Harlow residents oppose Riverwalk development on First Street Southwest Medicine Hat

The department provides a cross-departmental review of the submission package to flag any technical issues and outlines the standard or requirements needed for site development.

Units are being presold for the condos, which will include 24 residential suites built on the three levels above the first floor parking in each building.

The deadline to appeal this development is April 19, something residents in the Harlow area plan to do.

The residents’ main concerns are the building size, privacy, shadowing, traffic, safety, population density, devaluation of property and water drainage.

The land is zoned for mixed use which allows the condo to be built as a discretionary use.

Brock Hale, a resident of the Harlow neighbourhood has been a spokesperson for the concerned residents.

Hale’s parents also live adjacent to the lot of the future condo.

“We realize that there are housing concerns in this city, and we realize this is an empty lot,” Hale said.

“This lot will likely get some sort of housing, and that’s great. If that’s what our community needs, that’s great,” he added.

“We would just like it to be something that fits within the Harlow neighborhood.”

Dylan Parker lives in the Harlow area, with his home close to the development, shadowing is a major concern of his, the lack of sunlight also creates heating cost concerns in the winter month.

“We’d just like to be heard as a neighbourhood. We’re not against development, we know how this unit is required. Two storeys is where we’d like to see it at,” Parker said.

“We like our sunshine, and we like our privacy. We don’t expect 100% privacy, just reasonable privacy.”

Residents have been in talk with a number of councillors from the city.

Councillor Andy McGrogan lives in the Harlow area, attended the meeting that took place on the site.

He said city staff has assured there has been thorough communication with residents.

“It’s already zoned. So it’s really kind of out of council’s hands as far as I know. It’s really in the hands of planning,” McGrogan said.

“There is an appeal process that is available to the residents of the Harlow area, whoever feels that there should be an appeal.”

Josh Remai, president of Span West Building Corporation was at home with COVID-19 and unable to interview but released a statement.

It outlines the time put into navigating through the development and zoning requirements, their investment, and that it complies with the existing zoning regulations.

Remai does acknowledge the residents valid concerns, stating they primarily stem from the zoning regulations governing the land, rather than their specific development.

They will approach the situation with empathy and understanding and believe a mutually beneficial solution can be pursued.

Statement from Josh Renai, president, Span West Building Corporation

Hale has been in contact with Remai with plans to continue that conversation.

“We plan to talk again in the next few days after I talk to some more neighbours and try to get us on the same page,” Hale said.

“I hope we can kind of work together, and maybe we can find solutions that way.”

An appeal would be reviewed by the cities Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, an independent quasi-judicial board established under the Municipal Government Act of the Province of Alberta.

The committee is made up of four members appointed by council and one council member.

Board members are Medicine Hat residents, can not be city employees or members of the Municipal Planning Commission.

The land was listed for sale for $407,000 plus GST. with the pricing strategy approved by council on July 6, 2020.

The development permit application was posted on the City of Medicine Hat website on Friday, Jan 19 with an option for the public to submit comments.

When comments are collected through this process, they are considered as part of the development permit review.

This feedback mechanism is not part of an appeal process.

The public comment period closed on Feb 9 and the development permit was reviewed prior to approval.

Harlow residents claim the city had received about 180 comments prior to the review.

by Jesse Gill

Harlow residents oppose Riverwalk development on First Street Southwest Medicine Hat

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