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Habitat project given green light

A controversial affordable housing project in Akinsdale will proceed with construction of 30 duplex housing units. City council approved the development at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.

A controversial affordable housing project in Akinsdale will proceed with construction of 30 duplex housing units.

City council approved the development at a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting began with Mayor Nolan Crouse informing council that Habitat for Humanity Edmonton had told him that it would not be proceeding with a 24-unit development, which council had decided to pursue last week. The meeting ended with an approved 30-unit development for 70 Arlington Dr. and a group of angry Akinsdale residents.

"I'm just pissed right off, that's the bottom line," said resident Gordon Wheaton.

Habitat CEO Alfred Nikolai was "very pleased" with the decision.

"We've talked to I don't know how many families that want to own a home in St. Albert but can't afford a home in St. Albert," he said. "Those families are going to be just thrilled that this is happening."

Servicing the site with water and sewer will take the bulk of the next 12 months and actual building construction will start about a year from now, he said.

Habitat doesn't have the money in place right now to build the project but Nikolai was confident that his organization would raise the resources. He also felt the 36-month deadline for completion would be easy to meet.

The project has been at the centre of a neighbourhood uprising that's included a lawsuit filed against the city by area residents. Previous versions of the project had called for 63, 58 and 34 units.

Council decided last week that the most recent 30-unit proposal put forth by Habitat was too dense and asked the organization to consider a 24-unit project.

Nikolai said this reduction would have meant lots of 50 feet by 116 feet for each duplex half and would have added an estimated $25,000 to $30,000 to the cost of each unit, making them unaffordable for Habitat and its families. This is because the multi-million dollar servicing costs would be the same regardless of the number of units built, he said.

The homes will be sold at market value, as determined by a real estate appraiser, he said.

Residents will be selected for Habitat's home ownership program, which allows residents to pay for their down payment with sweat equity and tailors their mortgage payment to a percentage of their income.

Angry residents

Akinsdale residents were visibly angry following council's decision Wednesday.

"It's a travesty," said a quaking Wendy Walter. "It's the worst thing I've ever seen."

"It redefines the neighbourhood," said her husband, who refused to give his first name.

"Somebody has to stand up to Habitat," he said. "It's like arguing against motherhood. They can do infills in two, three or five units but here, we have to have 30? It's just wrong."

Mayor Nolan Crouse said he feels "tremendous pressure" from trying to further the city's affordable housing goals while balancing the desires of a neighbourhood. It was important for council to make a decision or risk having Habitat walk away, setting the stage for another conflict in the future, he said.

"To put the public, the neighbours, developers through another process would be unfair," he said. "We're ready to move on. We're done with this."

Coun. Lorie Garritty was the one who pushed for a return to 30 units.

"I strongly believe we need these homes," he said. "The more units, the more affordable."

"I really think it's time to stop messing around with this whole thing," said Coun. Carol Watamaniuk.

Coun. James Burrows continued to advocate for 18 units and was the only councillor to vote against the development.

Election

Crouse said he wasn't worried about being voted out of office over the decision.

"No, I'm not worried about that," he said. "I think this is important enough for the community that people in the community will see the good in this."

Shelley Biermanski, Crouse's lone opponent for the Oct. 18 vote, was disappointed with the quick decision at the emergency meeting. Last week's decision was made with the understanding that another public hearing would follow in several months when Habitat was expected to come forward with a plan for 24 units.

Though she's an Arlington Drive resident, Biermanski said it's just one of many issues that's demonstrating a council trend.

"The common factor is they don't listen to people," she said. "The only reason I'm [running] is I'm going to get people to start listening."

Lawsuit lingers

Council's decision comes more than two years after the Protestant school board agreed to sell its surplus school site to Habitat.

"We never imagined that the process would be so prolonged," said board chair Morag Pansegrau, who was pleased with the decision.

The board had tried several times previously to sell the land but previous councils had always shot down the required rezoning.

Meanwhile, the city is continuing to work on its response to a lawsuit filed by Akinsdale residents, said Charlotte St. Dennis, St. Albert's corporate lawyer.

Crouse said he doesn't believe the lawsuit will derail the development. Gerry Kress, one of the residents who filed the suit, said lawyers from both sides are continuing to work on the issue.

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