Mayor Genung ``clarified`` his position on residential density that ``it is not the residential density number, it is how the density is applied``. Riverview believes it is both.
Mayor Genung ``clarified`` his position on residential density that ``it is not the residential density number, it is how the density is applied``. Riverview believes it is both. The residential density number is important because no matter how you apply it, the higher the number the more units get built with more people, cars and traffic congestion. Lower density could temporarily ease the growth pressure, but Council doesn't seem to want to even talk about it. If the residential density number is too high, like 8 to 10 upa, Cochrane`s ability to meet it is limited. It means small homes, semis and townhomes on small lots and narrow streets and limited green space or stack the buildings with clusters of 5 storey wood frame condos. As we know, neither is appealing. This number may be right for Calgary because they can build 4 twenty story condos around a C train station as a ultra-high residential density node and build a more liveable and spacious community around this node. This is the danger of linking our density targets to that of Calgary and why we should fear the Calgary Regional Growth Management Plan (CRGMP). There are considerations as to how we apply the density to your position. We could say our target residential density is on the Town as a whole, and not on each community like it is today. This gives you the option to have the density higher in some areas and lower in others. We could say Cochrane will decide to use a different formula to calculate our residential density than Calgary. Don`t hold your breath that Calgary will allow either of these options to be applied under the CRGMP. We would be pleased to listen to the Mayor and the CAO explain their ideas of ``how you apply the density`` if it moves us towards resolution of our most pressing issues of growing traffic and infrastructure problems. Gerry Ertel
