The city will sign off on a development agreement for a planned six-plex on Centennial Street, but the rezoning is still in question.

"The rezoning is not a slam-dunk,” Coun. Betty Irwin said Wednesday.

She spoke after voting with the rest of council in favour of the development agreement for 1204 Centennial St., at the corner of 12th Avenue, at Tuesday evening's council meeting.

Council had put off second and third readings of a rezoning bylaw that would see the site move from a single-detached zone to multi-family after the proposed development raised the ire of neighbours.

Instead, it opted to get the development agreement done first in order to have restrictions on the property designed to help address the concerns of nearby residents.

One neighbour, however, says the pact the city has decided to sign is not a development agreement at all.

"There's some guidelines, but no development agreement,” Cam Kos said in an interview after Tuesday night's meeting.

Under the agreement, developer Craig Tuton would be restricted to six units and a maximum building height of 9.15 metres (30 feet), and be required to provide a buffer on the east side of the property to retain trees.

Residents continued to argue last week that even with the restrictions, a six-plex would change the character of the neighbourhood and could set a precedent for developments in other areas of town.

Neighbours like Kos have suggested if Tuton wants to redevelop it, the property should be subdivided with duplexes built to maintain the character of the neighbourhood. That option would still allow Tuton six units on the site.

Council members had the overall need for housing in the city on their minds as they voted in favour of the development agreement.

"Council has to look at the overall community,” said Mayor Bev Buckway, who attended the meeting by conference call. She cited the city's sustainability plan and the need for higher-density developments.

If the project is given half a chance, Coun. Flo Roberts stated, she's confident it would be a success.

Coun. Dave Stockdale, meanwhile, noted the city has to adapt to changing circumstances.

"Things have changed,” he said, adding he believes the development agreement satisfies a number of concerns brought forward by the neighbours.

Though Irwin and Coun. Dave Austin also supported the agreement, both indicated that support may not last through the whole process.

Austin said he is adamantly opposed to the property entrance being off 12th Avenue, which he suggested as unsafe, though that is a matter set to be dealt with in further planning stages.

As long as the exit is proposed for 12th Avenue, Austin said, he won't support the development further.

Irwin said that while she'll support the development agreement, she isn't likely to support the rezoning.

She explained Wednesday she sees the development agreement and rezoning as being separate issues.

The agreement was likely to pass anyway, she said.

With the pact now passed, Irwin said she wants to speak with residents before the Oct. 25 vote on second and third readings of the rezoning.

"I haven't heard one resident in favour,” she said, arguing the city should be listening to its residents.

Although the city needs housing, especially affordable rental housing, she noted, a six-plex isn't likely to address that need in any major way.

And the $1,200 to $1,500 a month the developer has suggested would likely be charged on the units is not what Irwin would deem affordable housing.

"That's not diminishing the crisis,” she noted.

There are other, more suitable sites in the city for such development, Irwin added, and other options for rental accommodation on the property through subdivision and building duplexes.

"We can't just ignore the residents' concerns,” Irwin said.

Coun. Doug Graham was absent from Tuesday's meeting.