Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
Friday, March 30, 2007
YELLOWKNIFE - "A car in every garage" used to be the North American standard to which civic planners built communities but not any more, at least as far as Yellowknife city council is concerned.
Council Vote
City council voted in favour Monday of increasing residential density and lifting driveway construction requirements for Phase VII of Niven Lake. Here's what they had to say:
Coun. Lydia Bardak (in support): "I'm not just thinking of the purchasers, I'm thinking of (city) infrastructure. This will save us money."
Coun. Bob Brooks (in support): "This is conditionally-permitted use. Developers don't have to make it multi-attached."
Coun. Paul Falvo (in support): "Nobody says you have to not build a driveway."
Coun. Mark Heyck (in support of driveway amendment but not medium-density, multi-attached homes): "I have a real concern that there won't be a lot of developers out there interested in medium density development."
Coun. Kevin Kennedy (in support): "We should be looking at ways to effectively use this piece of land."
Coun. Dave McCann (in support): "It's not like we're opening the floodgates (for multi-attached homes)."
Coun. Shelagh Montgomery (in support): "Lower density is not environmentally sustainable."
Coun. David Wind (against): "It's opened the possibility for changing the character and intent of this development."
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Council put forward a bylaw Monday night, aiming to encourage the construction of smaller homes with less parking space.
The subject was Phase VII of Niven Lake where approximately two-thirds of the future 70-lot subdivision will be set aside for a new zoning designation - R7. The new zone is one vote away from allowing the construction of homes without driveways and higher density lots with townhouse-type units referred to as multi-attached dwellings.
"We're not going to get people to get rid of their cars, and that's not the intent, but I think it just provides people with a choice," said Coun. Shelagh Montgomery.
"If you don't want those two spaces or just want one or don't want any that should be your choice."
Montgomery said she envisions the same concept applied to Niven Lake Phase VIII when it comes time to develop it.
Current zoning regulations, even for high-density residential developments such as duplexes, require two parking spaces per unit.
Council voted 7-1 on second reading Monday night to relax those regulations for R7. Coun. David Wind was the only one opposed.
"I don't want to require people to have two full parking spaces," said Coun. Kevin Kennedy, who tabled the amendment.
"They could put in a garden instead if they want."
Coun. Dave McCann said the measure would help foster a healthier society by encouraging people to walk rather than drive.
"Phase VII is within a 15-minute walk of downtown," said McCann.
Wind fumed, however, that council was starting to "micro-design" the Niven Lake development scheme.
He said he could see streets cluttered with cars in future because not only was council increasing the density of R7, it was giving developers the green light to scratch driveways off their building plans.
"Now that we're introducing multi-attached dwellings, I can see multi-attached development with no parking," said Wind.
The vote to amend R7 and allow multi-attached units was a little less lopsided.
The draft bylaw currently allows for only detached single-family homes - "monster homes" as some councillors call them - and duplexes.
The new amendment would allow several units on one lot. Coun. Mark Heyck chastised council before voting against the amendment.
He said the demand is for single-family homes, not shared lots.
"I bet if we did a show of hands among councillors to see who lived in a multi-attached home only one here would raise her hand," said Heyck.
"That would be me," said Coun. Lydia Bardak, who voted for the amendment.
The majority of councillors said increasing density in Niven Lake would make for more affordable homes and promote sustainability by reducing energy needs.
Council voted for the amendment 6-2. Heyck and Wind voted against it.
City Hall predicts Phase VII will be ready for development by the fall.
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