Rocky View County (RVC) council revised minimum parking requirements for a future commercial building in Langdon by approving an amendment to a direct control bylaw at the junction of Centre Street and Nesbitt Avenue. The amended requirements reduce the number of parking spaces from seven to 3.5 per 100 square metres.
Planner Xin Deng told council during a Jan. 14 public hearing that the applicant – Rick Balbi Architect Ltd. – submitted a development permit application in 2018 to build a Dairy Queen and a two-bay commercial building. The restaurant has since been constructed, but the commercial building remains undeveloped.
In 2019, the applicant submitted an application to expand the approved commercial building, reducing the parking area and causing it to no longer meet minimum requirements.
Councillors including Kevin Hanson and Deputy Reeve Al Schule expressed concerns about the impact on parking and traffic in the area, but were reassured after administration informed them the amendments were generally consistent with the land use bylaw for similar types of uses.
Coun. Kim McKylor, however, remained concerned and cast the sole opposing vote.
“I think there is lots of potential for neighbourhood conflict with parking on the street,” she said.
