Two city councillors have strayed from their regular duties to investigate sunlight complaints about a proposed downtown development themselves.

Councillors Jan Stick and Florence Roberts took a walk down to Wheeler Street on a sunny day to check out neighbour complaints that a proposed two-storey triplex would block sunlight.

"The shadows went right out onto Eighth Avenue. That's close to the clay cliffs, and they make a loss of sun as well," Stick said at Monday evening's standing committee meeting. She said from what she and Roberts observed, a triplex would not adversely affect already limited amounts of sunlight streaming into the neighbourhood.

At a public hearing held last week, a number of neighbours of the proposed 802 Wheeler St. triplex raised concerns. Complaints were largely based on the triplex's "modern" appearance, with many saying it wouldn't fit in with Old Town, where most houses are older, single-family dwellings.

"We walked up every street and alley way and found the housing was very diverse," said Stick. "There were many buildings with seven or eight units, and some of those buildings are quite tall."

There are currently two buildings on the lot, which are set to be demolished. Neighbours appearing at last week's meeting said the vacant homes are often broken into and used by "crack heads."

Four people spoke in opposition to the development, along with three letters the city received. Two more letters received supporting the development and two people spoke at the meeting in favour of the development.

"Downtown buildings show a wide range of styles and this diversity is potentially the most significant element of style in old town," said city planner Zoe Morrison, reading from a report. "Although some residents do not like the proposed design, it was selected by the proponent who believes it will be an attractive development."

Morrison said the proponents, David MacLellan and Barbara Adam, could develop a building with two units that looks exactly the same and built to the same size, and no conditional approval from council would be necessary.

"The same building with only two families living in it is legal?" asked Coun. Dave Austin, to which Morrison replied "yes."

Under the RM-residential Multiple Housing zoning, any development with more than three units requires council's approval.

"This is only before us because it's a three-plex," said Stick. She said judging a development based on the way it looks is neither fair nor appropriate.

"The city has no design standards set," said Coun. Jeanine Myhre. "We shouldn't decide based on how it looks."

Coun. Dave Stockdale disagreed. He said if neighbours strongly feel the development is undesirable and would infringe on their enjoyment of their neighbourhood, council needs to equally weigh their opinion.

"Does the proponents' opinion matter more than the neighbours?" he asked. "I'm not fully convinced I'll be supporting this."

The conditional approval debate will continue at 7:30 p.m. at next Monday's city council meeting.