LDA19-0103 Garneau - The Hive (8630-8650 - 108A Street NW & 8715 - 109 Street NW)

Consultation has concluded

***The discussion has concluded and the What We Heard Report is available.***

Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.

The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined. For more information, please visit these FAQs for Council meetings.


Because of public health issues, the City can't host an in-person Public Engagement Event to share information and collect feedback, as usual. This page is to help you find out information and tell us what you think, instead of having an in-person meeting.

Please watch the video and review the information on this page. Tell us what you think and ask any questions below, before the end of the day on August 26th, 2020.


Rezoning

The proposed rezoning is for two sites. The first, on 109 Street NW, is from a Site Specific Development Control Provision (DC2.528-Area A) to the Low Intensity Business Zone (CB1) with the Main Streets Overlay. The purpose of the CB1 Zone with the Main Streets Overlay is to provide for low intensity commercial, office and service uses that encourage and strengthen the pedestrian-oriented character of Edmonton’s main street commercial areas that are located in proximity to residential and transit-oriented areas, by providing visual interest, transparent storefront displays, and amenities for pedestrians.

The second site, on 108A Street NW, is proposed to change from two Site Specific Development Control Provisions (DC2.128 & DC2.528-Area B) and the Low-Rise Apartment Zone (RA7) to a new Site-Specific Development Control Provision (DC2). The proposed DC2 Provision would allow for a residential high-rise building with the following characteristics:

  • A maximum height of 70 - 75 metres (approximately 22 - 25 storeys);
  • A maximum floor area ratio of 10.0;
  • Up to 271 dwellings (including at least eleven with 3 bedrooms);
  • A tower floor plate of 855 square metres;
  • Townhouse style dwellings at the ground level facing 108A Street NW and the lane to the north; and
  • Underground and enclosed surface parking accessed from the lane to the west.

Plan Amendment

There is an associated application to amend the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) to revise policies and maps that effectively limit development on the 108A Street NW site to 4 storeys Policy 2.2a currently directs high rise development to the north of the rail right-of-way along Saskatchewan Drive only. The proposed amendment would allow a tower to be built on the 108A Street site.

We will use any feedback that you share to make sure our review of the application is as complete as possible, and will also summarize it for City Council so that they know your perspective prior to making a decision.

***The discussion has concluded and the What We Heard Report is available.***

Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.

The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined. For more information, please visit these FAQs for Council meetings.


Because of public health issues, the City can't host an in-person Public Engagement Event to share information and collect feedback, as usual. This page is to help you find out information and tell us what you think, instead of having an in-person meeting.

Please watch the video and review the information on this page. Tell us what you think and ask any questions below, before the end of the day on August 26th, 2020.


Rezoning

The proposed rezoning is for two sites. The first, on 109 Street NW, is from a Site Specific Development Control Provision (DC2.528-Area A) to the Low Intensity Business Zone (CB1) with the Main Streets Overlay. The purpose of the CB1 Zone with the Main Streets Overlay is to provide for low intensity commercial, office and service uses that encourage and strengthen the pedestrian-oriented character of Edmonton’s main street commercial areas that are located in proximity to residential and transit-oriented areas, by providing visual interest, transparent storefront displays, and amenities for pedestrians.

The second site, on 108A Street NW, is proposed to change from two Site Specific Development Control Provisions (DC2.128 & DC2.528-Area B) and the Low-Rise Apartment Zone (RA7) to a new Site-Specific Development Control Provision (DC2). The proposed DC2 Provision would allow for a residential high-rise building with the following characteristics:

  • A maximum height of 70 - 75 metres (approximately 22 - 25 storeys);
  • A maximum floor area ratio of 10.0;
  • Up to 271 dwellings (including at least eleven with 3 bedrooms);
  • A tower floor plate of 855 square metres;
  • Townhouse style dwellings at the ground level facing 108A Street NW and the lane to the north; and
  • Underground and enclosed surface parking accessed from the lane to the west.

