EDMONTON – On Monday, 100 letters and a petition with 500 signatures opposed to a particular kind of infill development in Rio Terrance will go to an Edmonton city planner.
Neighbours on each side of the proposed split-lot skinny houses say the infill plan doesn’t suit the area’s design. And, they’ve put up signs making their opinions very public.
Neighbours did receive a notice from the city advising them of an application to subdivide the lot next door, demolishing the existing building and building two single-family residences.
The letter said neighbours have the right to provide written comments on the proposed changes prior to March 22.
However, current residents feel they weren’t given enough time to get a protest together.
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The neighbours on one side of Lot 51 Gordon and Joyce Fuerst said they’d be fine with single-family infill if it fit with the Rio Terrance community design.
The city councillor for the area said he understands people’s concerns, but feels many of them are misinformed.
“These neighbourhoods, while they’re beautiful and they’ve got big lots, they’re not very dense,” Michael Oshry said. “It’s very cost prohibitive for the city to keep growing out and adding new neighbourhoods when there’s lots of locations we could do this.”
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The head of the community league said he’s heard from people on both sides of this debate.
With files from Sarah Kraus, Global News
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