City council is committed to seeing affordable housing built on a vacant parcel of land in Akinsdale and it would take a lot of momentum to change that, said Mayor Nolan Crouse.
On Wednesday council voted to begin a public consultation process to decide what should be built on the controversial site at 70 Arlington Dr. Council spent the last week hearing from dozens of citizens with concerns about a 58-unit townhouse proposal by Habitat for Humanity and its partner Apollo Developments.
In the end, council agreed with residents that there hadn't been enough public input but unanimously voted to pursue some form of affordable housing in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
"Seven members of council have tipped their hand on which way they're heading," Crouse said. "While the public hearing is [still] open, it's going to take a tremendous amount of momentum to turn us away from continuing on."
The city will hire an external expert to establish a series of two or three "round table" sessions that will allow members of the public to help devise a project that Habitat for Humanity can build.
Several project opponents commented during the public hearing that they'd be willing to help find a workable solution, prompting Crouse to suggest the round table idea.
"I believe the residents in the city and in particular those most affected in Akinsdale are prepared to work with somebody," Crouse said.
The round table process is to provide council with recommendations by May 15.
Citizen reaction to the decision was mostly positive.
"I think we can up with a reasonable development that provides a solution for affordable housing," said Randy Hughes, whose property backs onto the proposed site.
Habitat for Humanity CEO Alfred Nikolai said he's willing to work with residents but thinks they will realize that servicing costs require density above R3 guidelines for the homes to be affordable.
"I think we had a good proposal but if the citizens of St. Albert can involve us with a better proposal we will be right there with them," Nikolai said. "But we have tried very hard to find a better solution and that was the best that we could come up with."
Coun. James Burrows felt the round table idea made sense, given that so many residents have said they aren't opposed to Habitat for Humanity but also feel they haven't been heard.
"I think this is what Akinsdale residents are looking for and, ultimately, I think this is the solution for 70 Arlington," he said.
Coun. Carol Watamaniuk agreed, saying residents have told her over and over that they just want some input.
"In keeping with the St. Albert spirit, we want neighbours to welcome neighbours, that's what community is all about and I think this will help move us towards that," she said.
Akinsdale resident Gerry Kress, who's been an outspoken critic of the proposed development and the process used to achieve it, was glad to hear that residents would have more input, but was disappointed that the scope of discussion will be limited to affordable housing.
"I think what would have been best is to start over from square one," Kress said.
"It's not that I'm against affordable housing, it's just that the proper process would be to leave it open and have the community have their input on what they think the site should be used for."
There appears to be little hope for those that want the land designated a park.
"There will be something built there," said Coun. Roger Lemieux. "Will it be 58 units? I doubt it very much. Will it be 42? Very good possibility."
Crouse said he's "very confident" the round tables will produce a workable solution, but if not, council will use its direct control powers to decide what's acceptable.
Direct control
The decision to engage residents came after council passed first reading of a change to the municipal development plan to re-designate 70 Arlington as residential. Council then passed first reading of a motion to change the land use to direct control, which allows council to decide what gets built, rather than having the project subject to a zoning designation with established criteria.
These changes signal that council is committed to putting residential on the property, but won't be final until they pass third reading, which won't happen until the public hearing wraps up sometime after May 15.
The process cleared another hurdle Friday when the Capital Region Board ruled that it wouldn't stand in the way of St. Albert amending its municipal development plan.