Plan Amendment

There is an associated application to amend the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) to revise policies and maps that effectively limit development on the 108A Street NW site to 4 storeys Policy 2.2a currently directs high rise development to the north of the rail right-of-way along Saskatchewan Drive only. The proposed amendment would allow a tower to be built on the 108A Street site.

We will use any feedback that you share to make sure our review of the application is as complete as possible, and will also summarize it for City Council so that they know your perspective prior to making a decision.

Tell us what you think a​bout the application.

Please let us know what you like and what could be better about this application. What should Council know as they decide whether or not to approve the rezoning? Other people that visit this part of the site will be able to see your comments.

Consultation has concluded
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

My comment was deleted when I tried to submit it.

brikro over 3 years ago

Opposed

brikro over 3 years ago

I am a long term resident of Strathcona House and I oppose the Hive proposal for rezoning low-rise site Area B to build the high rise tower immediately on the back of Strathcona House. In addition to many excellent points made by the current residents and unit owners of my building I wanted to consider the effect of scale on the neighbourhood. Consider perspective not from the point of view of a newcomer-developer who believes the city revolves around its mediocre design and tiny parcel of land. Consider the beautiful skyline of Saskatchewan Drive, visible from many vantage points in the city, from downtown to south laying areas of Garneau and Strathcona. The Strathcona House is one of the few beautifully designed and architecturally interesting building Edmonton still has. High rise has to have its vistas and amenities, ability of public to safely approach building by foot or means of transportation, park, walk the kids safely. In high density areas where there are no free lands to build new high rises the positioning of adjacent buildings has to be carefully considered. They would be spaced out, build perpendicularly to one another, staggered. To build the new high rise directly behind a beautiful building such as Strathcona house would be an eyesore and does not make any sense. Don’t cave in just because the developer happens to have its piece of land immediately adjacent to our architectural marvel. That would take away from value and beauty of Strathcona House. Please listen to people who spoke against the development. Please stick with your development plan for the area, it makes sense!

OH over 3 years ago

I am in strong opposition to the proposal to rezone 108A ST site to build The Hive.

My specific areas of concern are:
-Property values of south and north facing units in Strathcona House. The south facing units will have their view blocked and/or significantly impacted by the Hive being constructed in our backyard. This will of course decrease property values of this building’s units, and the North-facing units will be impacted as well because buyers will reference comparable units that are south facing.
-Privacy: units looking onto the potential Hive Site will suffer a loss of privacy in their unit due to their apartment looking directly into the windows of another building
-Noise and safety: there are many elderly people that live in the Strathcona House building that will be negatively impacted by the increased traffic, noise, and likely very young student renters that will reside at the Hive. Make no mistake, this building is posited as a residence for families but it will inevitably turn into student party housing due to its proximity to the University. This will cause noise, partying, and property damage to our building, not to mention safety issues.
-Community vibe: building towers squeezed together is not what Edmonton is about, and it is definitely not what Garneau is about. Tell these developers to go Toronto for that! This building will ruin the eclectic, small town, neighbourly feel of this treasured community.
-Parking: our building and neighbourhood struggles with a shortage of parking as it is, and very tight & congested streets. An additional 270+ living units will only exacerbate the problem.

Please consider the property values, safety, noise levels, community and architectural impact as reasons to reject The Hive proposal.

Owner and long term resident at Strathcona House over 3 years ago

I have previously voiced my opposition to this project for a number of reasons, but have now had a chance to review the Parking and Transportation Impact Assessment. The proposed development will provide only 66 parking stalls for a building of 271 units; in other words 205 units, or more than 75% of residents, will have NO parking available. The Impact Assessment studies showed that on 108A Street "on-street parking was heavily used", and on 86th Avenue "on-street parking utilization was near capacity", and the situation will be made much worse with the removal of the existing parking lot. It is interesting that the Assessment notes that per the previous zoning bylaw, the "Deemed Minimum Parking" was 0.8 spaces per unit, which equates to 217 spaces for a building of 271 units - a far cry from the 66 being proposed. The assumption that there will only be 66 vehicles in this development is pure fantasy. The Impact Assessment quotes a Census indicating that "53% of Garneau residents’ primary mode of transportation from home to work is transit, walking, or biking"; however this does not imply that these residents do not own a car or use a car for purposes other than going to work. Even in the unlikely case that 53% of Hive residents don't own a car, that still leaves 47% that will own a vehicle; 47% of 271 units is 127 vehicles. Where are they to park? Open Option parking may work well for businesses, since providing adequate parking is critical to the success of a business, but it clearly is being abused by the developer in this proposal.

