Dr., according to recommendations from a consultant report released Friday.

In the report Populus Community Planning Inc. founder Beth Sanders said a majority of the about 100 residents who attended two roundtable workshops, held on May 3 and 6, prefer a cul-de-sac design for the land, with anywhere from 12 to 28 units. The roundtable sessions were designed to give residents a greater role in creating options for the site of a proposed 58-unit Habitat for Humanity project.

Many of the residents also wanted to see a green space in the middle of the cul-de-sac, large paths along either side leading to Attwood Park and landscape buffers along Arlington Drive.

Sanders said there was a lot of material to work with after the roundtable sessions ended, adding she tried to get as much information as possible from the reports and photographs taken after each workshop. In fact, the photographs were the most important part of the report, she said.

“The photographic evidence allows everyone to see what others did,” she said. “There's just so much information there, this lets everyone take a look at it.”

No surprise

Mayor Nolan Crouse, along with several other councillors and Akinsdale advocates, said the contents of the report were not a surprise. Crouse said he viewed the report as one more piece of evidence that councillors will need when the public hearing for 70 Arlington Dr. reopens on Monday.

“I'm not going to jeopardize the process by making any kind of comment on my opinion,” he said. “I want to preserve the integrity of the public hearings.”

Coun. Roger Lemieux said that while the residents did get a chance to provide input, there is still the issue of how many units are needed for Habitat for Humanity to pursue a legitimately affordable housing project.

Between the costs of land, servicing and building the units, Lemieux expressed concern that a low number of units would make them too expensive.

“It has to be cost affordable and manageable to make it affordable housing,” he said. “If it's affordable, great. I just haven't seen the business plan.”

Lemieux said he was also accused of telling residents at the round tables that less than 24 units would not work as an affordable housing project for the development. He concedes that he does feel that way and wants others to understand his perspective.

“I said it then and I'll say it again: 15 [units] is not going to fly,” he said. “I've been in the building industry a long time, and it just won't work.”

Return land

Gerry Kress, who lives behind the proposed development, said he was glad to see many of his neighbours supported the recommendation to return 10 feet of land to property owners that border the property. That's the distance that lots backing onto 70 Arlington Dr. were shortened due to the nearby green space.

“Our lots should be expanded if it's going to be residential,” he said. “If they had an adequate buffer on the back, then that may be an acceptable alternative.”

Fellow Akinsdale resident Dave Evans said his experience with the charettes involved a discussion with Habitat for Humanity president and CEO Alfred Nikolai about density in the development. Although Evans recognizes the need for affordable housing in the city, he added he didn't want to see it at the expense of the neighbourhood.

“With [58 units], all of a sudden, you're defining the neighbourhood.”

Nikolai said Habitat was pleased residents had a chance to comment on the process, but he still has concerns about how many families his organization will be able to help if the density is lowered.

“Every time you take away one more house, you don't help one more family,” he said. “[The residents] weren't asked to make it affordable.”

The public hearing continues Monday at 5 p.m. Follow it on our live blog.