Development will continue as planned in St. Albert’s Jensen Lakes neighbourhood following a small section’s redistricting, council heard Jan. 10.
The land in question is located on the north side of Villeneuve Road, and west of St. Albert Trail. Eventually, access to the lands will be from Jensen Lakes Boulevard and Jubilation Drive.
Barb Dupuis, a planner for the City of St. Albert, told council most of the land is districted as urban reserve, which she said is a holding district until development occurs on the land. Another portion of the land is low-density residential (R1). Following council’s decision, these two designations will be changed to public and private service (PS), residential (RX), and public park (P).
Permitted uses for the redistricted land Dupuis outlined include single-detached homes, semi-detached homes, duplexes, and park land. She said these new designations are in line with low-density residential plans for the area indicated in the Jensen Lakes area structure plan (ASP).
Dupuis said the city received comments expressing concern about the potential development of semi-detached and duplex homes in their feedback-gathering process, but noted duplexes and semi-detached homes are already listed uses on low-density residential land (R1).
Coun. Sheena Hughes asked whether there were any changes from the original plans for the neighbourhood, specifically in terms of density.
Michaela Davis, Melcor's Edmonton north regional manager, said there are no changes to the area, which was always planned as low-density residential.
Davis noted the area is slightly different from the surrounding areas of Jensen Lakes to the north and south, which she said include more “estate products,” meaning slightly larger single-family lots.
Hughes thanked Melcor for “being true to their original plan.”
“It’s good for the residents who are building there to know that what they initially signed on for, they’re continuing to see come to fruition,” Hughes said.
Council passed the bylaw amendment unanimously.
In an interview with The Gazette Jan. 12., Davis said the past few years developing Jensen Lakes have been “very busy,” and that Melcor is currently focused on the amenities of the neighbourhood, including the 20-acre freshwater lake that will make Jensen Lakes St. Albert’s first beach-side community.
During the council meeting, Davis said the lake will be open this summer, and filling has continued in the past few weeks "despite the cold weather."