The proposed commercial and visitor parking (23 surface stalls) is also a concern; in my view, it will not provide adequate parking for the businesses on 109 Street, let alone for visitors to such a large residential complex.

Finally, the Transportation Impact Assessment is based on the assumption that very few of the building residents will own or use cars, so the resultant impact is relatively small. In reality, it will likely be much greater; even people who usually commute by bus or bicycle generally own at least one vehicle, therefore the number of trips is grossly underestimated. The alleys and 108A street are narrow, and will be significantly impacted by these additional vehicles. The Impact Assessment observed a great deal of foot traffic, including small children walking to school, and considerable use by commuter cyclists. Adding a large number of private vehicles, in addition to commercial vehicles, construction vehicles, and garbage trucks to this neighbourhood would be disastrous.

I thank you for reviewing and considering the views of affected Garneau residents, and urge you to reject the rezoning application for this project.

AR over 3 years ago

I am really concerned with this proposal and what it will mean to the future of 108 A Street and the neighbourhood. I am also not sure why the city is accepting feedback from people who don't even live in the area. Shouldn't it be up to the people who actually live here? I live on 108 A Street and I have discussed this project at length with my neighbours and we are ALL OPPOSED to it. We would love to see new affordable housing on this lot but one that fits in with the street and character of the neighbourhood, not one that sticks out like a sore thumb. At an open house, this project was promoted for millennials who don't have cars by a Beljan representative. I disagree with this idea because housing should be for a mix of people: some with children, some without, young-old and everything in between. This project doesn't promote that. This area needs more families with children because it is very difficult for this group to find housing here in Garneau. Furthermore, the city needs to encourage families because we have a school nearby that struggles to get enough children. Eleven units out of 271 is a joke. I am also worried about the lack of parking this project has planned for and how it will make our current lack of parking even worse. 108 A Street is a busy street and it will be even busier. How will pedestrians be able to circulate safely when we already have issues with pedestrians walking through a busy alley, especially children walking to school? 108 A Street and the connecting alleys barely have enough room for parking and traffic and delivery or garbage trucks blocking the flow of traffic, how is this going to work with the addition of an enormous high-rise? This proposal doesn't make any sense at all. I am most concerned that the city won't even take into account what residents of this street think. The existing zoning is perfect for the street, low-rise housing is what we need, not this monstrosity.

SB over 3 years ago

it is good to know that we can voice our concerns but I wonder if someone will pay attention to this. I trust that you will
thank you

Alexis over 3 years ago

Areas of Concern: Significant increase in traffic in the vicinity impacting safety of pedestrians and school children and creating more noise pollution and dust over an exteended period, adding to the already high density neighborhood leading to increase in crime, such a high building blocking view and loss of direct sunshine to Strathcona House, depressing property value in the area, wind tunnel effect between buildings, potential for spreading high rise building fire, and not in compliance with the current 109 Street Corridor Area Redevelopment Plan or the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan.

I respectfully request Council to reject this proposal which is purely for the developer's financial gain but brings no positives for the residents in the area. Thank you.

Jeremy over 3 years ago

Please do not build another cement box. I have lived in this area for 32 years and love this community because is family oriented. It was safe for my children to walk to school, safe for playing outside, we know our neighbors and feel that building this high raise towers we will be loosing our sense of community. There is already so much traffic in this area with all the restaurants and business around. People are using our parking lots, our garbage and recycling bins. The thefts have increased a lot. We cannot longer keep our bicycles outside as they keep stealing them.
Such a high building will make our unit much darker. Our children will not be safe playing outside and the list of inconveniences could keep going on and on.....

