The Riverview area was front and centre at North Battleford council Monday as several residents expressed concern about a couple of proposed developments there.
Separate proposals for a craft brewery and tavern-restaurant at the old Battlefords Trade and Education Centre building, as well as the proposal to redevelop the nearby Vida McDonald Centre into eight apartment units, were met with opposition.
Concerns about safety, increased traffic and parking were expressed with respect to both developments. But no final decisions have been made on either proposal, with both returning to council for more deliberations later this month.
With respect to the craft brewery proposal, a public hearing was held at the start of the meeting on a proposed bylaw amendment to rezone the old BTEC building at 702 - 102nd St. The bylaw amendment, which must still come back for second reading at the next council meeting, would rezone the property from R2 - Low Density Residential to C2 - Neighbourhood Commercial, and added the definition of “tavern” to discretionary uses.
But four members of the public voiced opposition to the proposed use at the public meeting.
One resident, Karen Richardson, said there was not a concern about a micro brewery, it was adding the “tavern” that was her concern.
Richardson expressed concerns about her safety walking down the street with a tavern being there. She added there was “nothing that really can be done to ensure indefinitely that the tavern will remain under the same management or even in that same location.”
Richardson wondered what protection there was from someone coming in later on and turning that property into a “sleazy bar.” She questioned the idea of putting a tavern into a residential area.
Others raised the same concern about putting a “bar into a residential neighbourhood,” with one saying the crime rate would go up.
Another resident pointed out there had been a stabbing just a couple of weeks before in a similar establishment.
There was also concern expressed there would be a negative impact on property values. Members of administration tried to address the questions raised.
Director of planning Jennifer Niesink said it appeared there should be more than enough parking for the site. As for property values, City Manager Jim Puffalt said there were instances where a repurposed building could actually bring value to a neighbourhood.
The zoning issue will return to council for bylaw second reading March 27. City councillor Len Taylor wanted to hear additional information about the micro-brewery proposal at that time.
“I don’t feel I have enough information from the proponents with respect to the operation of a tavern,” said Taylor. Puffalt also pledged additional information on the other issues, including parking.
With respect to the apartment development, a discretionary land use application was before council for the proposed development. Arm Properties 2 Ltd. had put in an offer for the Vida McDonald Centre with plans to redevelop it into eight units, with separate access to the outside for each one, as well as two parking stalls each.
According to Niesink, seven units would be two-bedroom and one will be three-bedroom; the units would also be wheelchair-accessible.
Administration had recommended going ahead with the discretionary use approval. But like the tavern proposal, the city received several letters in opposition to the proposed development in Riverview.
Cited were concerns about increased traffic, reduced safety, and a negative impact to property values. One response, signed by nine individuals, questioned the need for more apartments, pointing to Canada Mortgage and House Corporation numbers that estimated the vacancy rate in North Battleford at above 10 per cent.
Administration expressed the belief, however, that property values might actually increase, with Puffalt pointing to the alternative of an empty building sitting at the location. “There’s potential it could actually enhance the value,” said Puffalt.
Councillor Kelli Hawtin asked if administration had any dialogue at all with those who had sent letters. “Has there been any discussion from administration?” she asked.
Puffalt suggested staff meet with the affected property owners to address their concerns, and then share all the information back to council.
Taylor also wanted more information on vacancy rates in the Battlefords from North Battleford Housing Authority.
“Two or three bedroom apartments have been a huge issue in the Battlefords for a long time,” said Taylor, referring to a shortage in that particular area.
In the end, council agreed to table the discretionary use resolution to the next council meeting.
Councillor Kent Lindgren was comfortable with deferring the decision, “just because there has been a response from the community, and it’s important in that situation to engage with people who’ve engaged with us.”
While the two Riverview proposals both saw considerable concerns from the public, a third proposed project in the Parsons Industrial Park area drew far less opposition.
A public hearing was held on a zoning bylaw amendment to add “medical marijuana facility” to the Heavy Industrial District M2 Table 6-16 as a commercial and industrial use in that zone. No opposition, either written or in person, was expressed at the public hearing Monday.
The amendment is in connection to a proposal to convert the former Maple Leaf Foods plant on Canola Ave. into a facility to produce medicinal marijuana.
The next step is for the bylaw amendment to return to council for second reading and likely final approval March 27.
