Niven appeal fails
City development officer's decision upheld by board on proposed public housing project
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The city's development appeal board has ruled a development officer was correct in allowing a height variance for a four-storey public housing building in the Niven Lake neighbourhood.
The development officer had granted a permit to NWT Housing Corporation to build the 19-unit structure at 120 Moyle Dr.
It stirred an upset, with more than 45 turning out to the hearing by the three-member board held June 18 in council chambers.
Neighbours claimed they would be adversely impacted by the height and design of the building and potential shadows it would cast on their residences.
The proposed structure is in an area zoned for a maximum building height of 15 metres.
Because of the grade of the site, the back side of the structure would be 16.18 metres.
The street side would be closer to 14 metres, below the bylaw threshold.
The development officer had concluded that a shadow study wasn't required, which frustrated neighbours.
The decision issued Friday concludes Jacob Larsen was correct in determining that the height of the building will not interfere with the neighbourhood or affect the use, enjoyment or value of nearby properties.
Rulings of the board are final.
"I'm disappointed," Bryan Manson, who had led the appeal, told Yellowknifer Friday, shortly after reading the ruling.
By upholding the development officers decision, the public housing building can move ahead with construction.
According to Cara Bryant, spokesperson for the housing corp., construction begins as soon as possible with an expected completion in spring of next year.
Manson said hours after he received the decision by e-mail, construction crews were already at the site.
One of the issues residents were concerned about was the impact on parking in the area.
While the finished building will have 19 parking stalls, construction crews have taken up what he estimated to be a dozen parking spaces along the street.
