In a split vote July 23, Rocky View council approved a development plan for the first phase of Bingham Crossing despite the size of a seniors complex doubling from the previously-approved conceptual scheme.
The first phase of Bingham Crossing is an 80-acre commercial, retail and seniors housing development planned to be located in Springbank.
The application was scheduled for council’s consideration July 16, but could not be presented because four of the eight councillors present made an unprecedented vote to not allow the meeting to run past 5 p.m. Councillors Liz Breakey, Kim Magnuson, Margaret Bacheli and Al Sacuta voted to continue the meeting.
Councillor Greg Boehkle was absent.
Reeve Rolly Ashdown said it is “council’s prerogative to go past 5 p.m. or not.”
At the July 23 meeting, which continued until 11 p.m., representatives of the Bingham Crossing development asked for council’s approval of the Master Site Development Plan (MSDP). The plan provided information on several items including building size and dimensions, signage, stormwater, water supply and wastewater management. Subdivision and development permits for the first phase of Bingham Crossing will be based on the MSDP when applied for at a later date.
An administrative report presented to council indicated that the MSDP proposed the seniors’ community - one of the many buildings to be included in the complex – was 185,000 square feet, which was more than twice the surface area approved in the conceptual scheme.
Ashdown said he was in favour of the amended MSDP.
“Adding amenities is always positive,” he said.
“The plan is what it is supposed to be.”
The Bingham Crossing project, to be located kitty-corner to Calaway Park has been met with controversy since the proposal was presented to council in 2010. The original conceptual scheme, which was defeated by council in 2010, proposed the use of two quarter sections.
It was then reduced to one quarter section and included many new items such as a 90,000 square foot seniors’ housing complex, an advanced water treatment facility, spray irrigation technology and a regional trail system.
The conceptual scheme was approved by council in September of last year following a 12-hour public hearing.
Representatives of Rencour Developments Inc., the developer with the project, told council July 23, the expansion of the floor area “was much more appropriate to ensure the success of a seniors’ housing in this location,” but would not affect servicing requirements, unit numbers and unit sizes because the “footprint did not change.”
Mike Coldwell, a consultant with Urban Systems, added the specific plans for units within the housing complex would be submitted at a development permit stage.
The increased space would be to “provide more amenities to improve the comfort of the senior residents,” said Coldwell.
When asked by Solberg whether conceptual schemes were “so prescriptive they had to be followed to the letter,” administration said no.
“We like to align to them as closely as possible. When there are deviations, we give it hard thought. They are concepts and we recognize there are some parameters plus minus around them,” said Senior Planner with Rocky View County Richard Barss.
Bahcheli made a motion to host another public hearing “on the matter of doubling the residential component,” but was defeated, along with Magnuson, in a two-to-eight vote. Councillor Liz Breakey was absent.
“I can’t support (Bhacheli’s) motion because in order to make this a successful seniors’ facility where people actually want to move, the more amenities the better because then people are attracted,” said Councillor Lois Habberfield, adding that she said she didn’t think the change would have any off-site impacts.
The MSDP outlined phase one would also include 270,000 square feet of commercial, office and retail space.
Council made an amendment that no commercial tenant space within a building shall exceed 55,000 square feet to prevent large chain stores.
Council approved the MSDP in a five-three vote.
Sacuta, Magnuson and Bahcheli voted against the motion.
