Council advised to permit housing project

After listening to concerns over the increased traffic and dust a new Habitat for Humanity project would bring to a downtown neighbourhood, city staff is recommending council permit the project to proceed anyway.

After listening to concerns over the increased traffic and dust a new Habitat for Humanity project would bring to a downtown neighbourhood, city staff is recommending council permit the project to proceed anyway.

The recommendation for the conditional use application came forward in a public input report at Monday evening’s city council meeting.

“Several residents have shown support for this development as it is close to the amenities and services provided downtown, and encourages alternative forms of transportation, including transit, cycling and walking,” city planner Kinden Kosick noted in
his report to council after addressing the other issues that came up.

“Additionally, this development will provide an affordable ownership option for young families, and will be constructed to very high building efficiency standards.”

During the input session last week, one person brought forward the issues around the traffic and dust, as well as losing the view they have of the Cook Street Park. Another delegate voiced her concern around dust from the increased traffic, but stated her overall support.

The city also received a letter and heard from two residents - including Habitat for Humanity Yukon president Todd Hardy, who is also the area’s MLA - supporting the plan.

The project dubbed the Phoenix Rising is being done through a partnership among Habitat for Humanity, the Yukon Housing Corp. and Yukon College, with the triplex set to be constructed to SuperGreen standards on the site of a former drug house that was ripped down last year.

Access to the three two-storey townhouses would be through the lane at the back of the homes with three parking spots provided - one for each home.

It was argued at last week’s meeting the traffic increase would conflict with pedestrians and children who may be playing in the area and cause more dust to rise from the lane, which isn’t paved.

As it was pointed out in last night’s report though, it was actually the city that first recommended the parking plan.

“The lane can provide access to parking at the rear of the lot, resulting in less traffic on both Wheeler and Cook Street,” Kosick stated as he read the report.

“This would result in safer pedestrian corridors for those using either Cook or Wheeler Street to access the park area. Overall, the construction of a triplex on this lot would not cause a significant increase in traffic compared to the construction of either duplex or single-family housing.”

Had a duplex or single-family home been proposed for the site, it would not have required conditional use approval because neither is a principal use on the lot.

Concerns over the view of the park came out of the reduced setbacks in the front yard.

As Kosick pointed out, however, the front yard setbacks can be reduced to zero if all parking is at the rear of the lot.

“One resident was concerned that allowing reduced front yard setbacks for this development would decrease the visibility of the park area, making it less safe for children playing there,” he noted in the report.

“The proposed development is oriented on the lot such that it faces the park area. This orientation provides three dwelling units that face the park, thus increasing the amount of supervision of the park area.”

While Coun. Florence Roberts voiced her support for the project, she also cited concerns around the amount of yard space residents of the new development would have.

“I really do support this development and I think it’s something that has to happen sooner or later, but I’m just worried about the encroachment,” Roberts said after asking other questions about landscaping.

Kosick and senior planner Mike Ellis responded to her questions. They said the front boulevard could provide a further site for landscaping and the park will also serve as amenity space for residents of the townhouses.

Pointing out that the rights-of-way in the area are wider than most in Whitehorse, at 25 metres, Ellis said about half of that is used for driving while many residents use the other parts on either side to park next to their homes.

“So essentially what you wind up with in the Old Town area is a number of people that park only on city-owned land, that nose-in to their property so the impression that you get is everybody’s parking over their front lawn when in fact it’s publicly-owned land they’re parking on,” Ellis explained.

“So I’m pretty sure the boulevard there is actually quite wide and that would be an option to look at for landscaping on that boulevard instead because the intention is to provide parking off of the lane and not off of the street.”

Coun. Dave Stockdale was the only other council member to address the application. He expressed his support, noting a fire hydrant on the street would prevent people from parking there anyway, leaving it open to landscaping.

He also suggested that even if a duplex was built on the site, it may block the view of the park. Dust, Stockdale said, would also be a reality regardless of the project going ahead.

“I think it’s a good development,” he said.

Council will vote on the conditional use application next week.

Coun. Jan Stick was absent from Monday’s meeting.