CLYDE – Neighbours of a proposed $2.5 million eight-unit apartment complex in Clyde spoke against the development at an appeal board Aug. 15.
Earl and Tamara Embree filed an appeal saying they are concerned about the building’s height, their privacy, the proximity of windows and the overshadowing of their home. Other issues they raised were lack of parking and the apartment is a stock design.
“The apartment isn’t in keeping with the existing neighbourhood,” they said. “There are better places in town to place units of this size as it results in unfair consideration to existing home owners.”
In another appeal, Lorraine Spreadbury, said “It is simply too large a footprint for the size of the lot. The variances granted place it too close to the street and to the neighbouring dwelling to the north.”
Spreadbury said that the residents of the eight-unit complex will have more vehicles than the designated parking spaces.
“It does not fit with the well-groomed adjacent properties and negatively impacts the reasonable expectation of privacy, and freedom from light pollution the adjacent property owner should expect.”
She added that the development would affect the property value of neighbouring homes.
The developer, TBT Investment Group Corporation from Fort McMurray, wants to build the residential unit on an empty lot at 4704 and 4706 – 49 Street in Clyde. It would have four units above ground and four units on the lower level with 12 parking spaces. The proposed total density based on Clyde’s Land Use Bylaw is 23 people.
Clyde’s Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) has three options. They can uphold the Municipal Planning Commission’s decision and the development permit. They can modify the development permit with additional conditions. Or they can overturn the development permit and not allow the apartment complex to be built.
According to the Municipal Government Act, the SDAB must hand down its decision no later than Aug. 30, said Westlock County Municipal Clerk Lisa Schovanek. In addition, Schovanek said if anyone wants to appeal the SDAB's decision to the Court of Appeal, it must be on a question of law or jurisdiction, and filed and served within 30 days of the SDAB's decision.
