On Wednesday, city council denied a variance permit request to reduce the required amount of parking for a proposed six-storey, 125-unit seniors housing development on Foothills Boulevard.
The proposed design for Three Robins Foothills Blvd., to be located at 1177 Foothills Blvd., called for a total of 60 underground and 69 surface parking stalls. The building plan submitted to the city shows a planned mix of 24 one-bedroom units and 101 two-bedroom units, requiring a total of 193.35 parking stalls under city bylaws.
“The subject property is within a transit catchment area however is not within walking distance of daily needs amenities (OCP Policy 8.7.23),” city director of planning and development Deanna Wasnik wrote in a report going to city council. “Should the proposed development include general market housing, the proposed parking variance may inhibit off-street parking and create congestion on site or along Foothills Boulevard. As such, Administration does not support this application.”
City council also received 19 letters and emails opposed to the variance permit, many of which raised concerns about visitors and staff parking on nearby streets because of lack of parking on-site.
In a rationale letter prepared on behalf of developer Peter Wise, consultants from McElhanney Ltd. and EFG Architects Inc. said Three Robins seniors projects in Red Deer and Stoney Plain, Alta. have one parking stall for every unit.
“Our latest parking audit found that approximately 18 (per cent) of our residents do not drive when moving into the property. Every year we see about (four per cent) of our residents turning in their drivers’ licenses,” the consultants wrote. “We feel that approximately 20 plus residents will not be driving in three years.”
The plan also called for a community electric SUV, one mobility scooter and two electric trikes to be located on site for resident use. The Three Robins projects also offer a partnership with a rental car agency and encourage ride-sharing among residents, they wrote.
The developer was also seeking a variance to reduce the project’s set back from Foothills Boulevard by 1.9 metres. In her report, Wasnik said the site has challenging topography and a no-build covenant has been registered on 0.37 hectares of the site.
"I think the scope of the project for that area is too large," Coun. Ron Polillo said.
Polillo said the original building plan called for 65 more parking stalls than the proposed variance.
Mayor Simon Yu, who is a qualified structural engineer, said meeting the parking requirements set out in the city's bylaw could be done, but would likely require a second level of underground parking.
"This has been a difficult issue for me," Coun. Susan Scott said. "There is a critical need for housing for seniors... (but) maybe more work needs to be done."
