New subdivision gets approval for next planning stage

Times Reporter     

  

Kevin and Joy Muenchrath received good news at the Oct. 1 council meeting, when council gave third reading to their proposed rezoning of their property. The property, located at 3 Centre Street, is a bit odd shaped, which works perfectly with what the couple has planned. They would like to ideally build 12 condo units, with the plan of keeping one for themselves and one for their special needs daughter. 

“Our plan always was to make this property unique, because we’re planning on staying here. Our intent was always to stay on the property so we would become like the property managers. We would control the environment, keep the green space,” said Kevin. 

“We want to see it beautiful just as much as everybody else.” 

Some of the complaints from adjacent landowners include dealing with snow removal, increased traffic and beautification. 

One couple also stated that by rezoning the property it would not keep in line with the town’s motto ‘where quality of life is a way of life.’

“I love what people are saying about the town, that ‘quality of life is a way of life’ because part of this proposal deals with our family member who is special needs and us forming a plan for her,” said Joy Muenchrath.

The property, which is .6 of an acre, will give enough space for 12 units, with 20 spaces for parking, which meets the guidelines in the newly adopt Land Use Bylaw. In the conceptual drawing the Muenchraths also addressed any snow-removing concerns, highlighting three areas on the property where the snow could be stored. There would be only one entrance/exit, meaning no one would be backing onto the street. 

A Traffic Impact Assessment was taken at Parkwood Crescent. The town’s roadway classification system is based on the Town of Strathmore Master Servicing Study annexation 2006. Centre Street, from Centennial Drive on the north to Archie Klaiber Trail on the South, is classified as a collector roadway. It is intended to accommodate up to 8,000 vehicles per day and collect and distribute traffic between local streets and arterials, said Werner Fischer with the towns planning and development department. 

Local streets by comparison accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles per day. On Sept. 22 and Sept. 23 a traffic count was taken on Centre Street just North of the intersection of Parkwood Crescent the estimated traffic volumes were 1,700 vehicles on the Monday and 2,270 on the Tuesday.  

“The construction of 12 additional dwelling units will add between 78 vehicles per day to 100 vehicles per day to the traffic volumes on Centre Street which has the affect of increasing volumes by 4.46 per cent, assuming that the 12 units will generate the higher vehicle per day,” said Fischer. 

Traffic volumes on Centre are expected to increase as the community continues to grow but it is due to function of the street rather than the development along it.