Alexis over 3 years ago

That is too tall! That changes the whole area. I am a neighbouring resident and that will take away all of my west natural sunlight. We currently have a very busy street on 108A st. There is limited parking that is typically full for the existing residents. This will change my home, the community, and I'm quite worried about the development.

Corbett over 3 years ago

In addition to the concerns voiced by other residents with regards to lighting, space, accessibility and impacts/disturbance caused by construction, I do not support the construction of the Hive as this leads to further intensification and dwelling density in an already density populated location (compared to other neighbourhoods in the City). The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that further dwelling densification may not be the best route to take in terms of future development. Edmonton does not have space issues compared to other densely populated cities, so there is really no need to densify the Garneau area.

On the topic of construction, there are detailed assessments/studies that may potentially prolong the duration and delay the development and add on to the total construction time. Some items to consider are as follows:

1) Geotechnical studies will need to be completed to determine the best suitable foundation for the structure of the Hive, which would likely introduce borehole drilling programs and the associated disturbances of heavy equipment before construction even fully commences.

2) Environmental impact assessments and project reviews may take up to a year to be approved, depending on the backlog that needs to be processed by the City due to the delays with the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, the residents of Strathcona House and nearby dwellings will be subject to the uncertainty and stress of the uncertainty of the whole development project itself.

3) On the topic of environmental assessment, the treed area adjacent to the parking lot being proposed for development of the Hive is home to Ravens (I've seen them several times in the area). Development will certainly require chopping down of existing, mature trees, impacting the neighbourhood willd life and removing green space.

4) Preliminary archaeological assessment may indicate that the area has previously been developed and may not trigger the lengthy approval processes associated with archaeological monitoring; however, if evidence of the local, ancient river valley inhabitants were to be unearthed during construction (which is not improbable seeing as King Richard III's unmarked grave was recently unearthed in a parking lot in England), this will definitely delay the construction period, subjecting residents to a prolonged duration of noise and disturbance. All this time, the south facing residents of Strathcona House will be faced with an open, active construction site, which has safety issues not to mention the fact that it will be visually unappealing and likely to devalue the property values of the Strathcona House units.

5) The area is already restricted in space as it is. Construction crews will require laydown areas. The only laydown area I can see is in the south facing residential parking of Strathcona House or the adjacent residential parking lot of another townhouse property. The only other way is to close down 108a street to make space for the laydown area. This will undoubtedly impact the residential properties located along the street.

6) Existing utilities such as water, power, communications, natural gas etc. currently buried underneath the parking lot intended for the Hive will likely need to be relocated or new connection tie-ins will need to be made for the new building development. This will potentially entail additional power and water shutoffs to the residents of Strathcona Building, nearby businesses and existing residential dwellings. I can't speak for other residents but I already find the occasional water shutoffs in the summer months very inconvenient (particularly during a pandemic), not to mention the issues with not being able to use the tap and flush the toilets during water shutoffs. Imagine having additional shutoffs on top of that due to the development of the Hive.

