Coaldale residents speak out against proposed rezoning

Sunny South News Photo by Kristine Jean. SAVE OUR COMMUNITY: Coaldale’s Our Community, a newly-formed local organization, is urging town residents to share their voice on a proposed rezoning of a vacant lot at 1511 21 Ave in Coaldale. So far, more than 100 letters opposing the proposed rezoning have been submitted. A public hearing, prior to second reading of Bylaw 940-P-05-26, is scheduled for July 20 at 5 p.m. in the Town’s council chambers. For more information on the letter-writing campaign, visit www.coaldaleisourcommunity.com

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

More than 100 Coaldale residents are speaking out against the proposed rezoning of a vacant lot near the centre of town. 

According to a newly-formed organization, Coaldale’s Our Community, a growing number of Coaldale residents are speaking out against a proposed rezoning application that would rezone a vacant parcel of land from its current Residential R1A to Direct Control DC, to accommodate future development.  

The vacant lot is located at 1511 21 Ave. and could see an eight unit apartment style development built in an established, single-family residential neighbourhood.  

“How is that fair that you buy in an area that is already zoned R1A and then council goes through and changes that,” said Adam Parker, spokesperson for Coaldale’s Our Community. “The precedent is going to be set with this being built here (for similar developments across Coaldale) and people would not trust so much to put their investment in Coaldale I think, because of that.” 

The group is a grassroots organization of local residents committed to encouraging respectful civic participation and advocating for thoughtful planning decisions that protect the character, livability, and long-term future of Coaldale’s neighbourhoods.

Concerns have been raised about the proposed development that include increased density, parking pressures, traffic impacts, privacy, reduced setbacks, and the potential precedent that could be established if Direct Control zoning is approved for the project.

“The problem is that a precedent would be set that suddenly now, we have eightplexes being built in our community,” said Parker, adding that residents in other parts of town have expressed concerns over the possibility of future rezonings, to Direct Control in other areas of Coaldale that could be close to their homes as well.    

Since learning about the proposed rezoning, following the May 19 Town of Coaldale regular council meeting where council passed first reading of Bylaw 940-P-05-26, an amendment to the Land Use Bylaw, organizers with Coaldale’s Our Community have been urging residents to make their voices heard.  

“(Others also feel) they don’t want to see an eightplex in this community,” said Parker, noting a community-led letter-writing campaign that’s generated more than 100 letters opposing the proposed rezoning. That strong response demonstrates how deeply residents care about the future of their neighbourhoods, he noted.  

“This level of engagement shows that people are paying attention,” he said.  “Residents are taking the time to write letters because they care about preserving the character of Coaldale and ensuring growth is planned responsibly.” 

Parker stressed that their beef isn’t with the Town or council, but with the people who are developing the vacant lot, and said the group’s members are not against growth or housing development in Coaldale, but are advocating for smart growth — development that aligns with long-term planning objectives, respects existing neighbourhoods, and is located in areas designed to accommodate higher density.

The use of smart growth is part of the Town plan for Malloy Landing and the Canals areas, noted Parker, where the Town has designated high density, medium density and low density housing, via the Town’s Area Structure Plan (ASP).    

“There’s plenty of opportunity for these proponents that could have just bought land over there that was already zoned for high density,” he said. “They could have bought over there and built it without this trouble, without disrupting established neighbourhoods.” 

The Town of Coaldale’s agenda package for the May 19 regular council meeting shared some details of the proposed development, stating it is “a modest, low-rise multi-family apartment” on a double vacant lot within an established residential neighbourhood. It also noted “the intention from the applicant is to develop housing similar to what they currently own and manage two blocks away, that has proven to fit well into the neighbourhood, accommodate additional parking and has provided the community with much needed affordable multi-family housing.” 

Parker said a low-rise building could be between one to four stories and added this proposed development is supposed to be two stories – if they can have the required setbacks ignored. 

The vacant lot used to house a family home that sat empty for years, and was eventually torn down after a fire. Parker said many in the area want to see a family home back on the lot. 

“The other side of the coin is if this gets rezoned, then what other lot can they rezone to put fourplexes on and sixplexes on,” he said. “Over here, in established neighbourhoods, all we’re asking for is it to remain R1A because it’s part of our investment, and our investment in the community was that this was going to be an R1A.” 

A public hearing is scheduled for July 20 at 5 p.m. in the Town of Coaldale council chambers. Anyone wishing to add their voice to Coaldale’s Our Community letter-writing campaign, can submit a letter online to the organization’s website at http://www.coaldaleisourcommunity.com. Those residents who wish to have their comments included in the official Council agenda package for the July 20 public hearing are encouraged to submit their letters before July 5.