City council agreed with a staff recommendation to require sidewalks and underground wiring in a new industrial development in the Hart.
The proponents behind the Monterey Road subdivision, the Matte Bros., argued that the project was an infill development and that sidewalks and buried electrical wires would be out of place.
Planning staff recommended council deny the application since the official community plan identifies a pedestrian network between the Hart highway and Monterey Road intersection and the Valleyview neighbourhood. Underground wiring in light industrial areas has been part of the city bylaws since 2007 and the subject property is on a greenfield site, said staff.
Former L&M Engineering president David McWalter, speaking on behalf of the developer, said the site wasn't a greenfield, but part of a multi-phase development.
"This subdivision is a place where sidewalks are redundant," McWalter said.
Calling the site a continuation of a prior development is a stretch, said planning director Ian Wells.
"It was 1982, 32 years ago, when this subdivision was registered," Wells said. "Their services aren't in, so it is a greenfield. They don't have water and sewer throughout the subdivision. They are using the land through a land lease, which is allowed under the zoning, to store trailers on but it is a greenfield development."
During the public hearing on the application, realtor Harry Backlin spoke in favour of the staff recommendation, noting his client Henry Rempel was required to intall sidewalks at his Boundary Road light industrial development.
"If this is the rule, that this city is requiring for sidewalks whether there are people to use the sidewalk or not, today, tomorrow, it's irrelevant. That's the rule," said Backlin. "You need sidewalks, you put them in."
The applicant noted there were 13 development variance permit applications to waive sidewalks brought to council between 2010 and 2014 and that they were all unanimously approved.
A pedestrian count by L&M Engineering indicated there is low pedestrian activity in the Monterey Road and Hartway Drive area. Twenty hours of counting in June yielded a total of two pedestrians observed.
Jillian Merrick also spoke in favour of the staff recommendation, saying there would also be a pedestrian requirement.
"The failure of businesses, developers, council and staff in the past to push forward these types of developments is not a good excuse for continuing to do it today," Merrick said.
