It remains to be seen if a townhouse development proposal for Hewetson Court will be brought back yet again to city council.
The project has been before council several times, including a public hearing held on Feb. 15, 2023, that heard several concerns from area residents.
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About 40 people turned out for council’s regular meeting on Monday (Feb. 12) to see if a rezoning application for the property at 949 Hewetson Court would be approved to allow the 28-unit townhouse project to move forward.
With only five councillors and the mayor attending the meeting, the rezoning was defeated in a tie vote.
Councillors Ron Cannan, Gord Lovegrove and Rick Webber voted no, while May Tom Dyas, and Councillors Maxine DeHart and Luke Stack voted yes.
Councillors Mohini Singh, Charlie Hodge and Loyal Wooldridge were not at the meeting.
The mayor was asked if the development might be brought back to the table with a full council in attendance.
“I truly haven’t given that any thought at this point,” he added. “That would be something I would have to give some consideration to.”
A previous rezoning amendment application was made for the property in January of 2023 and proposed 31 units.
That application was not supported by council.
The property is currently zoned single-family and the mayor pointed out that there are potentially 30 lots that could be developed.
Under new provincial housing legislation that could mean four units per lot.
“That’s a stretch, but we’re dealing 120 and different intervals of time, so they could be built over many years. Sometimes you have to be careful saying what you don’t want and what you end up getting.”
Dyas added the current proposal could be built more quickly.
“If you’re looking at the neighbourhood from the standpoint of having potential disturbances if you’re getting one contractor up there building…I felt that would be less noise and inconvenience for the neighbourhood.”
At the 2023 public hearing, Dyas recused himself from discussion and the vote citing a conflict of interest, as an architect on the project was a client in his previous business.
Before discussion and the vote at Monday’s council meeting, the mayor noted the architect firm was no longer a part of the development and he was cleared to participate.
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