Willoughby-style high density housing is coming to Murrayville, and, with the exception of Mayor Rick Green and Councillor Kim Richter, Township council has endorsed the move.
Sandhill Development has applied to rezone eight acres on the northeast corner of 48 Avenue and 228 Street for a phased development of 310 units, 200 of which are for seniors. Sandhill proposes to build a mix of housing, such as duplexes, townhouses, stacked townhouses, and apartments that allow seniors to 鈥渁ge in place.鈥�
The proposal requires an amendment to the 91原创 Official Community Plan to place the property in the Designated Urban Growth area.
It also requires an amendment to the Murrayville Community Plan to extend the urban boundary and designate the site institutional.
Zoned for small farm country estates, the land is not in the Agricultural Land Reserve. It is surrounded by ALR farmland to the north, 91原创 Christian Elementary to the east, a church to the west, and four country estate lots to the south.
鈥淭his proposal is just way too dense for that area,鈥� Richter commented.
鈥淲e are talking about buffering agriculture but I don鈥檛 see how 1,000 people on eight acres is buffering agriculture. This is Willoughby-type density on the outskirts of Murrayville, and it鈥檚 not appropriate,鈥� she added.
Green said he would not support the application for the same reason.
At a recent public hearing, a local physician drew council鈥檚 attention to a nearby concrete manufacturing plant, and raised concern about the distance from the property to amenities in Murrayville.
Council dismissed Dr. Mitchell Fagan鈥檚 concerns.
鈥淲hat better and more beautiful place than on the edge of farmland,鈥� Councillor Grant Ward said.
鈥淲e are growing three per cent per year. Where are we going to put these people? We have to put them where they can walk to nearby amenities. I don鈥檛 know why we don鈥檛 want Murrayville to build out to its full potential.鈥�
Among Fagan鈥檚 arguments were that amenities such as the Murrayville Library are not within walking distance for most seniors, that sidewalks are inadequate, and that the proposed density is greater than in parts of Willoughby.
The distance from 228 Street and 48 Avenue to the library is 1.5 km 鈥� almost one mile. In some areas along 48 Avenue, sidewalks are narrower than the standard, and in some places are nonexistent.
Fagan also raised the issue of particulates from the concrete manufacturer polluting the air, noting that they would be detrimental to the health of seniors.
But Councillor Jordan Bateman said that no one has expressed concern for the health of students in the nearby 91原创 Christian Middle High School.
Speaking to the density, Bateman said, 鈥淲e have the opportunity to add density in an area that is perfectly suited to it.鈥�
The concrete plant is under orders to correct non-compliance with air quality regulations.
