REGINA – The City Planning Commission is reviewing a building proposal in the Cathedral neighbourhood at the corner of 13th Avenue and Elphinstone Street.
The development would be a mix-use building, meaning local shops on the ground floor and 29 apartment units on the above three floors.
It will also include a 31-stall parking lot. The lot, however, will require the teardown of a century old home, located at 2064 Elphinstone Street.
“We’ve never approved tearing down a house for a parking lot. We won’t do that.”
“There’s a Cathedral neighbourhood plan that talks about how the zoning in cathedral should be and this falls outside the plan”, Cathedral Area Neighbourhood Association’s Fred Clipsham explained.
On that same fence is Cathedral resident Barbara Kahan whose lived in the area for over 30 years.
It’s a neighbourhood she wants to protect.
“We feel that height is just way out of scale for the neighbourhood. It’s going to really dwarf the neighbouring houses and buildings”, Kahan said.
However, around the block, the opinion was mixed.
The City of Regina received 79 public comments, with concerns ranging from aesthetics and height to increased traffic near a school.
READ MORE: http://globalnews.ca/news/2223005/city-seeks-public-opinion-on-cathedral-neighbourhood-development/
City staff said the plan will require a minor change in zoning.
“We as administration supported the application for Official Community plan change that was renewable. It offers renewable and rehabilitation of existing property,” City of Regina’s Development Services City Planner Punya Marahatta.
The planning commission continued meetings Wednesday. Any decisions will be forwarded to city council for further review.