T_T over 3 years ago

As a resident of Strathcona House since the 1980s, I am 100% opposed to the request to rezone the site on 108A street. This is not in keeping with the Garneau Area Redevelopment Plan objectives which clearly state "To maintain the existing character of the Garneau area" and "To Manage Parking to cause the least disruption to the community". Iit is not fitting with the character the neighbourhood, nor is it a welcome positive addition to our family friendly neighbourhood.
I oppose the building for many reasons, most of which have already been eloquently discussed in the other submissions. I am in support of all the points outlined by the others who are opposed to the rezoning. Those that have provided a positive response do not live in this nieghbourhood and are not personally affected by the proposed high-rise.
A building of this size has no place in this neighbourhood. It’s only access is a dead end street to the east and alleys to the north and west. The narrow west lane is designated as the only access for personal vehicals, service vehicles, moving vans and garbage removal. The dead end street to the east is narrow, with one side of the road always full with parked vehicles. The alley to the north is already in use as the entrance to the underground parking for Strathcona House (80 vehicles), service vehicals, garbage removal which completely blocks the alley, the walkway for children going to school and the railway bike lane. It is a busy and congested area and I am concerned for the safety of those who use this, myself included, both during construction and after an increase of 271 plus residents. There will be times when both alleys will be blocked and this is a safety concern that impacts all of us in the neighbourhood. It is already very difficult to exit from the west alley on to 109th street because of the traffic. The diagrams don’t honestly depict the spacing of this building. Before you make any decisions, I recommend you personally visit this site and see how small the space it for this large building.
The 25 story tower does not meet the transitioning guidelines as outlined in the 2017 Garneau ARP: “the development concept for Garneau complements the existing pattern of development by providing for gradients in height and density. In general, the height and density of land uses in Garneau will decrease from north to south and from west to east.” To quote the developer himself in Venue Magazine May 6, 2019, “.. four- to six-story buildings, very human scale, the top of tree tops is the top of the building. Those buildings really connect with people, and, even when you’re in the building, there’s a relationship between the street and the building. The current zoning guidelines should be adhered to.
A tower of that height is too close to Strathcona house and the Strathcona Housing Co-op. It may meet minimum standards however it will impact all adjacent residents as it substantially blocks the view and sunlight of their units. The sun study minimizes the loss of sun but during our long winters this will be substantial and detrimental to all who live near. There is already a wind tunnel to the south of Strathcona House and having another building so close will increase the velocity of wind through there. This will impact the residents of Strathcona House on the south side as they will have limited use of their balconies. It will not be safe for window cleaners and we certainly don’t want another incident like the one downtown last year where the window cleaners were stranded and hanging from the scaffolding. I understand the wind study for that building did not support the buildings being built so close. I am also concerned about fire safely. There is not sufficient access to this building for a fire engine to quickly arrive on site. Picture this, both alleys in use and blocked, children on their way to school on a windy day and a rapidly developing fire. THIS IS JUST NOT SAFE and will impact all of us.
The city has done much to make this area walkable and bikable which I applaud. It is wonderful to see how many people are out enjoying the summer everywhere. This is so important for everyone’s mental health. But when it comes to doing multiple errands on the weekends and even more so during the long cold winter, the bus service is not adequate to support our needs. It is very hard to get around and do all out errands without a vehicle. The bus may run frequently but it does not connect to other frequent buses. Most people own a vehicle and some residents own two. During the 15 years as a landlord in Strathcona House, ALL my tenants had a vehicle. The need for parking is real and the City of Edmonton’s infrastructure is not yet adequate to support this vision. There is not ‘’ample convenient transportation alternatives to driving readily available”.
While I understand the city wants to increase it’s population and it’s tax base, it does not make sense to densify in an already high density neighbourhood. The number 9 bus runs from Southgate to the north of Edmonton. There are plenty of other locations along this route that are not high in density that would be a suitable place for a contractor to build. I would like to ditto another suggestion that the old airport site beside NAIT, where LRT and multiple transit options already exist, is a great location to build. Edmonton is a large city and there are many other options to increase the density than putting a large building a small space in an already high density neighbourhood.
I hope you will consider the well thought out opinions of those who have lived in this neighbourhood for years, over the proposal of the developer. This is not right for this neighbourhod. Please do the right thing and listen to the submissions of the people who are passionate about the neighbourhood we live in.

EA over 3 years ago

I’m a 30 year resident of the Strathcona/ Garneau community and I strongly oppose the rezoning of these properties.
Please reject this application for rezoning!!!

tcstrathcona over 3 years ago

"Tell us what you think a​bout the application." I truly hope that whoever reads these comments from the City and the Developer take them seriously and proceed accordingly.

"Please let us know what you like and what could be better about this application." There is absolutely nothing I like about this application and the only thing that could be better is if it were never entertained in the first place. "What could be better" is if Council does the right thing and rejects the re-zoning application.

