By Tyler Marr

Rezone request brings questions on future planning

Jul 18, 2017 | 5:22 PM

A proposal to rezone a plot of land along Second Ave. raised questions around long-term city planning during Monday’s meeting.

The request was to designate 210 25th St. W as commercial over its current residential classification. Agenda documents show the home on the property would be renovated and used as office space.

Though not opposed to the motion, Coun. Ted Zurakowski asked about the need for office space in the city. He also wanted council to stay the course on city planning and not take an ad-hoc approach to approvals.

“It just seems to me if we react individually to these on the go forward, what is the rest of our supply within the city look like and what does that say about or planning if we continue to say yes?” Zurakowski asked, feeling office space should be in select designated areas of the city.

Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp agreed with Zurakowski’s statement, adding the city has put plenty of effort into planning.

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She brought up the example of bylaws in the City of Regina that encourage office space downtown. This allows for a greater opportuniy to plan ahead.

“When you use the bylaws to create a plan, you can also do planning around what type of road ways and it keeps a more vibrant downtown,” she added.

Administration understood the councillors concerns, and said in most circumstances, they would be hesitant on the approval. But given the location along Second Avenue, they felt it aligned with future development efforts.

Mayor Greg Dionne agreed.

“It (Second Avenue) is still zoned residential even though, for ten years I have been on council, we have been trying to get Second Avenue all rezoned because it is, at the end of the day, one of our biggest commercial corridors,” he said.

He spoke of Eighth Ave. in Saskatoon which has seen similar conversations of homes along the corridor into office space. “It is another investment in the community,” he added.

Council granted the motion first reading.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr