A new subdivision in Airdrie’s southeast will feature a blend of single and multi-family homes as well as a fresh water lake, a school and green space. The Neighbourhood Structure Plan (NSP) for stage one of Lanark Lake was unanimously approved by City council at its meeting Nov. 3.
Lanark Lake is being developed by Melcor Developments Ltd. east of the existing community of King’s Heights and south of Ravenswood. The proposed community included in stage one of the project sits on 164.52 acres and would include 1,218 planned residential units at a density of 7.4 units per acre.
Senior Planner Stephen Utz told council extra care had been taken to ensure the new development would integrate well into the environment and with other surrounding neighbourhoods.
Before taking the vote to approve the NSP, Alderman Ron Chapman said he was concerned the development of a new neighbourhood, home to potentially 3,288 inhabitants, would result in increased traffic on the already stressed Yankee Valley Boulevard and the off ramp from northbound Highway 2.
“Everything looks great but I have a serious, serious concern about traffic down there,” Chapman said. “I still can’t see how that traffic is going to get to the highway without causing backups. I see traffic down there now. That’s a lot more houses. Where are they going to go?”
According to Utz, the City has conducted a traffic impact assessment and hired a consultant to look at traffic issues in the area.
In speaking about the results of the assessment, Utz said, “you can develop 100 per cent of King’s Heights and 100 per cent of Ravenswood and 75 per cent of Lanark before you reach a point where we don’t have an acceptable level of service.”
Utz added one way traffic in the area can be handled in advance of a new interchange at 40th Avenue, is for motorists to use Range Road 292 to Highway 566 and then onto Highway 2.
Alan Boucher, assistant development manager – Calgary region, Community Development Division with Melcor told council the company would front end the completion of the extension of 40th Avenue from Lanark stage one to Range Road 292 once 25 per cent of the community had been built.
Lorne Stevens, director of Community Infrastructure with the City said administration has been in discussions with the Province to widen the off ramp from Highway 2 onto Yankee Valley Boulevard. Stevens could not say when that work might take place, but he was hopeful it would help to alleviate some of the traffic issues in Airdrie’s south during the evening rush hour.
Boucher told council the new subdivision has been carefully planned to be a place residents can live for many years.
“It’s important for us to have a vision for what we’d like to achieve with Lanark to serve as a clear guide for implementation. With that in mind, Lanark is not so much about building a community; it’s really about community building,” he said.
“Melcor envisions Lanark as an inclusive community that appeals to wide range of demographics and lifestyles, a community that fosters a safe and healthy place for families and individuals to live and grow through all stages of life.”