"What should Council know as they decide whether or not to approve the rezoning?" What they should know is that their decision is going to have a life-changing impact on the lives of the existing residents of this area, myself included as a long-term resident and owner. I have actually lost sleep over this proposal and the potential ramifications are just too much to process. Parking, traffic, wind, sunlight, infrastructure, and over-all enjoyment of the neighbourhood are all important issues that warrant rejection of this proposal.

Just as south facing Strathcona House residents would lose their light and privacy, new Hive north facing residents would share the same fate. Who is going to invest in a unit like that in either building?! We are not New York City or Hong Kong that are so short on land and have such a large population that they have no choice but to build in such a manner. This project just makes no sense for this location.

I had a chance to review the Parking and Transportation Impact Assessment, and I have to say it is so beyond naive and biased that it's not even worth consideration.

I can see no valid reason to allow this development as proposed. Please let your conscience and sense of community guide your decision. Thank-you,

MD over 3 years ago

I am a resident of Strathcona House and oppose this rezoning application for many of the same reasons already articulated. The site is suitable for a four-storey family-oriented development, but a high-rise would create congestion that the area simply cannot handle, not to mention create safety issues for children attending nearby Garneau School. Hive residents approaching from the north undoubtedly would cut through the adjacent Strathcona House parking lot, which is a burden those residents should not have to bear. Is another high-rise really warranted in the area at this time? Please reject this rezoning application. Thank you.

Dennis Merrell over 3 years ago

I have lived in the Garneau / Old Strathcona area for over thirty years. I am adamantly against approving of this project for the following reasons:

A. Blatant daylight robbery

The proposed building could not be better designed to rob the daylight from 95 homes equal to roughly 190 people who live north of the proposed construction; plunging them into perpetual twilight. Many of these residents are seniors and students. No other high rise along Saskatchewan Drive shadows on individual’s residence, but this application proposes changing the City’s own approved area development plans to the detriment of present residents for the benefit of a single developer.

While I can appreciate City Counsel’s salivating over the potential of taxing 271 residential units instead of just 5 lots, it should understand that it is wiping out the value, and the tax values, of the 95 existing residences whose daylight will be stolen.

B. Overloading Sewage infrastructure

The proposed development will place, at the least, an additional 450 individuals in 271 residences into one of the highest density areas of Edmonton. An area wherein the sewage lines were designed for single family houses, date back to the early 1900s, and where some lines are still wooden stave pipes.

In no other area of the city would City Council presume to add 271 residences onto aging, overburdened, and failing infrastructure. Yet for some reason City Council continues to add literally hundreds of new residences to the Old Strathcona / Garneau areas; without spending a fraction of the millions of dollars it collects in taxes on a one hundred-and-twenty-year-old infrastructure. Were City Council deliberately trying to plan a future slum, they couldn’t do more.

C. Overloading Power Infrastructure

Everything that has been said about the sewage infrastructure can be said for the power distribution structure. Even when the City owned Epcor, no significant upgrades or improvements were performed in order to accommodate the areas’ shifts from single family homes to a predominance of multi-unit residential buildings. More and more residences were loaded onto a system intended for single family homes; onto an aging, overburdened, and failing infrastructure.

City Council’s attitude seems to be to just keep loading the infrastructure systems and when they collapse completely – well by then it will be the problem for a different group of councillors.

D. Population Density

Unless it is City Council’s (unpublished) intention to turn the Garneau / Old Strathcona area into a region with population density of Tokyo, Hong Kong or Mumbai, then it has to determine when it will stop loading the area with high rises. Three new high rises have been, or are being, built along Whyte Avenue; with the resulting perpetual twilight on the north side of the street. Numerous low-rise multi-unit residential buildings have been, or are being, built in the last few years. Is there no limit to the population density City Council will approve? Or is it just that there is no limit to developer fees City Council will accept?

E. Transportation

Notwithstanding City Council’s desire to turn Edmonton into Amsterdam (a sub-artic city into a sub-oceanic city warmed by the Atlantic Ocean) the majority of residents in the Garneau / Old Strathcona area will not be biking or walking during our sub-artic winters; no matter how determined the current City Council is to force them to do so.

