Mixed use building top open across from RCMP
New apartments are being proposed for an unexpected part of town.
On Monday, council moved plans forward to a public hearing, that would see two apartment buildings get built on the northwest corner of Clement and Richter, right across the street from the police station.
That site is currently industrial land, and would need to be rezoned as 'mixed use-residential.'
City Planner Adam Cseke says this had always been a consideration, ever since the old BC Tree fruits packing house was torn down.
"There was always intended to be some residential component to this. But as we moved eastwards, it was always meant to be less residential and move towards commercial. And then as soon as you get to Ethel Street, to be purely industrial, in order to mix within the industrial north end area," he said.
Councillor Gail Given was also reassured by planning staff that this wouldn't become a trend.
"I wouldn't want this to be the slippery edge where suddenly, you're starting to get a whole lot of interest throughout all of our industrial lands looking for residential proposals, when in fact that's not our intent," she said.
"What I heard from you is that staff is not likely to support additional residential on this site."
Cseke says back in 2012, the plans for the three subdivided lots between Ethel and Richter had some differences.
"The first (lot) was to include a large brewery, the middle lot was to contain a restored packinghouse, that was repurposed as a commercial market," he said.
"The third western-most lot was to have a commercial and residential mix. Given its adjacency to the city centre, at the time planning staff were supportive."
Staff describe the 148-unit apartment project has a transition between the city centre and increased industrial development along Clement.
