An application is being put in to request an amendment on the Land Use Bylaw within Southbow Landing. The change would allow two land parcels to be available for future housing development projects as well as a linear pathway.
During the Committee of the Whole meeting on April 22, council reviewed the application for the amendment. The proposed land was acquired by Qualico Communities in 2022. Since then, they have pursued the amendment, being denied by council in May 2024.
“These areas were always intended for multi-unit dwellings and were planned to be so because of their proximity to the planned commercial area in the village centre, a planned school site, and a future planned transit hub,” said Joelle Annicchiarico, a planner II with the Town of Cochrane, during the meeting.
“These parcels were intended to contribute to the mix of housing alternatives within the community and were purposefully located to be in walking distance to services and amenities in the community”
The previous Land Use Bylaw identifies the subject parcels as a high-density multi-unit dwelling district, which is aligned with the high-density residential district in the current bylaw. However, the lands are currently zoned urban holdings which prohibits development until land use is amended.
An initial application was presented to council in October 2023. After receiving council and public feedback, the application was amended twice before being presented in a two-night public hearing in January and February 2024. Annicchiarico explains that after being denied in May 13, 2024, an application cannot be resubmitted for six months after the date of refusal.
“In the interim, the applicant conducted more public outreach through the fall of 2024 before resubmitting in November of 2024 when the six months had passed,” she said.
The combined feedback were taken into consideration and is reflected in the following additional proposal actions:
- the residential interface has been enhanced by adding a 6 m wide greenway to provide physical buffering and lowering the zoning to medium density across both sites which includes housing typologies that more closely align with existing development in the Willows.
- to address connectivity a new pathway has been added that connects into an existing trail system.
- in the Willows building height is being addressed through the change to medium density zoning which is in closer alignment to zoning at the south end of the Willows
- grades are being lowered as much as possible to reduce the disparity between the two communities privacy concerns are partially addressed through grades being lowered and buffering from the greenway and will be further addressed at the development permit stage where setbacks will help ensure that homes in the Willows and in South Bow are at minimum 18 m apart for access to these sites.
- the portion of James Walker Trail within South Bow Landing is planned for completion at the end of the construction season in 2026 and will be in place before further development approvals occur for the parcels.
The new proposal was well received by council, citing the significant changes made from the previous application.
“I think there were a couple hundred people, at least, reaching out to the Town and engage in this process negatively saying they didn't want to see the high-density zoning, and that worried me,” said Coun. Morgan Nagel. “I think it's wonderful to see the community engagement be reflected in that way and so I'll be happy to support this when it does come forward to council.”
“I also wanted to give my kudos,” added Coun. Marni Fedeyko. “I think it shows a lot to take back the feedback - it was a lot of hard criticism. It's a first start of getting green light from me - being able to have that continued communication with the residents.
Mayor Jeff Genung requested that administration provide medium-density examples for the public hearing phase, as well as a zoom out of the neighbourhood with relation to the subject parcels.
“What impact does the change of that have on the rest of the neighbourhood that surrounds it?” he asked. “I’d like to see how they interface.”
Genung also requested that the timeline would be highlighted in the public hearing for people to understand that construction would begin 2026-2027 at the earliest, long after the completion of the James Walker Trail.
See related story: Cochrane moves forward with James Walker Trail expansion
The public hearing for this application will take place on May 12.