Loading 271 more residences and their vehicle onto an already exclusively multi-unit residential block that sits essentially at the corner of 109 Street and Saskatchewan Drive, where the south end of the High Level Bridge meets the roads to the University of Alberta, Kinsmen Field House, and Saskatchewan Drive eastbound, would be an act of transport insanity. This area is already in gridlock for three hours each morning going north and for three hours each evening going south.

I urge City Council to forego the developer’s fees, have a little mercy for the residents of Garneau / Old Strathcona, respect their own area development plan, and deny this application

Beaner1 over 3 years ago

I think it is a bad idea to rezone this area to allow for a 22 story residential highrise. 108a street is a quiet and narrow street and the intersection at 86 avenue and 108a street is also a low traffic area. In short the increase in traffic would be terrible as a result of this building and the nearby streets would not be able to accomodate it. In addition the entrance off 109 Avenue is now and would continue to be a very awkward area to navigate even if they demolished the restaurant that is currently on 109 Avenue. Please go and see the area as it is currently, you will see that there is simply no way to place a building of that size in a way that makes sense given that the area is currently an alleyway.

I oppose this rezoning application. A smaller building, one that is 7 stories or smaller would fit the neighbourhood much better.

Matthew over 3 years ago

Removed by moderator.

Todd Olson over 3 years ago

To whom it may concern.

As a Resident / owner of Strathcona House 10883 saskatchewan dr nw I'm concerned with and objecting to the rezoning of the 8715 109 st property for the following reasons.

1) The rezoning doesn't provide adequate Parking facilities to accommodate the proposed size of the building, Residential parking is inadequate to absorb the excess amount of Vehicles to the neighbourhood which is already close to it's max capacity.

2) current property values to investors / owners and surrounding the area have already devalued as the University has saturated the Housing Market.
a) Nipisiy Hall
b) Peter Laugheed Hall
c) Thelma Chalifloux Hall
Built within the last three years totalling 869 new residences.
This new development adds and additional 271 units to the current market.

The hight of the proposed building further devalues our property at a hight of 71 meters which limits the sun exposure an view we have A vested interest in.

3) a) Parking access at Strathcona House on the south side with approx. 80 plus stalls including underground access may be limited or blocked during construction for an extended period of time. Also blocking emergency vehicles to the back ally which allows access to the fire hydrant on 108 A St

b) Our building is close to the River Valley hill along Saskatchewan dr nw and extensive ground disturbances from nearby construction can cause damage to our foundation.

Quote : Article link included

"These new foundation systems are often much deeper than the foundations of previous structures as well as those of neighboring properties. As a result, construction activities require the excavation of deep pits, often with vertical faces. Damage to adjacent properties can result throughout this process from inadequately shored excavation walls, or from vibrations due to demolition, excavation, or pile driving activities"


In both cases Compensation should be considered should damage to our foundation and or loss of access to the Building amenities including Garbage removal in the rear south side of the building are a result of this new rezoning process and development

Please review the below article.

https://www.robsonforensic.com/articles/structural-damage-vibration-adjacent-construction-expert

Thanks for your consideration.

Todd Olson

Todd Olson over 3 years ago

While I did briefly review the "Parking and Transportation Impact Assessment - the Hive" that concludes "The Hive will have minor impacts on the operation and motor vehicle capacity of the adjacent streets that provide access to the site[...]", I do have concerns about traffic.

Building that many new residential units seems ill-advised. Traffic is already relatively heavy in the area, particularly in the mornings and evenings (rush hour), and parking is very limited for current residents' visitors. (I previously visited a resident in this area regularly, and have lived here for some months now).

I cannot imagine how the area's streets could support that many new residential units. I echo another individual (Annika) and note that access to Strathcona House is already quite tight, with vehicles parked along roads to access it from the south and east -- again, the Hive would only further stress the congested area, even with adequate parking provided for Hive residents by the Hive.

The traffic noise in the area has already led me to look into residing elsewhere.

AR over 3 years ago